I think most men want to. They just don't think they have something to offer.
That was me. For a long time, I didn't think I was qualified to mentor anyone. I was still figuring my own life out. I still felt like I was behind. What could I possibly offer a younger man when I was still struggling with the same questions myself?
But here's what I've learned: you don't have to have it all figured out to be useful to someone behind you. You just have to be further down the road than they are. And you'd be surprised how far down the road you are, even on your worst day, compared to a man who's just starting.
I started mentoring — informally, imperfectly — and I discovered something I didn't expect: it helped me as much as it helped them. Having to articulate what I'd learned forced me to actually understand it. Being asked questions by a younger man made me examine answers I'd been taking for granted. And watching someone else grow gave me proof that growth was possible — even for me.
The older men I know who are alive, vibrant, still growing — almost all of them are pouring into younger men. Not because they have all the answers, but because the act of giving keeps them from stagnating.
If you're a man who thinks you're not ready to mentor someone, you probably are. Find a younger man. Be honest about what you know and what you don't. And just be present. That alone is more than most young men are getting.
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*Sven Masterson writes for men who were handed a half-finished version of themselves — by the church, by culture, by the structures they were raised in. His work isn't about correction. It's about completion. Learn more at [SvenMasterson.com](https://www-svenmasterson-com.pages.dev/) or [Masterful Men](https://masterful.men).*
