Coaching vs. Mentoring
What is the difference? What is similar? Where would you get one over the other?
A coach is a person that observes your performance and provide feedback on it. A mentor is a person that has accomplished the goal you want.
There can be overlap between them: a coach can be a mentor and a mentor can coach you.
The difference becomes clear at an extreme level.
If your goal is to be an Olympic gold medalist:
- a coach can be anyone
- a mentor would be a former Olympian that has a gold medal
In this case, there can be overlap - you can get a coach that won a gold medal in the Olympics.
At the same time, the first gold medal Olympian’s coach was not their mentor.