There is a difference between guiding someone and doing the emotional lifting for them. When a mentor sees you drifting, they might nudge, remind, or encourage. But they cannot constantly drag you back to the path. That kind of relationship quietly turns into imbalance. One person trying to steer, the other just hoping for momentum.
You might not even realize it is happening. You are overwhelmed, unsure, trying to find clarity. You lean on their confidence, their clarity, their direction. And for a while, it works. But it’s not a long-term strategy. If every push has to come from outside of you, it is not sustainable.
Eventually, the people who believe in you need to see you believe in yourself too. Not perfectly. Not all at once. But enough to show that their effort is not going to waste. That you are not just receiving support, you are building something with it.