Joan, a “captive” advisor,  told me she was unhappy because she wasn’t selling enough to earn a decent living.  In addition, her branch manager didn’t give her enough support, and she didn’t think her insurance products were competitive.  She was applying to other companies, but she was worried she would find the same problems in a new environment.

Joan is a good advisor.  She’s not afraid to reach out to new companies, and she’s great with people.  She knows how to ask questions, listen to answers, and give clients suggestions that make real sense for them.  I asked her to look more closely at the reasons she was unhappy, and we discovered that she was not doing well because she was “holding back”.  She had been burnt by a former employer and had been—albeit unconsciously—avoiding doing what she did best: developing relationships with clients and advising them as to what she believed were the best solutions.

Once Joan gave herself permission to deepen her relationships with clients and do what she does best, she started getting more and better clients.  Her company has some wonderful solutions, she tells me, but most of all, she’s enjoying doing her work.

 Give yourself permission to do what you do best and get help with it, and always keep REACHING…