Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series about tolerations, the small annoyances that drain our energy, and how to release them.
As a financial advisor, you face a world of challenges—some big, others small, but all capable of chipping away at your focus and well-being. This list below isn’t about the obvious hurdles. It’s about the quiet, persistent frustrations you’ve learned to live with, the ones that linger in the background and pull at the edges of your energy. These are your “tolerations.”
Tolerations—the persistent frustrations or inefficiencies that you’ve grown accustomed to enduring—come in all shapes and sizes.
Some examples: A client who refuses to follow your advice yet blames you for poor outcomes. A team member who struggles with tasks you thought were clear. The endless flood of small tasks and interruptions that keep you from the deeper work that matters most.
Tolerations accumulate slowly, sneaking into your day until you realize you’re working harder than ever and feeling less satisfied.
I will list some of those tolerations, breaking them down into categories so you can see the full scope of what’s weighing on you. Client-related stressors. Team dynamics. The grind of marketing and business development. Even the personal sacrifices you make, sometimes without noticing, to keep things running. Each entry is a nudge—a reminder that you don’t have to keep putting up with these things.
You might not fix it all at once. You might not even want to. But acknowledging what’s tolerable and what isn’t is the first step to clearing the clutter. It’s about making room—for better clients, smoother processes, and a life that fits the goals you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
So take a breath. Start reading. And maybe, as you go, you’ll spot one or two tolerations you’re ready to let go of today.
Client-related tolerations
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Toxic or demanding clients
- Clients who are never satisfied, constantly second-guess your advice, or disrespect your boundaries.
- Clients who monopolize your time with frequent, unnecessary calls or emails.
- Clients who fail to follow through on agreed actions but expect results regardless.
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Unaligned clients
- Clients who no longer fit your ideal client profile but remain part of your book of business because of long-standing relationships or inertia.
- Clients who generate low revenue relative to the time and effort they demand.
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Late or unresponsive clients
- Clients who consistently miss meetings, delay providing necessary documents, or fail to prepare for reviews.
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High-risk clients
- Clients who make overly speculative decisions that contradict your advice, posing a reputational or compliance risk.
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Compliance issues
- Clients who repeatedly challenge or ignore compliance regulations, creating additional oversight burdens.
Operational and team tolerations
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Disorganized processes
- Inefficient workflows or outdated systems that slow down routine tasks, such as onboarding new clients or generating reports.
- A lack of formalized procedures for delegation, leading to frequent bottlenecks.
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Team dynamics
- A team member (e.g., the junior advisor or marketing person) who doesn’t fully meet expectations but whose performance hasn’t been addressed.
- Difficulty communicating roles and responsibilities clearly, leading to overlap or missed tasks.
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Overreliance on yourself
- Frequently stepping in to handle tasks that could be delegated to your team because it feels easier or faster to do it yourself.
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Technology challenges
- Issues like outdated or incompatible software that create inefficiencies.
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Vendor or partner issues
- External service providers who are slow, unresponsive or unreliable.
Marketing and business development tolerations
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Lack of client acquisition strategy
- Relying solely on referrals, creating uncertainty in sustaining or growing your business, especially as you wind down.
- Feeling the need to accept clients outside your ideal profile simply because they were referred.
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Marketing gaps
- Inconsistent or lackluster communication with existing clients, such as newsletters or touchpoints, due to a lack of marketing strategy.
- Underutilizing your marketing person’s skills or not giving them clear direction.
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Unclear value proposition
- Difficulty in articulating what sets your practice apart, which can make marketing less effective.
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Networking fatigue
- Feeling obligated to attend events or meetings that don’t yield significant results.
Succession and long-term planning tolerations
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Unclear succession plan
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Uncertain client transition process
- No formal plan for transitioning relationships to the junior advisor, creating ambiguity about their role in the future of the business.
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Cultural fit issues
- Concerns about whether a successor will maintain your client service philosophy.
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Unrealistic timelines
- Underestimating the time required to implement a succession or transition plan effectively.
Personal tolerations
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Overwork
- Maintaining a workload that feels heavier than it should, particularly as you think about winding down.
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Ignoring self-care
- Sacrificing personal time or hobbies to address non-urgent client demands or last-minute issues.
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Unclear boundaries
- Allowing work to spill into evenings or weekends due to a lack of firm policies on availability.
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Emotional fatigue
- The mental strain of handling clients’ personal and financial stresses.
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Lack of peer support
- Limited opportunities to share experiences or gain advice from other financial advisors.
Steps to address tolerations
- Client clean-up: Review your book of business and categorize clients by fit and profitability. Develop a plan to transition or let go of misaligned clients.
- Delegate effectively: Clearly define team roles and train them to take on more responsibilities, particularly for tasks that don’t require your expertise.
- Marketing strategy: Work with your marketing person to develop a client acquisition strategy that aligns with your long-term goals.
- Succession planning: Start conversations about your practice’s future, even if informally. Mentor your junior advisor or explore external transition options.
- Prioritize boundaries: Set clear expectations for availability and create systems that protect your time while still delivering great service to your best clients.
You don’t need to fix everything today. That’s not the point. The point is to notice. To see the things you’ve been letting slide, the things you’ve decided to live with because you thought you had to. But maybe you don’t. Maybe you can clean up one or two.
Maybe that’s all it takes to feel lighter, to see a little clearer. And from there, who knows?
Note: This essay is the fourth in a series exploring how to identify and fix your tolerations. The first article is here, the second one here, and the third here. Stay tuned for more actionable insights to help you clear the path to a more focused and fulfilling existence.