CREATE SPACE TO GROW

I spent the last two weeks at two different conferences catching up with advisors who I hadn’t seen in years.  I ended up having the same conversation over and over.  It went something like this… 

Me, “How are you?  What have you been up to?” 

Them, “Oh, wow, I’m good, business is good, but I am so busy.  I’m really maxed out, you know what I mean?” 

Me, “Yeah, I do!” (In more ways than one) 

We can all recognize that life is busy and challenging, but are we fully aware of what we are putting out to the world and attracting into our lives when we tell everyone, including ourselves, how maxed out we are? 

If you are constantly running late, barely getting it done, and feeling overwhelmed, you are telling the universe that you can’t handle any more.   

Ask and you shall receive.  The universe is kind.  It’s listening and doesn’t want to overwhelm you.  You might logically want to grow, but what you are really saying with your words and actions is that you are too busy for more.  

If you want to grow, you have to make room for it.  You have to get your life and business in order so that you have room to grow.   

In 2012, I went independent and experienced one of the hardest years of my life.  I was newly divorced with significant financial obligations and a team I could barely afford.  I took the big leap from a captive firm with a non-compete.   It was an incredibly stressful and exhausting year.   

Spoiler alert, it all turned out well in the end, but it wasn’t particularly graceful in the process.  Just like all my advisor friends, I was maxed out, I was busy.  I may have even been a tad burnt out and shell-shocked from everything.   

It took me a couple of years, but I rebuilt my business and got everything organized.  I built my LOTUS brand and set up my service model.  I got to the place where I could serve my clients in 20-30 hours per week.  And that included long morning walks, afternoon Starbucks runs and the occasional shoe-shopping excursion with Colleen during the workday.  

It was really nice to have such a leisurely life, but I wanted more.  I wanted to grow.  I wanted to make a bigger impact and I knew I had the space for it in my life.   

In 2016, a group of peer advisors asked me to teach them my Advice-Based Financial Planning process, and The Intentional Advisor was born.  I started doing 1:1 coaching and then developed my online courses and finally our IMPLEMENTATION Monthly Mastermind group coaching program.   

People often ask me how I do it all.  Especially when they realize that I have also grown our team to six advisors and four team members.  All while buying and remodeling a building over the last two years. 

How do I do it all?  

I made space for it.  When I went independent, I didn’t just take a jumbled mess of clients who would come with me.  I intentionally built a process-driven Advice-Based Financial Planning practice.  I have the capacity to serve 200 client families and I only serve half of that.  

When the opportunity to start my coaching practice arrived, I had all the space I needed to step up and grow.   

I don’t tell you this story so that you will think I’m fancy.  I share it with you to illustrate what it means to create space.  In 2016, I wasn’t running around telling everyone and the universe that I was soooo busy and maxed out.  

I was saying ”life is good and I’m ready for the next challenge!” 

As we prepare for the upcoming year, ask yourself what message you are sending the universe.   Are you saying, "Phew, I'm maxed out!  Let me rest!" or "I have space and I am ready to grow!"?  Remember, the universe is kind and is ready to give you exactly what you are REALLY ready for.  

I hope this serves you, 

-Lucila