The older I get the easier it is to do my insurance business. After over 20 years in the insurance industry, most daily routines are not challenging any more. I have a tendency to run on autopilot. Selling, quoting, filling out applications, delivering policies and networking is second nature habits. Working on my business tends to be a bit challenging. Now that everything is going high technology, I need to always learn more about the “new” way of marketing or doing business. So, working on the business is much more challenging. However, the hardest thing for me to work on is me. Why is this so hard? Do we just lie to ourselves about our weaknesses and only focus on our strengths? Why are we so complicated?
I believe one of the hardest things to do is to admit our weaknesses to ourselves. Even if I admit my weakness to others, I still have a problem internally believing it is real. I keep thinking, “yeah, but it is not that bad” or “everyone has that issue”. It is a total cop out. We tend to see ourselves in a better light than we really are. I do not mean be hard on ourselves for the attributes we are really good or great at, but really examine and work on the things that we don’t like to admit. We all have things we do very easily. Those are the attributes we are really good at or they seem to come natural. For example, I am very good at networking. It seems to come easy for me. I have a helping spirit, so using this givers gain philosophy, I help people get what they want and in turn they feel obligated to help me achieve what I want. So, I enjoy reading, listening to podcasts and watching videos on networking. I still want to get better, but it is easy for me to do.
As far as my weaknesses, I have too many to list. Not really, because in my mind I am perfect. See what I mean, it is hard to list weakness. However, my main weakness is accountability to work on myself. This is a really big problem as a sole business owner or insurance broker like me. No one holds me accountable for me other than me. I needed help. What I have found that has helped me more than any one thing to work on my weaknesses was to form a mastermind group. Napoleon Hill has written a lot about the power of the mastermind, a group of like minded people that collectively think in a like manner. Our mastermind group has really evolved through these past few years and we have now included an extra 30 minutes on reading and discussing books. Glory Hallelujah!!! My first admitted weakness. I have ever intention to read certain helpful books, but I can always find something better to do other than sit down and read. But now, because of my mastermind group, I have to read and discuss these books. This accountability partner that I use to practice early on in my career was so instrumental in my personal development. Somewhere on my journey I got away from that concept and so grateful to have it back.
My advice would be find accountability partner or form a mastermind group of your own. This will help you to begin being the best human being you can, it is the only life we have, make the best of it. Spend time working in your business, on your business and most importantly on yourself. Don’t be so complicated.
“No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind.”—Napoleon Hill
Image by Stuart Miles at www.freedigitalphotos.net
Tim Wilhoit is owner/principal of Your Friend 4 Life Insurance Agency in Nashville, TN. He is a family man, father of 3, entrepreneur, insurance agent, life insurance broker, salesman, sales trainer, recruiter, public speaker, blogger and team leader with over 26 years of experience in sales and marketing in the insurance and beverage industries.
Tim — I learned how to overcome my weaknesses in the business,being a broker, 40 years ago. Split commissions with another broker. You will sell double the policy you anticipated so it works out for cash in your pocket. This happened since my first “key-man” policy to an owner of a business, to group plans with 15 closely-held businesses, for a $30 million policy for estate taxes and to the most recent SPIA to provide $1,000 a month – and then a few months later another $1,000 a month to the same person. Marvin Newman -203-972-8165
Marvin, that is an excellent idea. I am in awe that you haven’t had any other weaknesses in the past 40 years. I’ll bet if you are married and your wife is anything like mine, she would be happy to point out a few if you ask her. 🙂 Much continued success my friend, thank you for sharing.
excellent article…….
Thank you Kathy for the kind words. Feel free to share.
That’s the tough issue when you are in business for yourself…keeping yourself accountable. Business coaches are very expensive, networking with a few professionals in different industries may be a good idea as long as they too are firmly committed to working the system.
Committment is absolutely crucial. It like everything else takes work, but it is so worth it Jack.
Hello Tim,
Thank you for this article. My weakness is networking. In a room filled with strangers or upon meeting someone new, I tend to feel shy. Was networking a natural ability of yours or did you develop it? Do you have some recommendations for me on how to overcome this hindrance and become professional and effective at networking?
Kelly,
No it was certainly not natural in the beginning. Where I really started to learn the skill and apply it weekly is joining a BNI Chapter which is a local weekly meeting focused on networking. It was started by Dr. Ivan Misner, who has written a lot of books on the subject. Highly recommend his books and just visiting a local chapter near you, it is world wide.