Mayer made a sharp distinction between two types of people you can surround yourself with at life's transition points. Adorers fawn, flatter, and make you feel great — 'and as a result, they're very easy to be around.' But they never tell you when you're screwing up, mis-prioritizing, or making a mistake. Allies, by contrast, celebrate your successes but also push back when you need it. 'Work for someone who believes in you and invests in you. Someone who wants you to be better and will be honest with you all along the way.' Mayer named her own allies: her parents, various teachers, and at Google — Eric Schmidt, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Craig Silverstein, and her boss Jonathan. The advice was especially pointed coming from someone who'd risen from Google employee #20 to VP by age 33.