Motivation is a tricky subject. There’s lots written about it and much of the advice implies that if you just set a few goals you’ll be motivated. Brett Davidson of FP Advance is just not convinced it’s that simple.
When business is going well and you’re seeing lots of on-target clients, whatever that looks like for you, financial planning is great fun. You make a real difference to people’s lives and earn good money doing it. What’s not to like?
However, if your business is struggling, or it just feels a bit ‘same-old, same-old’ on a daily basis, you can find your motivation flagging. If that’s happening to you right now, or has happened to you in the past, then here are five strategies for getting your mojo back in double-quick time.
Strategy 1: Set public goals
Ok, I know I just took issue with a lot of the motivation stuff that says ‘set a few goals and all will be well’. There’s certainly more to it than that, but setting some goals and sharing them with your team is a great place to start. That’s what I mean by set public goals. I’m not suggesting you get a billboard at the junction of your nearest motorway, merely that you have goals that someone else knows about.
It’s not the highest form of motivation if you’re in a slump, but it’s a good first step.
Also, set a goal that’s bigger than money. Find something meaningful to go after that might change the world (or at least your part in it). That’s the sort of stuff that gets you leaping out of bed bright and early every day.
Strategy 2: Find other highly motivated peers
We all know a few inspirational people in this profession. If you’re an adviser or paraplanner, it might be someone you have heard speaking, or someone you met at an industry event.
If that person has achieved the level of success that you’re looking for yourself, make an effort to connect with them on social media, subscribe to their blog, seek them out at your next industry event, or give them a call and see if you can get an hour of their time. In my experience, leaders are always available to help in some way shape or form, even if they’re really busy.
Surround yourself with highly motivated winners and it’s likely to rub off on you.
Strategy 3: See each day as a new opportunity to learn
I’m not sure why, but sometimes when you reach a level of skill, you plateau. I’m being kind when I say plateau; what I really mean is you stop growing and learning, and that’s not good.
This can happen to you at any stage, but I noticed it in myself a couple of years ago and, looking back, it was a major contributor to a ‘bored’ phase I went through.
However, by getting back on the ‘learning new skills’ horse, I got excited again about my work and my life. You can do the same.
Strategy 4: Use meditation, music or inspirational videos
Professional athletes prepare mentally for their chosen sports. They’ll listen to music, meditate, or watch something inspirational to get them in the zone. It’s just a process of getting their mind right, in order to perform better.
There’s no reason you can’t make some of these things part of your professional practice as well. Meditation works for some, although I’ve taken the view that my best meditation is doing some exercise. I switch off for a while and seem to come back afterwards in a great place, mentally and physically.
Strategy 5: Get mad
Seriously, how long have you been at this now? Have you achieved what you know you are capable of? Maybe it’s time to get a little bit concerned about that.
I can give you an endless list of why I haven’t quite done what I want to do yet. “It’s not my fault”, I can assure you. However, the real reason for any lack of success is that I haven’t been working on the right things, or I’ve been somehow holding myself back.
The truth is, if I want the things I say I want, then there’s stuff to be done. I won’t get it by wasting more time on Facebook, or watching TV.
Do you have an endless list of excuses for why you haven’t achieved your goals in this profession or this life? The people who are achieving big time success are working at it every single day; deliberately and consciously. They aren’t just talking about it, they’re doing it.
Are you mad yet? Good. Then use it to do something new that advances you towards your goals.
Final thoughts
Staying motivated can be challenging sometimes as the pressures of life build up, but that’s not an excuse. With a bit of effort you can rekindle or maintain your motivation and keep persisting; which is the biggest factor in most people’s success.
As professional poker player Nathan Williams says, “Nobody gets to the top by half assing it. Nobody climbs up the ranks by putting in a couple of hours a week, you know, if they feel like it.”
Hopefully a few of the tips in this article can help you keep or re-kindle some of that essential motivation.
If you need just a bit more inspiration, this short video from Joe Rogan could help. Entitled “Be the Hero of Your Own Movie”, Joe asks you to imagine that if your life was a movie and it started now, what would the hero of your life’s movie do right now? Powerful stuff.
About Brett Davidson
Brett is the Founder of FP Advance, the boutique consulting firm that helps financial planning professionals to advise better and live better.
He is recognised as one of the leading consultants to financial advisers in the UK. You can follow Brett online and via social media:
Website: www.fpadvance.com
Twitter: @brettdavidson
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsonbrett
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FPAdvanceLtd
