February 22, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Only a tiny percentage of financial advisors get to the top and there’s no mystery about how they got there. It’s because they did what unsuccessful advisors didn’t: they became brilliant at the basics.
Unless you nail the basics there’s no way you can become an elite advisor. If you don’t set goals, work hard, organize your time efficiently and practice your soft skills to perfection you won’t have the underlying tools to take your business to the next level.
There are no shortcuts to getting the basics right. It will take time, years in fact. But if you don’t put in the effort, you won’t reap the rewards. If you don’t get brilliant at the basics your career will fizzle out long before you achieve success. Here’s a look at some of the basics and what happens when you don’t get them right.
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In this category, we will share stories and practical tips for financial advisors and consultants which have proven to be best practices throughout the years.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others – Focus on Your Own Success
April 4, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Comparing yourself to other advisors and idealizing their qualities while underestimating your own abilities is a self-defeating habit, yet many advisors constantly do this. Believing that there are other advisors out there who are “better”, “more accomplished” or “more successful” than you can set you on a downward spiral because you feel you can’t measure up.
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Three Must-read Success Stories for Financial Advisors
March 7, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
As a financial advisor you need to work flat out on building your business. But it also pays to take the time to stand back and find inspiration from the best in the business. By understanding what helped some top pros rise to the top of their profession you can gain valuable pointers to motivate you both personally and professionally. Here’s a brief introduction to three professionals you should have on your radar.
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What Happens If You’re Not Brilliant at The Basics?
February 22, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Only a tiny percentage of financial advisors get to the top and there’s no mystery about how they got there. It’s because they did what unsuccessful advisors didn’t: they became brilliant at the basics.
Unless you nail the basics there’s no way you can become an elite advisor. If you don’t set goals, work hard, organize your time efficiently and practice your soft skills to perfection you won’t have the underlying tools to take your business to the next level.
There are no shortcuts to getting the basics right. It will take time, years in fact. But if you don’t put in the effort, you won’t reap the rewards. If you don’t get brilliant at the basics your career will fizzle out long before you achieve success. Here’s a look at some of the basics and what happens when you don’t get them right.
Read more
What to Look for in an Accountability Partner
February 15, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Unsuccessful advisors may dream of success but they can’t seem to commit to or stick with their ideas. They tend to procrastinate or spend their time struggling to discern between high and low priority tasks. Successful advisors on the other hand have a clear roadmap incorporating concrete goals and they consistently hit their targets. They have discovered the art of “accountability”.
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Nobody’s Holding You Back but You
February 8, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices, Storytelling, analogies and power phrases / 0 comments
Listen to today’s short audio post on brilliance and get inspired for success!
This is a true story of a young boy being sent home from school with a note from his teacher. The boy happened to be deaf. The note said – “This boy is too stupid to learn.”
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What’s the Journey of the Successful Advisor Like?
February 1, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Developing a career as a financial advisor is not for the fainthearted. There are plenty of pitfalls to look out for along the way. New advisors often lack the essential soft skills they need to hit the ground running while others embark on the journey without a clear roadmap or measurable goals to guide them.
Here’s a look at how successful advisors navigate their way to success.
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Goal Setting: Don’t Look Where You Don’t Want to Go
January 11, 2016 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
Let’s talk about goal setting. I’d like to tell you about a piece I read, called “Keep your eyes on the prize”. Watch the video or read the transcript below to learn the story about a man who was afraid of heights.
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5 Reasons to Develop a Repeatable Process
November 9, 2015 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
It’s essential to develop consistent patterns of behavior if you are going to build a successful business. By continually changing direction and trying different things every quarter you won’t be able to hit your goals or measure the results of your progress. Without a measure of consistency you won’t become accountable and you’ll fail to win your clients’ trust or get them to invest with you for the long term.
Check out these 5 reasons you should develop repeatable processes.
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Develop Leadership Skills So Clients Will Follow You
November 2, 2015 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
There’s far more to being a good financial advisor than simply setting up a financial plan and then walking away. The best advisors not only identify which path clients should take – but accompany them for the entire journey. Your clients need to know that you’re committed to their long term success. They will look to you for reassurance along the way. So you need to step up to the mark and develop strong leadership skills.
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Elite Advisors Never Lose the Will to Learn
September 14, 2015 / by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments
If you stop wanting to improve your skills you will cease to be good at your job. Don’t let short term success make you overly confident or complacent. While having a successful month, a good quarter or even a good year is great news it does not guarantee your success further down the line. All bets are on that a slump is out there waiting for you somewhere, and when it does, it can quickly turn things on their head. So you need to have a backup plan.
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