The October Effect: When the Finish Line Starts Feeling Too Close
By Jenna D’Annunzio
There is something about October.
The air changes. The mornings get darker. The leaves begin to let go. The pace of summer is officially behind us, and suddenly, the end of the year doesn't feel very far away.
And if you're a financial advisor, October can bring another shift: the numbers start talking.
The goals you set in January suddenly feel very real. The production number is staring back at you. The pipeline gets examined a little more closely. And the conversations you told yourself you'd have “later” can no longer be pushed quite so easily into later.
Perhaps the most uncomfortable questions begin creeping in: Am I going to make it? Did I do enough? What if I don't hit my number? What should I be doing right now? Should I be pushing harder? Why didn't I start this sooner?
And before you know it, you're no longer leading your business.
You're reacting to it. And this reaction can be a dangerous place to be.
The Psychology of Year-End Worry
Here's something I want you to understand: fear, doubt and worry aren't necessarily signs that something is wrong. They're often signals that your brain perceives uncertainty.
And when uncertainty increases, we tend to reach for what feels familiar - we speed up, we overwork, we micromanage, we avoid the uncomfortable conversation. We obsess over the numbers, or start three new initiatives, or even abandon the plan we had six weeks ago.
We convince ourselves that doing more will make us feel more certain, and ya know what? Sometimes it does, but more times than not, it simply creates more noise.
And this is where I want to introduce a concept I use frequently in my work: pattern interrupt.
A pattern interrupt is exactly what it sounds like. It's the intentional interruption of an automatic pattern before it takes over. It is a word/phrase that facilitates change by shaking and destabilizing established thought and behavioral patterns.
Instead of allowing fear → reaction → behavior → result to run the show, you create a pause: awareness → choice → action → result.
That pause is incredibly powerful.
What Does a Pattern Interrupt Look Like for an Advisor?
Let's say you look at your numbers and realize just how far behind you are compared to where you’d hoped to be.
The old pattern might sound like: “I'm screwed, there's no way I can come back from this. I need to make more calls. I need to get more meetings. I need to push harder and just get things paid ASAP.”
And suddenly, you're operating from scarcity. Your heart starts racing and you're internally panicking.
Instead, interrupt it.
Stop. Take a breath. Say out loud: CANCEL ERROR THOUGHT. (my personal favorite, thanks to Steve!)
Whatever phrase resonates with you, the idea is to shake up any negative stories/beliefs, giving you an opportunity, after the fact, to rewrite that story to a positive, abundant and prosperous one. The beauty of this approach is that even after we say something out loud, we can course correct.
Not what you're afraid might happen. Not what your inner critic is telling you. Not what someone else's production numbers look like. I would invite you to remember that as long as you are REFRAMING the negative story/experience after you say it, you'll be using the technique effectively.
Ask yourself:
What is actually true?
What is within my control?
What is the highest-value action I can take next?
That's leadership.
It's not pretending the number doesn't matter. It's not bypassing reality. It's not positive-thinking your way out of a business problem.
It's meeting reality without allowing fear to make the decisions.
October Doesn't Need to Become a Panic Button
This is where I think we get year-end leadership wrong. We treat Q4 like a fire drill. But what if we decided to let October become a recalibration point instead? Instead of asking, “How do I cram everything I haven't done into the next 90 days?” ask, “What matters most now?” Instead of, “How do I get more?” ask, “Where can I create the most value?” Instead of, “What am I behind on?” ask, “What is actually moving?” And instead of, “What if I don't hit the number?” ask, “Who do I need to be in order to lead well regardless of the number?”
THAT is a very different conversation.
There Is Wisdom in the Season
I love the symbolism of fall for this work, which is why I recently hosted my Fall Leadership Reset Webinar. The trees don't panic because they're losing their leaves and they're certainly not looking around and thinking, “Dang, I should probably hold onto all of these as tightly as I can.”
They let go of what is no longer necessary. They conserve energy and prepare for a different season. And eventually, they begin again.
There is something powerful about asking ourselves the same question in our businesses:
What am I carrying that I no longer need to carry?
Maybe it's an old belief about what success has to look like; maybe it's a leadership pattern, or a client relationship that no longer fits. Maybe it's the belief that you have to do everything yourself or the constant pressure to prove that you're successful, fitting the narrative that you think you have to fit in.
Your October Pattern Interrupt
So here's my invitation to you this month - when you notice yourself moving into fear, doubt or worry, catch yourself and interrupt it.
Pause. Notice. SHAKE UP. Name what's happening. Then course correct.
This is the work I love doing with my entrepreneurs and my financial advisors.
I believe sustainable growth happens when we stop separating the person from the business. Your mindset affects your decisions. Your emotional state affects your leadership. Your energy affects your execution. Your beliefs influence your behavior. And your behavior ultimately shows up in your business.
That's why I work with financial advisors at the intersection of psychology, leadership, business strategy and personal alignment.
Because sometimes the strategy isn't the problem.
Sometimes the operating system underneath the strategy needs recalibration.
And October is a beautiful time to do that—before the year ends, before the pressure compounds, and before you carry the same patterns into another January.
Don't wait for January to become a different leader.
Interrupt the pattern now.
🍂What are you ready to interrupt this October?
Contact us below to explore how coaching can help you lead with greater clarity and intention.