Graduating to the Next Level

Mitch Anthony

Cynical people typically advertise a worn, “been there, done that” ambience toward their work. On the other end of the emotional spectrum are the curious with a “haven’t been there, would like to do that” approach to life and work. They view learning as a lifelong process and see the connection between a desire to grow and life satisfaction. This desire to grow may cause them to leave the company of partners or organization that are stuck and display no penchant for stretching and growth. A memorable, inspiring moment in my life came on a plane ride from Australia. I found myself engaged in a long conversation with a man who, at the age of 77, was still teaching upper atmospheric physics at a major university. I asked why he hadn’t retired, as was expected of a man his age. His answer was brilliant.

I have been studying upper atmospheric physics for just over 50 years, just long enough to realize how much I don’t know. I haven’t quit because I have so much left to learn about the upper atmosphere.

“Doc,” I said, “that makes two of us.”

“Here was a man who possesses more motivation at age 77 than most people 40 years his junior, and for one reason—he is intrinsically motivated by a desire to grow and learn—he’s always looking at ways to graduate to that next level,” I thought to myself. Curiosity is what keeps him young in spirit and mind and no doubt motivates him to keep his body in its best possible working condition.

It doesn’t matter if someone is making $30,000 or $300,000, you can find plenty of people who are complaining and saying they deserve more. But you will not find this emotional posture in great achievers—the ones who know how to graduate to that next level. Instead you’ll find grateful attitudes about the opportunities they have encountered, the people they have been fortunate enough to meet, and the material rewards they have received. This intrinsic motivation keeps them out of pity parties and instead attending graduation celebrations as they continue to reach that next level of personal and professional success.

Adapted from Selling with Emotional Intelligence: 5 Skills for Building Stronger Client Relationships by Mitch Anthony. (©2003 by Mitch Anthony. Published by Kaplan Publishing.)

Mitch Anthony is the founder and president of Advisor Insights Inc. and The Financial Life Planning Institute, training companies serving advisors and the financial services industry. He is a contributing editor for Research magazine and his column “Financial Life Planning” appears in Financial Advisor magazine. Anthony has been named one of the financial service industry’s top “2006 Movers & Shakers” by Financial Planning magazine. His radio feature, The Daily Dose , is heard every day on 200 radio stations nationwide. Anthony is the author of several books for advisors, including StorySelling for Financial Advisors , The New Retirementality, Your Clients for Life , Selling with Emotional Intelligence , Making the Client Connection , The Financial Professional’s StoryBook, and Your Client’s Story. Contact him at mitch@mitchanthony.com

© 2007 Mitch Anthony