What if you could get feedback from Alex Hormozi, James Clear, or your toughest professor without them ever seeing your work?
That's exactly what I do before publishing anything. I've developed a framework I call "The Mentor Lens" - a way to critique your own work through the eyes of someone you admire.
Think about the last time you got really good feedback. Not the surface-level "looks good!" comments, but the kind that made you see your work in a completely new light. The kind that pushed you to make something drastically better. That's what The Mentor Lens helps you create for yourself.
How It Works
My process is simple: draft, edit, and let it rest for a day. But before the final edit, I apply The Mentor Lens. I think of a specific person I look up to and recall their core principles. For instance, when I'm writing about business, I'll channel Alex Hormozi's obsession with stripping ideas down to their fundamental truth. I'll ask myself: "Would Alex call this fluffy? Am I using ten words where three would do?"
Or I might put on my James Clear lens and check if I'm following his writing principles: "Is this immediately actionable? Have I made the abstract concrete? Am I showing, not telling?"
Real-World Examples
Tim Ferriss often mentions imagining Seth Godin reading his work, specifically looking for unnecessary complexity
Ryan Holiday writes as if Marcus Aurelius would read his drafts, considering whether each point serves a genuine purpose
Leila Hormozi reviews her content by asking if Gary Vee would find it authentic enough or if it's trying too hard to sound "business-y"
Your Turn: Implementing The Mentor Lens
So, how can you apply The Mentor Lens to your work? First, choose your mentor. It doesn't have to be someone famous – it could be your most brutally honest colleague or that professor who never gave out A's. The only requirements are that they have high standards and that you respect their work.
Whether you're coding, designing, writing, or creating content, here's your action plan:
- Pick your mentor
- List their core principles
- Review your work through their lens
- Make adjustments before anyone else sees it
Transform good work into great work. Your mentors are ready - just pick up the lens.
