Five years ago, Kevin had built his advisory practice into something solid. He was netting about $185,000 a year—comfortable, consistent, and proud of the work he’d put in.

A few months ago, five years later, Kevin was still making about $185K. Except now, he was working harder than ever just to stay at that same level. No growth. No freedom. Just an exhausting treadmill that wouldn’t speed up.

When Kevin came to me, he was burned out and frustrated, “People aren’t interested in service anymore,” he lamented. “All they care about is their returns. And with volatility right now, they’re not investing or coming to me for insurance or anything else.”

Kevin was suffering from “AD”—Arrested Development—a common problem for many advisors whose business growth has leveled off and gotten stuck.

The Danger of AD

AD creeps in when your business levels off and stays there. You stop growing, but you don’t know why, so you start to look outward to find “reasons”: The economy. The market. Clients’ attitudes. Politics. Weather. Anything but the one thing that can actually move the needle: yourself.

These reasons are really just excuses.

• “I want to grow, but the market’s too crazy right now.”
• “I could hit the next level, if only people would show up or return my calls.”

They feel like victims in an impossible business. But the truth is, the conditions are the same for everyone in their community. And plenty of other advisors in Kevin’s community were not only surviving—they were thriving.

Why?

Because they chose a different view of the same world.

As I point out in my first book, The High Diving Board, when you want a particular result, there are only two things you can be doing—taking action or making excuses. If you’re taking action, you ownboth the problem and the solution. You’re an Owner and an Action Hero. If you’re making excuses, you see yourself as a Victim of your circumstances, powerless to improve them.

I suggested to Kevin that as long as he continues to believe and repeat his stories that the stagnation of his business is caused by outside forces, he will remain a Victim, rather than an Owner, and we worked on helping him shift his view of the world to get into action and break through to higher earnings. That is, how to cure his AD.

The Owner vs. the Victim

Kevin’s story was like the stories of many of the advisors I’ve worked with. They’re seeing themselves as living in a dangerous and difficult world and working in an impossibly difficult business. Victims. As long as they continue living with this victim story, they can’t access the action and creativity they need to cure their AD.

The primary reason that other advisors in their community are growing, despite dealing with the same conditions, is that they’re viewing the same world differently–as a safe place with endless opportunity to grow their businesses. They have access to continuous intensely-focused action and creativity.

These Owners and Action Heroes recognize that the business landscape is always changing.They don’t blame the current economy or sales environment if they’re not getting the results they want.

Owners ask better questions:

• “How can I present my services in a way that attracts the right clients?”
• “What new strategies can I try to deepen my existing relationships?”
• “How can I adapt to this changing world and use it to my advantage?”

The Cure for AD

If YOU are a victim of “AD”, and can’t seem to help yourself, there is hope. And it starts with one simple but powerful choice—to stop seeing yourself as a victim of your circumstances and start owning your circumstances and outcomes.

Kevin made the shift, and his business started moving again—for the first time in years. He didn’t need a miracle. He needed a mindset upgrade.

Ready for the Breakthrough?

If you suspect you might be dealing with your own case of Arrested Development, let’s talk. Every day, I help advisors like Kevin get unstuck and into growth again—with clarity, confidence, and direction.

It’s time to own your business again. Let’s get you off the plateau—for good.

Don’t wait until your Arrested Development (AD) results in your burnout. Reach out to me for help with taking back the reins of your career.

In the meantime, keep REACHING…