From the Wright Brothers to the moon: Endless opportunities

Commentary January 15, 2015 at 12:39 PM
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You know that gray matter between your ears? Yes, your brain. What if I told you that blob of wildly firing neurons and countless memories is one of the biggest reasons you don't make more money in your business today?

Your brain is where you hold self-limiting beliefs, a likely reason you continue to struggle. Your brain, in all of its wisdom, tells you that next level isn't possible. It keeps you from even attempting to break through to unimaginable success, whispering in your ear, "No one can do that!"

How do you expand your mind and your beliefs of what is possible? How do you remove mental barriers so you can get to the next level? Let these stories show you . . .

On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers made history when they successfully completed the first controlled flight by humans. The mental barrier we had held for thousands of years that human flight wasn't possible had been shattered. On July 20, 1969, just 66 years later, the Apollo 11 spacecraft landed on the moon. That is a massive acceleration of progress!

We see this pattern in other areas of human achievement as well.

Nobody on earth had run a mile in less than four minutes until Roger Bannister did it on May 6, 1954. But after he proved that breaking that barrier was possible, a switch was flipped in the minds of runners around the world. The previous world record of 4:01 lasted nine long years. But Bannister's world record of 3:59 lasted only 46 days, until his rival John Landy shattered it. Over the next three years, 16 more runners ran the mile in under four minutes.

What does all this have to do with making money as a financial advisor? Plenty.

If you don't think it's possible to be a 7-figure or 8-figure or 9-figure producer, then you'll never get there. Until your belief of what is possible is changed, your brain's self-limiting behavior will hold you back.

The million dollar—or shall we say 9-figure—question is this: how do you change your belief of what is possible? It's much easier than you think: spend time around advisors who've already achieved what you'd like to achieve.

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn points out that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. If those five people have less motivation and earn less than you do, chances are they will eventually bring you down to their level; at the very least, they'll hold you back from reaching a higher level in your own business.

On the other hand, if the five people you spend the most time with are highly motivated people who all earn significantly more than you currently do, they're going to rub off on you, pulling you up to their level. Seeing their success first hand expands your brain's belief of what is possible.

You cannot force other people to change, but you can transform yourself by changing the people with whom you associate the most. Surround yourself with people who are more successful than you are to break through the mental barriers that have held you back. Once you convince your stubborn gray matter that a 7- or 8-figure year is possible, nothing will hold you back as you reach for an 8- or even 9-figure production! You'll go further than you ever thought you could. Even better, you'll reach milestones in your business faster than it took those who have gone before you.

And don't limit yourself to five people who make more money than you; choose those who market better, run their businesses more efficiently, or have a better office structure. Learn how they do it—see that it truly is possible—and reach for that breakthrough you've been waiting for.

Here's a challenge for you. Find a handful of top producers whose businesses genuinely impress you. Make a commitment to learning, studying, and implementing the secrets of their success. Ask them about the key things they've changed in their businesses to break through perceived ceilings and achieve new heights. Express genuine gratitude for what you learn, and share your own successes and ideas in return.

What if you can't put yourself face-to-face with a top producer? No worries! There is another way to rub shoulders with advisors who are more successful than you are: attend an event. If you'd like recommendations let me know.

I recently asked one of my top advisors, "What exactly is your secret to success?" He didn't have an immediate answer for me, but three hours later, after he'd thought about it for a while, he told me, "One of my biggest success secrets is going to events where I know I'll be surrounded by advisors who are doing twice as much volume as I am." He learns what is possible from them, and his self-limiting beliefs about what he can do are neutralized.

Remember, this advisor is already a top producer. His production has increased tenfold in just six years, yet he's still taking time out of his schedule to be around folks who are doing even better than he is. He listens to some of the top producers in the country share what they're doing to grow and manage their businesses. In fact, he commits himself to attending at least four industry events per year. It's not optional for him.

If you are really committed to unlocking your full potential, I challenge you to surround yourself with five people who are more successful than you are, attend an event for financial advisors, and crush that part of your brain that whispers negative thoughts in your ear.

It has been 45 years since Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon. Last month, we sent up Orion, a spaceship that may one day take humans to Mars. What's your gray matter telling you now? Anything is possible.

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