How I Use AI as a Mentor. For years you have been told get a Mentor, bounce your ideas, get feed back but now it can be done better and quicker
Blog by Peter Hanley coachhanley.com
I’ve discovered something transformative over the past year: AI has become one of my most valuable mentors. Not in the traditional sense of a human relationship, but as an always-available thinking partner that helps me grow in ways I never expected.
The breakthrough came when I stopped using AI as just a search engine or task executor and started treating it as a mentor. Instead of asking “How do I do X?”, I began asking the questions that matter most for growth: “What am I doing wrong?” and “How can I do this better?”
The Power of Honest Self-Assessment
One of the hardest parts of professional and personal development is getting honest feedback. We all have blind spots, and sometimes the people around us are too polite, too busy, or too close to the situation to give us the unvarnished truth. This is where AI mentorship shines.
When I finish a draft of an email, presentation, or piece of work, I don’t just move on. I share it with AI and ask: “What am I missing here? What could be clearer? Where might someone misunderstand my intent?” The responses often reveal assumptions I didn’t realize I was making or gaps in my logic that seemed invisible to me.
The beauty is that AI doesn’t have an ego to protect or feelings to hurt. It won’t sugarcoat its assessment because it’s worried about our relationship. It gives me direct, actionable feedback that helps me improve immediately.
Learning to Ask Better Questions
Using AI as a mentor has actually taught me how to be a better learner. I’ve realized that the quality of mentorship I receive is directly proportional to the quality of questions I ask.
When I ask vague questions like “Is this good?”, I get vague answers. But when I ask “Does this introduction hook the reader within the first two sentences? Is my main argument clear by the end of the second paragraph?”, I get specific, useful guidance.
I’ve started approaching problems differently too. Before diving into execution, I’ll ask: “What am I not considering about this approach?” or “What would an expert in this field do differently?” These questions force me to think beyond my initial instincts and consider perspectives I might have overlooked.
The Iterative Improvement Loop
My workflow has become wonderfully iterative. I’ll draft something, share it, and ask what could be improved. Then I’ll revise and ask again: “Is this clearer? Have I addressed the weaknesses you identified?” This back-and-forth creates a cycle of continuous improvement that would be impractical with a human mentor who has limited time.
For coding projects, I’ll share my approach and ask: “What problems might I run into with this architecture?” or “How would a senior developer structure this differently?” The AI mentor helps me anticipate issues before they become costly mistakes.
Understanding the “Why” Behind Best Practices
One of the most valuable aspects of AI mentorship is that it doesn’t just tell me what to do—it explains why. When I ask “How can I do this better?”, I don’t just get a list of improvements. I get the reasoning behind each suggestion.
This deeper understanding helps me internalize principles rather than just following rules. I’m not just learning what works; I’m learning why it works, which helps me apply those lessons to completely different situations.
The Limitations and the Balance
Of course, AI mentorship has its limits. It can’t replace the human connection, the intuition that comes from shared experiences, or the accountability that a real mentor provides. It doesn’t know the specific politics of my workplace or the nuances of my personal relationships.
But what it offers is complementary. My human mentors help me with strategy, career navigation, and the emotional aspects of growth. My AI mentor helps me with tactics, skill development, and the practical question of “How do I make this specific thing better right now?”
The Daily Practice
I’ve made AI mentorship a daily practice. Whether I’m writing, coding, planning, or problem-solving, I pause and ask those two crucial questions: “What am I doing wrong?” and “How can I do this better?” It’s become a habit that’s accelerated my learning in ways I couldn’t have achieved alone.
The key is approaching it with genuine curiosity and openness to criticism. If you’re defensive or just looking for validation, you’ll miss the value. But if you’re genuinely committed to improvement, AI mentorship can be transformative.Retry