Why are so many financial advisors looking for that silver bullet, that one change, one process that will make staying disciplined and focused easy.  During one of my coaching calls this week I had to give the “ultimatum”.  I have been working with this client for years and we continue to come back to the same issue, he is not getting out there and prospecting.  It’s almost impossible to grow the business without spending time consistently prospecting.  I don’t care how you do it, whether it’s networking, cold calling or walking, seminars, it doesn’t matter how, as much as how often.

Every time I get on the phone with this client I hear 101 reasons why he couldn’t get out to prospect.  When I address the issue it’s almost as if there is a gremlin in his business forcing him to focus on EVERYTHING else instead of the one activity that will actually grow his business.  This is a similar story I hear from female financial advisors as well.  Just today I spoke with an advisor, she just hosted a fabulous seminar, is feeling overwhelmed, she has a husband at home that wants her, kids at home that need her and a business to run.  I asked her how late she is staying at the office everyday and she said often up until 7:00pm.  Halfway through the call she also shared she hasn’t been feeling well lately.  HELLLOOOOO!!!

We women are not victims of our lives and our business, we are in charge (contrary to what we often feel)! I remember my parents, they rarely gave me parenting advise but when they did all they said was “Adri, who’s in charge here?” that was all they had to say.

As a female advisor, are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you are feeling unfocused and disorganized? If you feel you are not working efficiently then take some time to get back in charge.

1. Focus on your core priorities, make sure those priorities come first in your daily activities. Make a priority list every day and make sure it incorporates relationship building activities,  eventually when you are focusing on your most productive activities the rest will fall into place.
2. Set a time that you MUST leave the office, there is nothing like a deadline to help us work smarter.  Set it up that you have to meet someone for a walk in a remote location that way you feel more pressure if you end up abandoning them.
3. Look at all aspects of your business and your personal life and eliminate anything that is really not necessary, you don’t have to do it ALL. You just have to focus on what is truly important.