Dear Adviser,
Apologies for the impersonal nature of the intro, but this is something I still wanted to try and address on a more 1-to-1 level, and implore you all to read in full.
It's something I've been battling with recently, and last months outstanding webinar with James Williamson of Millhaven only made me realise more that it's something that I need to communicate urgently to each and every adviser I can.
For many of you, it may not be entirely relevant and, because like James and others, you're getting through the work just fine. Nonetheless, I felt full disclosure is key.
Right now, there's something very serious going on getting in the way, and it's moments like this I can feel at my most despondent. It's been quite literally keeping me up at night.
The biggest issue I’m seeing right now that’s holding many of you back is simply having too much to do.
We can put it down to the state of our industry, but that’s just a catalyst for what’s really going on.
Each and every person who engages with me - whether through the program or as little as reading this blog - is motivated to do so because of a result they're striving for.
Usually, it’s about
improving some aspect of their business and, by extension, their quality of life. Everything I’ve created and do is structured around providing the fuel for this, but the hard truth is it’s dependent on one simple thing to make it happen.
Without action, nothing happens.
The ingredients of action, which I've learned from years of doing what I do, are devilishly simple:
- Being clear on your end game.
- Being clear about why you want it.
- Knowledge about how to make it happen.
- Seeing the practical steps to follow.
- Making time to take those steps.
My whole business is geared around this - from the training, content, and tools I create, to each and every time we look each other in the eyes to talk about the plan.
The thing I’m finding challenging is that final one - time - because without actually taking control of someone’s life, calendar and controlling their schedule, I can't influence that alone.
Right now, for some of you, I do feel like I’m failing you.
The truth is the reasons people have too much to do boil down to:
- Too many options.
- Accepting new tasks (with the greatest of intention) but not completing them.
- Allowing yourself to become distracted.
- Being disorganised and/or not planning ahead.
- Not doing what you planned to do.
I love what I do, and I enjoy it most when I see people acting and making it happen. Times like now, less so.
You have the power, with or without my assistance, to change what you don’t like about your business and get the result you want, but you won't if you don't make it at least one of your top priorities.
In case you’re feeling like this is me being demanding, unreasonable and unsympathetic, I’m really not. The exact opposite. This is coming from a place of nothing but the best intentions.
Some have suggested it's the easier thing to do not to raise this.
To cruise through and accept it as a natural part of coaching, focus on simply marketing more, on connecting with new businesses and less on the "backend".
Heck, there are enough coaches only too happy to do this, accept the "I’m too busy for this now…" explain and not take it to heart, or call it for what it is.
But I can’t do that, and certainly not for those within the program because each and every one of those businesses decided to work with me because there is something they wanted, and I gave my word as their coach to help them get it.
That means for me not to bring this up, and ask each of them whether they were keeping their end of the bargain up, would mean I was wimping out and doing them a disservice
And I figured this goes for those who are not on the program too,
There is any number of ways to find time in your week. So much so, myself and the team put together a checklist around it, offering 14 ways to save almost 40 hours.
You can get that here.
But the issue is that reading this and implementing this requires you to decide it’s important, which is why I haven’t just sent it out via email.
I've thought about this deeply and concluded there are only two paths
- Let this slide. I just keep doing what I do, trying to drive change from outside your priorities, or
- Take the alternate route, shine a light on the problem and the behavior, and take responsibility for changing.
I will always choose the second option.
If you are committed to the result, and the only thing that is missing is the way to make it happen, then you need to know you’re not the first business owner who has found themselves in this situation, and you won’t be the first to find the solution.
But maybe the first step is the realisation that maybe having too much to do isn’t the problem that needs solving before you can do your projects…
…it is the project.
The solution looks like this.
- Determine what needs doing from the competing priorities (I highly recommend doing daily Eisenhower Matrix as the way to nail this)
- Schedule time to do it
- Focus your attention
- Assemble and process in advance the information needed to make it easy to do.
- Act fast and get it completed as quickly as possible.
- Manage your capacity
…and, in case you’re wondering, yes. Each and every step in this process I have pre-existing solutions for.
If you’re reading this and feeling like you don't have time to make it happen, then I understand, but I know you'd expect nothing less of me than to ask you; so what is the plan?
Here’s the line in the sand moment. If you are reading this and realising that you indeed do have too much to do, it boils down to four questions:
Are you still committed to building the business you set out to create?
Would you like to find a way to better manage the "too much to do?
Are you willing to change the way you do things to find that time back?
Are you willing to take responsibility for this and act?
If your answer is yes to these, I'd like to start you off by sending a fillable copy of the Eisenhower Matrix I use every day. Email me at
stewart@audere.com.au if you're in.
I hope you receive this with the intention it's delivered with. These are challenging times, but I believe that every business has an opportunity to be part of a bright future.
If all that is holding you back is too much to do, then let's change it. ~Stu
Related:
How Advisors Can Tell the Right Story at the Right Time
