@All, two things I'd add to what's been said:
First, mentorship doesn't have to come from a senior PI. Peer review exchanges; pairing with another early career researcher to critically read each other's proposals can catch unclear objectives, weak justification, or budget gaps just as effectively and often more honestly because there's no power dynamic. For those with senior mentors, the peer layer complements rather than replaces.
Second, the strongest mentorship relationships are reciprocal. Mentors benefit from fresh perspectives, new literature, or reliable help. Framing an approach as "here's what I'm working on, here's where I'm stuck, and here's what I can offer" changes it from asking for a favour to proposing a collaboration. That's also what makes networks last beyond a single proposal.
