I am entering my 16th year in life insurance sales and agent training. From this perspective, it seems to me that our industry spends a great deal of money and time testing agents to determine if they can be successful. However, I believe that the main ingredient for success in our business is one that a test cannot measure. It is the ability to continue the task or mission in question until it is completed.
This philosophy stems from a conversation I had during my first six months in business. I worked in New York City and didn’t set the world on fire in my new career.
The conversation took place around 10:30 pm in a taxi as I was on my way to meet some people at a nightclub. When I’m in a taxi, I usually tell the driver where to take me, and if he seems like a reasonable guy, I can ask him a question or two about the route to my destination or the traffic. This particular driver was kind enough, and we started talking about his job and his family – he had four kids at home. It seemed too late for him to be working, and I asked him what time he started that day. He said it started at 9:00 am, and then he told me something I will never forget …that he wouldn’t stop until he put $ 500 in his pocket that day. I immediately said how much money do you need to finish your day? He told me this could be his last rate. (Was I positioning myself for a big tip?) I was so impressed with her directness and fortitude that I couldn’t stop thinking about that conversation.
There had been so many days when I was frustrated. I would return home, without achieving the goal that I had set for myself that day or that week. How could I do that? Was I really happy with the sub-target results? Was he really in business or was he just following the motions? There were so many questions I had about my character.
The next day I changed my attitude about my personal mission and my responsibility towards myself. From then on, and even today, I write down my goals and what I think I can achieve that day, and I’m not going home until the goals are met.
Mission, focus, and achievement contribute to a successful career. I no longer dream of achievements, I plan them.
The other night, around 7:00 PM, I was leaving my office to go home and realized that one of my newest associates was still working. He had been in the office for our 7:30 am training meeting. I said, “Hey Tom, isn’t it time to go home?” Said, “Not until I make the fifth date I promised myself.”
That agent has what every manager looks for. I said to myself: “Yes! This one is going to do it!”