Nick is a successful financial advisor who is working with me on doubling his income this year.

He agreed to call me on the Monday following his vacation to talk about the impact his time off had on him, but he didn’t—not on Monday, not on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Nick finally phoned to apologize for not keeping his commitment—an essential part of our coaching process.  “I was overwhelmed with the work that had piled up,” he moaned.

“What do you mean you were ‘overwhelmed’?” I asked him.

“What else would you call a desk piled high with paperwork, a computer filled with unread e-mails, and a voicemail box filled with messages to answer?” Nick responded.

I explained to Nick that instead of characterizing the work involved in running a $200,000-per-year practice as “overwhelming”, some might say that it was exciting and exhilarating.  All those people seeking him out!  All those opportunities for growth!

“Overwhelmed” is victim word.  You can have mountains of paperwork to do and full message boxes and be excited and energized by what these conditions represent, or you can choose to be overwhelmed by them.  What excites me as a coach is knowing that the reaction you have to these circumstances is a choice—not merely some accident of heredity or upbringing.

If you have more work than you can handle, choose to take action to make it manageable.  That’s taking “ownership”—the opposite of being a victim.  Become an “action hero” with regard to the things that used to overwhelm you, and see how much better your life—and your business—can become.

Contact me today if you’re ready to commit to a better outlook.  In the meantime, keep REACHING…