Be + Do = Have: The Simple Equation That Changes How You Lead, Advise, and Live

Be + do = Have

Michael Ball was the guest on episode 187 of the Mental Toughness Podcast and he shared a mental toughness formula for financial advisors.

The formula Be + Do = Have is deceptively simple. 

DOWNLOAD 5 Mental Toughness Advantages For Financial Advisors 

It flips the usual hustle script and asks you to define who you want to be first, then decide what you must do, and the results will follow. If you’ve been chasing outcomes without a clear identity or process, this shift gives you clarity, discipline, and a roadmap for sustainable growth. 

Below are eight practical steps that show how to put Be + Do = Have into action across leadership, client relationships, mental toughness, and personal finance. Each step is grounded in real-world practice: mentorship, service models, preparation for black swans, disciplined saving, and coaching the behavioral side of success.

Table of Contents

1. 🧭 Be intentional about who you are

Start by deciding the identity you want to BE! 

Do you want to be a calm guide in crisis, a relentless learner, a process-driven advisor, or a people-first leader? When you know who you want to be, your daily choices line up with that identity.

Use this quick exercise: write one sentence that starts with “I am a…” and then list three daily habits that support that identity. This is the “Be” in Be + Do = Have. Without it, actions are inconsistent and fragile.

2. 🔁 Do: Build repeatable processes and a service model

Once you know who you are, design the systems that support it.

Top performers are process-driven. They don’t wing it. They document their service model, create rules for client acceptance, and standardize how advice is delivered. The goal is to build once and build right so you don’t have to keep rebuilding.

  • Document your client onboarding and recurring review process.
  • Decide what you will and will not do for clients (what you won’t do is as important).
  • Measure client satisfaction and retention as proof of your model’s effectiveness.

3. 🛡️ Have resilience for black swans

Unexpected market shocks are inevitable.

Preparation and clear communication with clients are your best defenses. Explain the plan in advance and remind people that markets are driven by emotion.

When turbulence hits, you will be the steady pilot, not a panicked passenger.

A simple script helps: tell clients that you expect surprises, share the plan for each scenario, and reiterate that sticking to a well-thought-out plan beats knee-jerk reactions. This is how the “Be” (steady) and the “Do” (prepare) protect the “Have” (long-term outcomes).

4. 📚 Read deliberately and extract ideas

Learning from others accelerates your growth.

Treat books like concentrated mentorship. You don’t need to read everything; aim for one to three takeaways per book and mark passages you want to revisit. Re-reading yields a different perspective each time because you’ve changed since the first read.

Adopt a system: mark, tab, and note the date and place you started a book. That context lets you see how ideas landed when you were in a particular season of life. Reading is a powerful “Do” that shapes who you “Be” and increases what you “Have.” Be + Do = Have

5. 🤝 Create psychological safety and serve your team

Culture is not a slogan.

It is how people feel when they come to work. You create a better firm by making it safe for team members to ask for help and put clients first. Small gestures—taking a call, answering a question, being available—compound into trust.

Treat teammates like clients. Design rituals that build camaraderie: regular peer groups, annual gatherings, or mentor-mentee pairings. A connected team handles adversity better and sustains performance when things go sideways.

Be + Do = Have

6. 💬 Coach behavior, not just technical skill

Technical knowledge is necessary, but behavioral coaching is where many advisors need help.

Emotions drive decisions. As teams grow you are managing people, not just portfolios. Invest in mental coaching, conflict resolution skills, and routines that keep judgment clear.

Ask questions that force perspective: “What are we doing that we shouldn’t do?” and “What’s it like to be our client?” These prompts expose blind spots and create a culture of continuous improvement that makes the “Do” practical and repeatable. This is the way to coach the Be + Do = Have mindset. 

7. 💰 Save first; invest second

For individual finance, saving is the engine.

Time and consistent saving are your greatest diversification tools. Make saving automatic and treat it like a nonnegotiable bill. From there, investments and compounding do the heavy lifting.

  • Automate contributions to retirement plans and savings accounts.
  • Prioritize tax-advantaged accounts and a financial plan before chasing “hot” investments.
  • Remember that spending on experiences often gives more long-term value than accumulating things.

8. 🔍 Invert the problem: start with what you won’t do

Sometimes clarity arrives faster when you list what you won’t accept.

Use inversion to define limits: no new clients without a plan, no transactional engagements, no service exceptions that create chaos. This sharpens your offer and protects your time and sanity.

When you decide what you won’t do, you free up energy to execute the “Be” and the “Do” well. That discipline produces the “Have” you want: sustainable revenue, client loyalty, and the life you intended.

“Revenue is a byproduct of outstanding client service and advice.”

Three practical actions to start using Be + Do = Have today

  1. Write one identity statement for who you want to be and list three habits that prove it.
  2. Document one repeatable process—client onboarding, a financial plan template, or a review cadence—and stick to it for 90 days.
  3. Automate a savings habit so you start building the cushion that enables long-term decisions.

The math is simple but not easy. You must be deliberate about who you are, disciplined about what you do, and patient enough to let the results accumulate. When you align identity and action, the outcomes follow.

Apply Be + Do = Have in small, measurable steps. Start with one habit, one process, and one honest question about what you won’t tolerate. Your future self—and the people you serve—will notice the difference.

Be + Do = Have: The Simple Equation That Changes How You Lead, Advise, and Live

 

Dr. Rob Bell is a Sport Psychology Coach. DRB & associates coach executives and professional athletes. Some clients have included three different winners on the PGA Tour, Indy Eleven, University of Notre Dame, Marriott, and Walgreens. 

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