stay motivated Archives - Don Connelly & Associates

Getting SMART About Setting Goals for You and Your Clients

/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

Anyone who has ever accomplished anything of significance started with a goal. Professional athletes, entertainers, business titans, and the millionaire next door will all tell you that they began with the end in mind, visualizing their destination and then mapping the road to get there.

We’ve written about the importance of goal setting and the significance of writing them down and keeping them in front of you to remind you of what’s possible. However, the process of goal setting is often marred with unrealistic expectations or ambivalence about what you want to achieve, resulting in unachievable or unmeasurable goals.

Financial advisors on the path to success can’t afford to wallow in hopes or pipe dreams. You need clearly defined, actionable goals that reflect your professional and personal ambitions. Although goal setting isn’t rocket science, it does require a deliberate process to ensure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. In other words, it requires the SMART goal-setting framework.

Building Resiliency Through Successful Calling Habits

/ by Don Connelly / Prospecting / 0 comments

I think it’s safe to say that most financial advisors don’t like making prospecting calls. Many even detest it. At best, it’s a necessary evil.

However, some advisors not only welcome the challenge of call prospecting, but they also thrive on it. One advisor I know considers each phone call he makes as the potential to uncover riches like scratching off lottery tickets. He said, “I could win the lottery at any minute, and if I scratch off enough tickets, believe me, I will win the lottery.”

That’s one way to stay motivated. But there is an element of truth to it. Ambitious advisors will do whatever it takes to build a resilient mindset, which is critical to success in any endeavor. They’re not afraid to risk rejection because they know it will lead to wins, and that’s what they live for. However, for resilience to be sustained, it must be built on solid habits that eliminate the overthinking that leads to call reluctance.

Here are the essential calling habits—several of which occur before the call—you must develop to grow your businesses successfully:

7 Qualities Financial Advisors Must Have to Achieve Their Goals

/ by Don Connelly / Best Practices / 0 comments

What do successful financial advisors do that unsuccessful or even adequate advisors don’t, won’t, or can’t do? I could list several things here, but it all starts with setting clearly defined goals—and then achieving them. But, while the vast majority of advisors understand the importance of setting goals—actually writing them down—and having a plan to achieve them, fewer manage to achieve them. As a result, they never raise the bar for themselves, gradually slipping into mediocracy.

The failure to achieve goals can be attributed to a number of things—i.e., the goals are unrealistic or too vague; not having or strictly following a plan; not being accountable for your goals, to name just a few. While these are identifiable reasons for not achieving goals, they are more of an expected outcome for advisors who lack the vital qualities to carry them to success. You can have the most incredible work ethic, but if you’re not setting and achieving your goals, it’s like a rudderless motorboat spinning around in a lake.

How to Choose Your Specialty as a Financial Advisor

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The financial services market is becoming more complex and more complex every day. Everybody needs a focus. And those with focused practices are better able to serve their clients. None of us can be all things to all people so it’s important to specialize in the kind of advice you give.

But do you know how to choose your specialty as a Financial Advisor?

There are two key considerations – both equally important: Your market, and your passions.

To Excel as a Financial Advisor, You must Motivate Yourself and Stay Motivated

/ by Don Connelly / Marketing Yourself / 0 comments

Motivate Yourself and Stay Motivated to Excel as a Financial Advisor

When you are at your most vulnerable, you cannot let it show. You must remain strong for the simple reason that the more uncertain the times, the more certainty clients will demand from you. Your equity is your relationships with your clients. It is imperative that you always do what is right, in order to preserve those relationships. If you get down, motivate yourself right back up.