Distraction-Proof® Advisor Ideas

Over 80% of people suffer from this frustrating condition. If you’re one of them, here’s how to deal with it.
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I’m talking about impostor syndrome. More than 80% of people suffer from it!

With this being an Olympic Games year, I want to bring you more posts letting you see exactly what Olympic athletes go through while also equipping you by sharing how we get through those challenges.

In my Olympic final in 1988, I was in lane one, which meant I was the first of the competitors to be introduced. After my name was called, I could have sat there and listen to the next seven fastest men in the world be introduced, hearing all their credentials.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the Olympic finalists in the men’s 200-meter backstroke.
In lane two, the gold medalist at the Pan Pacific meet in 1987, currently fifth in the world, from the United States of America, Dan Veatch.
In lane three, first in 1982 and second in 1986 in the World Championships in the 200-meter backstroke, from the German Democratic Republic, Dirk Richter.
In lane four, the leading qualifier and former world-record holder in 200-meters backstroke, from the Soviet Union, Sergei Zabolotnov.
In lane five, the 1987 European Championship silver medalist, representing the German Democratic Republic, Frank Baltrusch.
In lane six, the current world-record holder in this event, representing the Soviet Union, Igor Polianski…”

Can you imagine sitting there and listening to that? Imagine how that would make you feel! And I saw athletes do it! Some of our swimmers on our New Zealand team did it. They would sit there and listen to these credentials be read out, and you could see them literally diminish, see them shrink, right on pool deck.

It’s something that I hear financial advisors do, also. They’ll admit to me they felt totally inadequate to be talking a particular person when they learned about their circumstances and understood a little bit more of the complexity that that person had been involved in.

They say, “All I know is this and that and this. I felt so inadequate to actually start talking with them about what they need to do next.”

My response? “What do you think they need to do next?”

“Well, clearly they should do X, Y, Z.”

“Did you say that?” I ask.

“Yeah, I did,” they reply.

“That’s all you need to do. You’re actually responding perfectly!”

But understandably, we can get overwhelmed when we see the credentials of people we, as advisors, want to connect with. We can also feel that way when we see industry insiders who have had years of experience and think, we could never be that effective. Immediately, we start reducing ourselves in our own eyes and, therefore, unwittingly put ourselves on the back foot for the next time we have a wonderful opportunity.

So to acknowledge this challenge and work through it effectively,

1. Recognize you’re not alone. The majority of people suffer from this feeling.


2. Talk with someone. Connect with me or someone who you admire in your office or within your firm at large, who can keep confidences, and let them know how you’re feeling. Ask how they dealt with this when they were starting off as an advisor or as they grew into working with more complex clients? How did they tackle self-doubt as they grew their career?


3. Keep perspective. This is most important! At the end of that day when I was swimming at the Olympics, regardless of what I did, I was going to come out of it alive. I was going to have my family. People were still going to love me. It’s super important you keep perspective.

And if you are struggling with perspective, remember, the chances are you’re never going to give a presentation to a client that’s going to be televised live to global audiences, with 12,000 people in the room with you, watching in person, while you’re wearing nothing more than this skimpy Speedo swimsuit!

I look forward to bringing you another Distraction-Proof Advisor Idea next week.