When known problems become “news” and we finally respond to it once it’s “official,” what does that say about our collective wisdom? The S&P downgrade of the US debt cannot possibly be a surprise to anyone who has paid attention. Since late 2007, the alarm has been sounding and each successive legislative move has only exacerbated the problems of our fiscal policy. Yet…this news is somehow news.

As I write this, the Dow is down over 600 points and gold is at $1,720.

A rating of AAA should mean something. For years, it hasn’t meant what it should have. When a country comes within hours of defaulting on its debt payments, it’s hard to argue that it should maintain it’s pristine rating. Do I wish the downgrade hadn’t happened? Yep. Do I think it’s unjustified? Look at the numbers.

Even the best teams have to lose from time-to-time to find their identity. Too much swagger generally precedes the fall. Winners get up and fight like an underdog. Let’s hope we still have it in us.

As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, I planned to shut down access to my free video series on the 22nd. Well, my website design team has a schedule conflict that won’t allow this to happen until the 29th. I guess that means there is one more week for you to access the series.

When I started coaching agents and creating videos, I was confident that I could help others transform their agencies and careers. I still am. But what I have been most surprised at is the belief that many have that it’s just one thing that makes all the difference. Yes, one big idea can have tremendous impact, but it’s many, many things that transform a career.

The biggest idea is this: do one thing and do it very well. Narrow that one thing until it’s an even smaller one thing. Narrow further. You see, in a world where a resourceful person can reach your prospect with a tailored message from anywhere in the world via email, Twitter, Facebook, why would they do business with you, a generalist? Because you’re a nice guy isn’t enough.

One of the main ideas I discuss in my video series is that of niches. Choosing a niche is not just a powerful strategy to focus your efforts, it’s critical to your success (and mine). My advice to others: focus on just one thing and then do many things to build your value proposition for that one thing. Learn to choose.

Have you ever given someone really great advice and then walked away asking yourself “why am I not doing that?” Consider me guilty.

You see, I wrote on this blog a lot about narrowing your focus, choosing a niche, and doing more of less (see here, here, here, and here). Why did I write such things? I was in the process of doing the same for my business and writing about was helpful to me and hopefully helpful to you as well. While I have been coaching other agents, both face-to-face and online, I have maintained my personal production.

It turns out that these two paths are very difficult to merge and give the respective attention they deserve. Try driving and texting at the same time. Eventually, it gets ugly.

As I have been practicing my own advice lately (and taking much advice from others to heart) our firm, Fourth Dimension Financial Group has been growing quickly. As  result, I can no longer do agent coaching and personal production and firm-building and client relationship-nurturing at the same time and feel good about it.

As I preached in Video 3 of my video series, You Must Choose.

Expect significant changes to this blog as I narrow my focus and attention on the critical steps required to help clients financially retire with dignity and certainty amid very choppy economic and political waters.

“I love writing, but I wish I had time to write more.” My words, written about two months ago.

The last year-and-a-half have been an amazing time for me personally and professionally. I ended an endeavor that allowed me to begin a process that has been truly amazing. The search for the next big idea led me to experiment with various angles on the business I have been a part of for over ten years. I’ve done coaching, writing, consulting, video production, and more.

Each new pursuit offered an incredible opportunity to learn new skills, ask new questions, and gain new perspectives. Through it all, I kept writing. If you look back at my writing (here and here) you will discover what I did. The writing and blogging process is a form of intellectual and vocational stretching for me.

When an athlete stretches, they aim to increase blood flow and oxygen to their muscles, freeing them up to perform their endeavor at a much higher level. Beyond that, they learn to read various parts of their body for those little messages that will tune them into possible injury warnings as well as signals that allow them to reach further and faster.

It turns out that, for me, writing is much the same as stretching. Now that I have gathered the information I need to perform the work that I’m passionate about, now that I can respond to my intellectual signals in a new way, I write less and DO more. Where once, I needed to process the ideas by writing about them, now I find myself acting on those ideas instead.

Up until this realization, I wasn’t okay with my lack of attention to my writing here and elsewhere. I have discovered that writing here is as much about my own discovery process as it is trying to help you with yours. The benefits are two-way, but I can’t pretend to focus on discovery when it’s time to get intensely focused on doing the work that is so valuable to my clients.

I’ll be back, but only when the need to discover the next step requires it. Until then, keep discovering, and get to doing.

When your dream gets stuck, how do you go about getting it unstuck?

Yesterday, I was struggling to see why one of my goals was still important. Have you ever had that feeling? It’s like you’ve reached a point where that elusive goal no longer seems worthwhile in the whole scheme of things. This is very dangerous ground. I suspect that this is where we get stuck and dreams get laid to rest.

I began to reply to an email from a good friend. During the course of writing the email, something happened that changed my motivation regarding the goal in question. By writing about my struggle with the goal, I asked myself “What will reaching this goal allow me to do for others?”

It began a series of connected goals that are way bigger than me. If I do this, then I get to do that. On and on it went until the original dream not only seemed doable, but it seemed too small.

Yes, now the work of doing the work continues, but the nature of the work has changed from drudgery to excitement. In fact, I can clearly see a visual map of the outcome of all of this stuck-ness turned into output. The result is a lot of positive impact for a lot of people. This results from an idea, the courage to pursue it, and the failure to understand that it’s impossible.

Imagine shopping for a new Lexus. You’re torn between the IS 350 and the ES 350 and you just can’t make the call. So you turn to the salesman and ask him, which do you prefer? He responds with “Well, I drive an Audi so I’m not quite sure. I hear they’re both amazing…”

“What?!”

In an era where trust and transparency are increasingly rare, one of the most powerful tools at our disposal is our own story. If we own the product and the difference that product has made in our own life, then we truly have something to offer that is effective and refreshing.

Here’s a great way to get started: write down your “Conversion Story” and make it a part of your conversation with clients.

1. What was your situation like before you began using this product or service?
2. Describe a vivid and emotional story that demonstrates your frustrations leading to your use of this product or service.
3. What was the breakthrough that resulted?
4. How have you been able to help others as a result of this breakthrough?
5. How does this story relate to the prospect’s situation?

When we take the time to develop and truly own our own struggles and breakthroughs in a way that resonates, we become more human. When we’re human, we open ourselves up to a new level of connectivity with our clients. They need US, not just products offered at competitive prices. The more of US we bring to the conversation, they more effective we become.

Are you bringing YOU to your client conversations?

In my agent coaching business, the most frequently asked question I receive following the introduction of a new concept or strategy is this: “That’s great, but how do I find people to share it with?” That’s a wonderful and perfectly valid response.

Here’s how to create a new market with a single phone call or email. Think about what type of person would best benefit from this new strategy or product. Who do you know that already knows you, likes you, and trusts you that fits the profile? Contact them and consider saying the following:

“Joe, how are you? (small talk ensues…) Hey, I was wondering if I could ask for your help on something. I’m working on a new offering in my business and you came to mind as someone who may be helpful to talk with. Can I buy you a cup of coffee and get your insight on this? It would really be helpful for me and who knows, you may learn something as well.”

Notice what happened here. You didn’t ask Joe to buy anything or do anything other than offer his insight. I am yet to meet someone that doesn’t enjoy being asked to offer their insight. While enjoying the cup of coffee you paid for and thinking through this new offering, Joe is very likely to try the solution on for himself, since you already guessed that he may be a suitable candidate. As a result, I have often found that they will either 1. ask if you can help them with their problem, or 2. suggest someone else that may want to hear about it.

When we simply ask for help from those that not only care about us, but can also benefit from our solutions, we open up new markets, discover new prospective clients, and offer a humility-based approach that is very attractive to people that are used to being pitched-to by salespeople.

If you know of and believe LIMRA, then the answer is yes. Here is a link to an interesting finding by LIMRA.

At times, we all get taken by the “do more stuff” brand of growing your agency. In fact, the first thing I was told when entering this business is that it’s “an activity business.” Do more stuff = see more success. There are elements of truth in that statement, but if you are hoping to transform your business and see your results grow by leaps, then simply doing more activity isn’t the answer. (I realize I just committed industry sacrilege)

How you do what you do is critically more important that how many times you do what you do. World-class athletes are discovering that training less, but in new ways, is far superior to simply training more.

If you’ve subscribed to the more-activity-is-always-the-answer methodology, I wish you luck. If you believe that technique matters, welcome home. You’re now among friends.