A good mentor can tell when you’re just ticking boxes. They can tell when you’re playing it safe and doing the bare minimum just to avoid standing out. And instead of rewarding that, they will remind you who you were before you started pulling back, or at least who you could be if you just did a little bit more.
Because we are human, there’s always this urge to please the people who are investing in us. We don’t want them to think or feel like they are not doing enough to support us. And so sometimes you’ll be tempted to give them polished updates, highlight the small wins, avoid saying that you feel lost or unsure. When you have a good mentor, they will notice. They will notice when you’re coasting, when your fire is low and they’ll say something. They will do it to remind you that you are not stuck, just scared. Or even tell you directly, “You’re holding back and you know it.” Because a great mentor knows that if they play along with your pretending, they’re only helping you stay small. And that is not helpful to you.