Are you really willing to do what’s required? People often have dreams and goals that they wish to accomplish, but when it comes down to doing the hard work to get there, they push it off to another day, another week, another month, another year. They keep on dreaming, but it never happens.
Every morning, we like to get together in our office, and I try to motivate our team to think beyond where they are right now or where our business is right now. If a client happens to walk in, they usually get pulled into the conversations. Typically, I will read from my latest business or marketing book. Currently, we are reading from This Is Strategy – Making Better Plans by Seth Godin. Today’s section, or ‘riff’ he calls them, was titled “Some Reasons Why We Avoid Having a Strategy”. The whole section made a lot of good points, but I really wanted to focus on a key sentence.
Initially, I just shared the first part: “It’s tempting to daydream about the future.”
Then, I asked everyone how they see our organization in the future; where should we go, what should we aspire to? There were a lot of great ideas. The one that inspired me the most was the idea that instead of being an organization that tries to just transform people’s lives, we would also become an organization that transforms or influences the industry that we work in.
This has actually been a goal of mine this year. Each Monday, I have been trying to meet with a local financial advisor. Someone that I can break bread with. A young advisor who probably isn’t getting the help and direction that they need, and I tell them to bring me 3 issues or concerns that they have, and I will use my almost 40 years of experience to try to help them find the solution. I’m helping them even though some may think that they’re my competition. I’m helping them even though they’re not a part of our office.
It has been amazing to see how many of our advisors are open to sitting down and having this lunch focus group with me. They will often ask why I am bothering to do this sort of thing. It’s because I am in the mentorship part of my life. I have realized that if I can help other advisors do a better job, it will lift up the entire industry. I want all advisors to be respected and have the knowledge necessary to support their clients. By helping other advisors, I can reach and help more people through them because I myself am not able to sit down and meet with every single person out there. The more that I can give, the more that others can benefit: advisors, or indirectly, their clients.
Going back to our book discussion, after we discussed the first part in depth about dreams and ambitions, we then discussed the full sentence:
“It’s tempting to daydream about the future, but are you willing to live there?”
What does that mean?
Are you willing to do the job? Are you willing to do the hard work? Are you willing to step outside of your comfort zone? Are you willing to keep going even if other people question you?
I have had colleagues from across the nation question why I would bother meeting and helping people that they see as my competition. That’s small-minded thinking. I like to think outside of the box.
Have you met people in your own life that you may even be in competition with, or thought about how you can assist them? Have you thought about ways you can make a difference, not only in your life, your clients’ lives, but with other people who also represent your industry? Have you thought about how lifting them lifts everyone up?
In Sunday School, we learned the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. Unfortunately, it seems like a golden rule is often changed to: Those who have the gold make the rules. Maybe it’s time to go back to that original meaning. What are you willing to do for others? And are you able to think outside of the box, outside of your own little world today?
We are all able to dream, but are you ready to live in those dreams so they can be fulfilled?
If you're a future-thinker, not only a dreamer, but a do-er, then perhaps you might be a good fit for us. If you are an advisor and would like some of my time to possibly assist you in making your practice better, I am here. We are here to help you do that. If you are someone who is not working with an advisor, try to seek out that individual who is thinking outside of their little office, their little space. Someone who is trying to lift others up and not just themselves.
If you would like to work with us as we try to improve clients’ lives and work to improve the industry, then perhaps it’s time to schedule your Financialoscopy®.
