I am willing to bet that, generally speaking, people who are enthusiastic make more money that people who are not enthusiastic.

Alan Greenspan warned your client about irrational exuberance. You warn them about irrational pessimism.

I read an article in which an Arizona sheriff talked about nipping criminal behavior in the bud. He will show youngsters in trouble exactly what a jail looks like from the inside, hoping to scare them straight. His analogy was that if we have a broken window in our house and don’t care enough to fix it right away, it will just lead to more and more ignored needs around the house. Eventually the house will fall down. To maintain our house properly takes diligence and persistence. I see those same qualities in successful Financial Advisors when it comes to combating the temptation to give up. They are tempted to quit just like all of us in the business. Their will power prevents it. They just keep marching toward their goals. I hope you can cultivate the same self-discipline.

How badly you want to success will absolutely determine your life style. The more you want to succeed, the less you will suffer fools. If passion to win burns within you, you will jettison negative people. You will also focus a lot more than the other guy. I assure you that the more determined you become the more change you will see in your lifestyle and in your priorities.

The more the uncertainty in the air, the more certainty clients will demand from you. One thing that makes this job so difficult is that you’ve got to be at your strongest when you feel the most vulnerable. We are in the advice business and our currency is our opinion. Never doubt yourself. To do so will cause inaction. You will freeze at the switch. In a similar vein, tell your clients that they don’t want you doubting yourself, so it hurts the cause when they call you and beat you up on the telephone. The worst thing that can ever creep into your mind is self-doubt. Be strong and remain positive.