When we first start running a business, we often have what I like to call the "Cup O' Noodles" mindset. The revenue flow may not be there, our families may question our decision to pursue entrepreneurship, and we find ourselves juggling multiple roles and responsibilities. However, despite the challenges, we still feel a thrill and excitement, even without the stable income and security.
During this early stage, we allocate our time in the following ways:
We talk to anyone who will listen and show interest in our business.
We wake up early and dedicate long hours to our work.
We work tirelessly, even during weekends.
We attend every event we get invited to.
We try to get the word out as much as we can.
We operate on a tight budget to ensure we can reinvest in our business.
But as our business hopefully grows, clients come on board, and we eventually reach a "good place" where business development becomes optional rather than necessary, we start making excuses about the lack of time.
If you find yourself in this position, I highly recommend reading an interview I came across years ago that addresses this very issue.
It discusses how today's go-to excuse for anything is that we are "too busy." Whether's it's to grow our practice, redo our website, or to go to a gala or networking event, we're all "too busy" for it. Perhaps part of the "busy" excuse is also as a shield from the rejection factor that any improvement can expose us to.
Being busy is a choice.
If you want to grow your practice or business, you can replace your sleep time by waking up at 4:00 A.M. and send emails to old friends and colleagues to set up lunches. If you want to get more referrals, you can find the time to get together with them in person beyond your transactional relationship. If you are feeling stagnant in your career, you can replace some of your party-time or time on Instagram soul-searching for a better role.
Whatever your reasoning is, if you want to grow and improve, you can. Plain and simple. You just have to MAKE time for it, not FIND the time. Read below this amazing interview.
Author, designer and podcaster, Debbie Millman talks about why it’s important to make time to do the kinds of projects you want to do now, not later.
You say that being busy is a choice. What do you mean by that?
Of the many, many excuses people use to rationalize why they can’t do something, the excuse “I am too busy” is not only the most inauthentic, it is also the laziest. I don’t believe in “too busy.” I think that busy is a decision. We do the things we want to do, period.
If we say we are too busy, it is shorthand for “not important enough.”
It means you would rather be doing something else that you consider more important. That “thing” could be sleep or watching “the Bachelor.”
If we use busy as an excuse for not doing something what we are really, really saying is that it’s not a priority.
Simply put: you don’t find the time to do something; you make the time to do things.
How do you break out of the “busy” routine?
We are now living in a society that sees busy as a badge.
It has become cultural cache to use the excuse “I am too busy,” as a reason for not doing anything we don’t feel like doing.
The problem is this: if you let yourself off the hook for not doing something for ANY reason, you won’t ever do it. If you want to do something, you can’t let being busy stand in the way, even if you are busy. Make the time to do the things you want to do and then do them.
With so much on your plate—CMO of Sterling Brands, host of the Design Matterspodcast, editorial and creative director at Print magazine, chair of the Masters in Branding program at SVA, and curator of the HOW Design Conference—how do you manage your time to fit in personal projects?
I like to do a lot of different things, and I think the reason that I can do as much as I do is because I’ve been doing a lot of things for a long time. I have (if I say so myself) outstanding time-management skills. I also get a really good amount of sleep of almost every night.
I am convinced that the more sleep you get the more you can do!
The reality for many people is that they are busy, trying to make a living to keep a roof over their heads and feed their families. Sometimes carving out extra time isn’t realistic, or the thought of it is exhausting. What do you say to these people?
Do what you can do. If you can’t do something because it isn’t realistic, do what is realistic. Obviously taking care of your family is the most important thing in the world. But be honest about it. Don’t say “some day” if you want to do it today. If you don’t or can’t do it today, then plan for when you can. If you really want to do it today, do it. If not now, when?
https://www.creativelive.com/blog/why-being-busy-is-a-choice/
How a coach can help put you back on track
One of the key items we focus on at Select Advisors is sales coaching.
A sales coach can play a crucial role in helping a team stay focused on business development, marketing, and overall growth despite becoming more established and potentially getting busy with other tasks.
Here are some ways a sales coach can help financial advisor, legal and accounting teams:
Goal Setting: A sales coach can assist the team in setting clear and specific goals related to business development, marketing, and growth. These goals can serve as a reminder and guide for the team to prioritize these activities even when they start getting busy.
Accountability: A sales coach can hold the team accountable for their actions and ensure they stay on track with their business development and marketing efforts. By regularly checking in and monitoring progress, the coach can help the team maintain focus amidst other responsibilities.
Time Management: The sales coach can help the team develop effective time management strategies. This includes prioritizing business development and marketing activities by allocating dedicated time slots in their schedules and avoiding overcommitting to less important tasks.
Strategic Planning: A sales coach can assist the team in creating a strategic plan for business development and marketing. This involves identifying target markets, defining key messages, and outlining specific action steps to achieve growth. Regularly reviewing and updating this plan with the coach's guidance can ensure the team remains focused on these areas.
Skill Development: The sales coach can provide training and guidance to improve the team's selling and marketing skills. This can help the team become more efficient and effective in their efforts, enabling them to achieve growth despite being busy with other responsibilities.
Overall, a sales coach can serve as a valuable resource to help the team maintain focus on business development, marketing, and growth even as they become more established and face competing priorities.
What are the best training programs for financial firms when you need measurable improvement—not just another webinar? This guide breaks down what to look for in training programs for financial firms, including relevance to real advisory work, practical tools for client meetings, reinforcement through coaching, and metrics leadership can track. You’ll learn how the right training increases consistency, strengthens planning delivery, improves communication, and supports growth without compromising compliance. We also explain why Select Advisors Institute stands out among training programs for financial firms: implementation-focused learning paths, firm-wide standards, and outcomes-oriented support that helps advisors apply what they learn in real client conversations. If your firm wants scalable, repeatable performance gains, start here.