How do you cope with disappointment or conflict with your mentor or coach?

Remember that conflict is not inherently a bad thing. Peers, Leaders, and Mentors do not need to see eye to eye as long as both sides are heard and respected throughout the interaction. Healthy, honest debate is a welcome addition to a team as it requires a level of trust and dialogue amongst the team, which is essential to making thoughtful decisions that move the team forward.

Coping with mentor or coach conflicts requires clarity, objectivity, and open-mindedness. Analyze whether it's personal or professional. Accept constructive criticism for growth. Maintain balance and seek perspective from trusted individuals. Communicate openly and professionally to resolve issues. Embrace challenges as opportunities for personal and professional development. Prioritize self-care to manage emotional stress. With patience and resilience, navigate conflicts to foster growth and maturity.

Finding yourself in a position of disagreement, or worse yet, disappointment in front of someone who should provoke admiration is one of the best opportunities you can take advantage of to grow as a human, but above all as an artist. It is an ideal and perfect metaphor for what the world can constantly throw at you, it is a direct confrontation, face to face with an opposite. There is no specific answer for how to do it, since it will depend a lot on the circumstances, but I would say, use it, use that conflict, use that disappointment, to explore and open your mind. It is always important to remember the world in which we lived is not ours, it is an endless smoothie of mixtures. It can make you a better artist.

In the case of disappointment, basically when a comment or review is not in line with your expectations, it is important to take it at face value, try to put yourself in his shoes. You might find the comment of value. However, if you consider that your work complies with your believes/technique/focus, then just continue with the work you do.

When facing disappointment or conflict with a mentor/coach, reflect on the root cause. Openly discuss using "I" statements, listen to their side too. If unresolvable, revisit expectations or part ways. But if a valued relationship, get back on track - adjust, set boundaries, hold each other accountable. Some conflict allows growth. Communicate openly to navigate disappointments while maintaining these vital professional bonds.

Remember you are people first. We feel and think as individuals. A mentor will provide and support in the way they know how. Both of you must practice active listening. This does not mean you have to agree with what they're saying. Ask questions to clarify, if they've said something that seemed off. If concerns arise and you feel they are not supporting you the way you need them to, articulate that by expressing gratitude for investing in you and explain what you need in that moment. Maybe they misunderstood your needs. Maybe they have a bandwidth issue. Acknowledge their position while owning yours. Most issues can be resolved with empathy and finding common ground.

Being paired with the wrong mentor, or overgrowing an mentor can be stressful and hard. It is also a part of life, and seeing this as an grey event of our lives (not bad or good) set a motion of learning from it. If the issue can not be fixed, learning how to deal with different personalities can be your goal. Get help through different solutions while learning how you cope, act and get to agreements with the mentor. It can be a valued experience in future as learning how to be great with great mentors is amazing but learning how to be great with a challenge give much more perspective to the situation.

Learning how to mentally cope is an important step. We will all get to the point we outgrow our mentors, and its a natural experience where both the mentor and a apprentice have an almost cathartic moment. It is also important to set yourself that it will not come, and that you are collecting your experience and building a better self. Be aware, be present, learn how to deal with your own ego and others, and produce the best you can. Every single event is an experience you take and learn from.

Finding a balance. We can all get heavy emotions, especially during a challenging time. Keeping positive and healthy is a hard task in these times. Set your private and professional life from each other. Have moment between them and zone out that situations from professional do not enter into private and vice versa. Maybe its a walk after work, or meditation, or just having a single grapefruit on your balcony. Do not be afraid to ask for help, and support and surround yourself with healthy people. Pump yourself up with positive reinforcements, and reprogram the negative smog that comes out.

Conflicts with mentors/coaches are opportunities for growth through open and empathetic dialogue. Have honest discussions using "I" statements, but also listen to their perspective. A little constructive conflict can bring you closer if approached maturely. If issues persist, reevaluate fit. But embrace letdowns as chances to recalibrate expectations and become better versions of yourselves together through open communication.