Crossroads

[lookout123]

Crossroads. I'm not there yet, but I can see it in the distance. A decision to be made, a path to be chosen, a reality to be accepted. I keep thinking that if I just put my head down and ignore it, that it will go away. Not unexpectedly, every time I look up again, it is still there. Have you ever experienced that?

As many of you know I spend my time away from the cellar as a financial advisor. I talk with people about money. I teach people how to invest their money in a way suited to reach their goals, whatever they may be. I help people plan for retirement, begin retirement, live through that retirement, and then plan for the passing of their assets and possessions to the next generation. It isn't rocket science and it isn't really that hard. The most stressful part is informing some of them that they haven't saved enough to reach their goals. The most enjoyable part is teaching someone what to do after finding they've saved far more than they actually need. The hard part of my actual job is getting new clients. Lately, I just haven't been motivated to get new clients. I work by referral with no outside advertising. I've found that the advertising doesn't bring a very good return on investment so I just don't bother with that expense anymore.

In exchange for what I do I am paid handsomely. I am able to provide a comfortable life for my family. So what's the problem, you ask? Passion. It's gone. I just don't have the passion for what I do that I see in some of my peers anymore. That has bothered me for some time. I'm good at what I do. I care very deeply about the commitment I have made to my clients and I value the trust they've place in me. But it has really bothered me that I seem to have lost the passion. In the last couple days, though, I have come to a startling conclusion. I never had the passion that I see in my peers. I had passion about what I was doing, but as I look a bit more closely I realize that I had a passion for learning how to do this, a passion to be better than the others, a passion to help my clients. I finally recognize that isn't the depth of passion that differentiates my peers from me, it is the source of that passion.

My peers are passionate about the money. They are passionate about building personal wealth. They are passionate about beating each other to "the goal", whatever that is. Biggest practice, most toys, fanciest house, whatever. That is the source of the passion. That is what drives them to go out and get another client, stay late for an appointment, etc. That is a thirst that is unquenchable. My passion was/is to learn, build, help - all intangibles. All accomplishable/accomplished.

Hell, I work in the arena of money and the money isn't driving me. See a problem here? How do I find the motivation to keep going and do more? Because, let's face it - more is what is needed to put food on the table. I've been here before and it is a dangerous place. I've found myself bored. I've found myself daydreaming about doing something "that matters". Fortunately, every time I've been at that spot I've been able to see some new challenge that seemed to fit the bill. Unfortunately, I am now at a place, that in theory does all those things and I'm still not satisfied. I am in a great career that I know I am lucky to have. To walk away would be the height of foolishness.

So what do I do? The crossroads is coming up. I either have to find some motivation to focus me, or I have to walk away. I can't spend the next 20-30 years pretending there isn't a problem.

I've begun to hatch a plan that would give me a new challenge while expanding my practice and generating more income in the long haul. In all honesty, it gives me an escape route if I decide at some time in the future I'm done with this and leave to...? I'm considering bringing a couple advisors on board; experienced guys from my old firm that know their way around. They will make more money here. I will make more money. I will be challenged by the logistics of expanding a one man show into a true financial services company. I'm also thinking that having these other people around might spark some of my competitiveness and give me the kick in the butt I need to up my production. And if all else fails and I'm bored and miserable in a couple of years, I can sell the firm to these guys and feel comfortable that my clients would be well cared for.

I don't know. This post is just so much rambling, but if I dropped this load on my family or friends they would probably all drop a load in shock. Like I said, money is the driving force that motivates the people around me to work hard, so they don't/won't understand being dissatisfied in a field where money is as easy to make as you want it to be. Yeah, I know, shitty problem to have right? Then why am I so dissatisfied?

[glatt]

I can't give you any advice. If I was passionate about my job, I wouldn't be on the Cellar all day, looking for an escape. It's a freaking job. They have to pay me to come here. There's no passion. Passion would be nice, but stability and money are more important for me.

Your plan sounds like a good one, and if you think it's a good one, I would encourage you to do it.

[BigV]

I have this to offer:

Find something you really like. Find something that *does* fuel your passion. Then your mission, Jim, should you choose to accept, is to find a way to get paid for it. Should you succeed, I promise you'll never "work" another day in your life.

What do you offer to those people on the tail end of the curve whose resources exceed their requirements? Aren't you there too, or at least on that vector?

What do you *want* to do?

[lookout123]

What do you offer to those people on the tail end of the curve whose resources exceed their requirements? Aren't you there too, or at least on that vector?

I tell them to go back to work. Or change their goals. not really any other options for them.

As far as what I "want" to do? I think Hugh Hefner is already filling that role. Seriously though, I'm too young to retire, have too little patience to be a teacher, and can't survive on what a soccer coach makes.

I've talked about opening a new soccer club, but I don't exactly have $5MM laying around to do that.

This may be in the wrong thread, but the good news is that I apparently have a great career. the bad news is that I've hit a motivational slump and don't know what to do about it.

[Griff]

Your job isn't about money. It's about securing your client's future. That is a powerful calling. Focus on the people.

[kerosene]

I can relate. I was in a field that I could succeed in, could make decent money with, had potential for much more money. I was pretty good at what I did. But I had no passion for it...and maybe my problem was more that I disliked it. But I left and now I am a starving artist.

I am pretty sure that doesn't help you at all, and I have probably told you that once before, but perhaps you might avoid leaving a career that feeds your family for all the uncertainty you gain without the old solid income.

[Cicero]

Do something else, and make others make you money. Leave the business in the hands of other people with a watchful eye, make sure they are giving you your cut, oversee the whole operation a little bit, and go do something you like.

Leave yourself room to come screaming back if you please....

But...I'm sure you are just venting and don't need my well intended, limited advice.

[Clodfobble]

I would agree that bringing other people on underneath you would be a reasonable solution. Before I got to that paragraph, I was getting ready to suggest that maybe since 'learning, building and helping' were your true passions, you should take on a young intern eager to learn the business. You may have accomplished everything you need, but passing that experience on might be something you would enjoy.

[BigV]

Doing and teaching others to do are different areas of expertise, that may only share a little. Likewise with the skills of being an employeee, starting a business and growing a business. They touch, they may overlap some, but they are distinctly different activities. Perhaps you're ready for the third one in that list. It certainly sounds like you have conquered the first two. :tips cap:

[Aliantha]

Maybe you just need to take a year off and flip burgers for a living and just take care of your existing clients without thinking about building up your business. Or if you've got yourself set up, just take the year off and do whatever you like.

Maybe after a bit of a break you might find that spark again. Stranger things have happened.

[lumberjim]

Maybe you should take the fucking dress off and suck it up, Mary.

they call it work for a reason. have passion about providing for your family. Have passion about being able to spend time thinking about them instead of whoring yourself out for a paycheck. Have passion about whatever the fuck you want in the rest of your life. Keep the dough coming in though. It wasn't easy to get where you are, but it sure as hell is easy to fall down again. If you need motivation, try fear.

[lookout123]

now THERE is a career sales manager!

[jinx]

Remember the Drew Carey show? Funny stuff....

Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.

[lookout123]

Actually, LJ and Jinx have each made little lightbulbs go off that I think are adding up to a bigger lightbulb.

Jinx - that's just it. I don't hate my job. I don't even dislike my job. I've just been unmotivated.

LJ in his usual sensitive loving manner hit the nail on the head. It has been more than 4 years since I had a coworker of any sort that I had to compete with and BS with about the job. Sure there were other guys in different parts of the city that did the same thing, but there is not connection between my practice and theirs. It has been 6 years since I actually had any sort of management of supervisor setting goals out there. Maybe what I really need is some competition/interaction to spice things up. I'll have to consider this some more, because bringing on some guys might just fill the bill. If they work for me, I'll be damned if they outperform me... this just might work.

Thanks all.

[xoxoxoBruce]

1- Become a Mormon.
2- Get a bunch of wives.
3- Give them all credit cards.

The incentive work hard, and make more, will come... guaranteed.