Finding a mentor is a common desire among people who want to improve their careers and professional skills. But few think about the day when they want to break up with a mentor when the person is no longer being helpful.

"I'm a very big believer that we should have many mentors," Adam Mendler, host of the podcast 30-Minute Mentors, tells GlobeSt.com. "It's highly unlikely that there is one person out there who can have all the information and knowledge for you. As you're starting out, you're probably trying to learn things more senior. As you move further along, you'd looking for someone to help you grow as a leader. How do I most effectively lead in today's landscape? How do I hire effectively? Those are issues that you're not necessarily are thinking about as you're starting your journey."

Over a career, that means you are probably not going to keep in the kind of close contact with all your mentors that you once had because you won't need to keep learning the same things. "It's your job as a mentee to figure out how to unlock the value. What does this7 person  bring to the table that brings value for me?" Mendler says. You need to optimize time with people, important not only for you but them.