1. Money.

2. Time.

3. Timing.

This is also with the understanding that everything else between the two of you is what I call an energetic match: They have a need and you can serve that need. They feel connected to you. You have established trust. And you both feel excited and the energy of possibilities is clearly in the air between you.

But then one of the major blocks pops up.

What now? How can you help?

Let's start with first understanding the energy behind the blocks. By doing this you are able to come from a place of empathy, rather than sympathy. As a service provider it is a disaster move for you to join them in their block. That might sound something like, "I know exactly what you mean Ms. Prospect there are a lot of things that I really want, but can't have either. I hate it, too." This is a HUGE disservice to them and also to you (in more ways than we can fully get into in this one article).

So what you are really looking at here is fear (of the unknown, success, change, doing something positive for themselves... the fear takes different forms for different folks, but fear is fear.) Even if they really don't have the money, have absolutely no time and are in some way not ready or able, they are making excuses to mask the fear.

People make excuses because they can't see the difference between an outer reality and an inner belief regarding that reality. Most folks have a hard time separating the two and make them the same.

It might sound something like this:

I'm not ready now = I'll never really be ready.

I don't have the time now = I can't see how to make the time.

I don't have the money now = I don't believe I can generate the money.

Back in the summer of 1999 I was studying in Ashland, Oregon and one weekend we found this beautiful lake to swim in and saw that across the lake people were cliff-jumping. Now, this is something I use to do a lot when I was in high school. So I swam across, climbed to the top, got to the edge and froze. I could not jump off that cliff. Every time I looked over the edge I thought, "this is a fifteen foot cliff; what if I miss and slam into the rocks, I could break my leg, I could die, I could..."

And then, as I stood there, this boy, maybe he was eleven, came up next to me and asked, "are you going to jump?" And I started to come up with all these excuses, but sighed and just told him I was really scared. And what he said to me I've never forgotten:"

It's air and water. Just jump."

As I watched him sail over the edge and then bob up to the surface just seconds later, amazingly to me, I jumped. It was exhilarating! (And, obviously, I survived.)

And this, my friend, is exactly how a prospect feels when considering working with you. They see a financial investment, an obligation of time and a challenge they're preparing to face - a cliff to be jumped off.

So the automatic-human-fear-reaction is to make an excuse.

And, again, the worst move you can make is to join them. "Yes, this cliff is really high. You're right; it's impossible to jump. I understand how hard it is, so let me call you back in a few months and see if you're ready to jump then."

I can tell you, they will never be ready. (I know if that's what I'd heard, I would still be standing on that cliff or worse I would have turned around and gone back the way I came.)

Again, assuming your offer is right for them and they will truly benefit from working with you, then you are NOT serving their best interests if you "just let it slide."

And telling yourself that you are is your own excuse.

The energy of commitment is very strong. Let your prospect know that when you make a commitment the Universe begins to line up for you. Things may start slower than planned, but when you truly commit, it happens. Let them know that, together, you will take care of their concerns (money, time, doubts etc.).

My sense is when YOU commit then you'll hear, "Let's do it!"

Can I tell you it will ALWAYS go this way 100% of the time, no, but what I can tell you is that if YOU make the commitment to take a stand for the truth about the difference your service will make for your clients (and don't back down when they give you excuses), you will have a client who puts themselves completely in your process and together you will produce magnificent results. And the world will be better off because of it.

So Go Ahead. Take A Stand. You Can Do It.

Your Call To Action:

When clients are afraid to move forward, they will make excuses that will keep them from going where they need to grow.

As a professional, you need to call forth the magnificence of your client to support them in activating the change they want, not join them in their fear.

Take a stand for them.

Take a stand for you.