Habitforce

It amazes me to see this is post # 52 and the realization that I have been writing these for one full year, not missing a week. Furthermore, it means that you have read (you have, haven’t you?) 52 posts.  Thank you for your loyalty. I have truly enjoyed your occasional comments. Please stay tuned for another year and keep the comments flowing – let me know you are out there.

What is the value of this work? It is possible that I obtain more value from the doing than you do from the reading! Meaning, it is well known that success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal. My goal has been to progressively reveal what I have learned in 40 years in the financial services profession. I have been sharing thoughts, experience, and hopefully, wisdom for the past 52 weeks. The habit of doing this is infinitely valuable to me.

Habits form the basis for any success we achieve. We have both, good and bad habits. They form our behaviors and it is these behaviors that produce the results obtained by us. Habitforce is an old word to express the power of habit, the energy released by performing a task in the same way for a long period so that it becomes second nature. Having started this blog posting exercise, sticking with it for 52 weeks, has resulted in the formation of a habit that I cannot easily stop. However, I need to advance and to keep it fresh. That is my challenge. Yours is to keep reading!

In our business life, we need to develop habits, as well. Habits that define the way we do business and how we provide unparalleled results for our clients. One of the greatest challenges we face in this business is that of prospecting. Knowing what to do or how to do that is not the challenge. No, it is developing the habit of prospecting consistently, every day, essentially forever. At least until such time as your clients become your prospecting team and provide a steady flow of referrals and introductions.

Effective, professional, prospecting is the key element in any formula for success as a financial advisor. It is also the one habit that is the most difficult to form. We all do it but many of us stop doing it as soon as we get a few good prospects and start the process of helping them. Then, one fine day, we look around, and find that the supply of new prospects has been exhausted. We crank up the old prospecting engine once more. No wonder many financial advisors experience a roller coaster flow of income!

In the weeks to come, you will read a great deal about developing the habit of effective and professional prospecting. I look forward to each week and the benefits of doing this work consistently. Remember, habits once formed cannot be easily stopped!

Thank you for your patience, loyalty, and good cheer this past year. I sincerely hope you believe the journey has been worth it. Perhaps you have formed the habit of reading these weekly posts? If so, please recommend them to you friends and colleagues.

Thank you!