BachrachBlog

I just finished an article for FA Magazine online and I made a reference that the person I’m writing about is no Pollyanna. It occurred to me that I really have no idea who Pollyanna is. So, I looked her up and this is what I read on Wikipedia: The title character is Pollyanna Whittier, a young orphan who goes to live in Beldingsville, Vermont, with her wealthy but stern Aunt Polly. Pollyanna’s philosophy of life centers on what she calls “The Glad Game”, an optimistic attitude she learned from her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation. It originated in an incident one Christmas when Pollyanna, who was hoping for a doll in the missionary barrel, found only a pair of crutches inside. Making the game up on the spot, Pollyanna’s father taught her to look at the good side of things—in this case, to be glad about the crutches because “we don’t need ‘em!”.

With this philosophy, and her own sunny personality and sincere, sympathetic soul, Pollyanna brings so much gladness to her aunt’s dispirited New England town that she transforms it into a pleasant place to live. ‘The Glad Game’ shields her from her aunt’s stern attitude: when Aunt Polly puts her in a stuffy attic room without carpets or pictures, she exults at the beautiful view from the high window; when she tries to “punish” her niece for being late to dinner by sentencing her to a meal of bread and milk in the kitchen with the servant, Nancy, Pollyanna thanks her rapturously because she likes bread and milk, and she likes Nancy.

Soon, Pollyanna teaches some of Beldingsville’s most troubled inhabitants to ‘play the game’ as well, from a querulous invalid named Mrs. Snow to a miserly bachelor, Mr. Pendleton, who lives all alone in a cluttered mansion. Aunt Polly, too— finding herself helpless before Pollyanna’s buoyant refusal to be downcast—gradually begins to thaw, although she resists the glad game longer than anyone else.

Eventually, however, even Pollyanna’s robust optimism is put to the test when she gets hit by a car and loses the use of her legs. At first she doesn’t realize the seriousness of her situation, but her spirits plummet when she accidentally overhears an eminent specialist say that she’ll never walk again. After that, she lies in bed, unable to find anything to be glad about. Then the townspeople begin calling at Aunt Polly’s house, eager to let Pollyanna know how much her encouragement has improved their lives; and Pollyanna decides she can still be glad that she had legs. The novel ends with Aunt Polly marrying her former lover Dr. Chilton and Pollyanna being sent to a hospital where she learns to walk again and is able to appreciate the use of her legs far more as a result of being temporarily disabled.

Maybe it’s a good time for us all to play the Glad Game.

For the past 10 years or so a group of top-producers, industry leaders, coaches, and I go on a ski / brainstorming trip.

While sitting in the hot tub after a great day on the slopes, I was getting the update from one of the top advisors on the trip. 2008 was his best year ever, almost $4M of business revenue. He said, “We just decided not to buy into the belief that because the markets are down and the economy is bad that our business has to be down.” He finds it amazing that his company is telling their advisors to expect another difficult year in 2009. It’s as though the company is giving them permission to fail. But he’s not listening. Instead he’s working to make 2009 better than 2008.

What about you? Are you resigned to this being a crappy year or will it be your best year ever? What you think and believe matters.

To get yourself re-focused and inspired to do the work your goals require to achieve them review your Success Road Map. If you don’t have a Success Road Map, click on this link, http://www.baivbfp.com/srvc_corp_srm.php, and schedule an appointment to get one. It could be your springboard to make 2009 your best year ever.

Capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity to add new Ideal Clients.

It’s a great time to be a financial advisor!