Noob looking for mentor?

[John Hardy]

edit:  my title should be a statement-not a question.  "I am a noob looking for a mentor."

I'm spending a lot of time reading, learning, and there are a million topics to cover.  I'm still trying to refine my goals, my strategy and my options.  But with so much information, and so many things to consider in my local market, I'd like to find a mentor that can help me refine my thoughts and guide me through the process.  How would I go about finding a mentor or guide?  I don't know if that's a 'thing' but I"d be willing to pay, share profit on a deal, or help compensate (within reason, of course) for someone's time.  I've traded some pings with a few people but they are realtors, lenders or they represent their interests and not sure I'm getting objective information for MY interests.

I want to shorten my learning curve, avoid costly mistakes, and shape a strategy and goals.

Thanks for any guidance on the topic.