Search for the mentor of someone you admire, and then do a little deeper research on their relationship. For example, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brokaw, and the late Maya Angelou all credit a teacher early in their life as having a catalytic effect on their growth. Spanx billionaire Sara Blakely credits Oprah and Richard Branson. Branson credits Sir Freddie Laker. Bill Gates credits Warren Buffett. As you can see, there's some weaving of the roots of these mentor trees.

The reality is that our mentor relationships are often a moment in time. They may not last forever, but they have a long-lasting impact if they're effective. To learn more about my mentorship relationship with the young CEO of the most valuable hospitality company in the world, feel free to watch this Commonwealth Club interview with me and Brian Chesky based upon, at that time, my more than half-dozen years of mentorship with him.

Of course, what works for Silicon Valley can also work for others, including yourself. Be a mentor in someone else's life, and, who knows, one day someone else might return the favor.

P.S. I look forward to intellectually jousting with Arthur Brooks this Saturday who has a new book coming out called “From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life” in which he features the Modern Elder Academy. You can register for this free online conversation here.