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Customer Service Focus
Change your outlook and change your luck
Victim — or winner?
By Lynn DellaCroce, CIC, CISR, CPIW
Some agents just seem to be lucky. They’re the ones who get all the large accounts, win the prizes for writing the most business, buy the snazzy new cars, and enjoy terrific vacations.
Then there are the people who view themselves as unlucky. They work hard but never get any breaks, and nothing good ever seems to happen to them. You’ve heard them say, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”
Why are some people lucky and others not? What causes that bright light to shine on some while a dark cloud follows others? Is it truly all chance, just the luck of the draw? Is there more to it? Can we actually create good luck in our lives? I’m here to tell you: Yes we can.
For many years, I believed that life just sort of happens and you do the best with what is handed to you. Several years ago, I discovered that this is not entirely true. Yes, some things can’t be changed. For example, if you’re vertically challenged as I am, you’ll be hard pressed to stretch your five-foot frame to five-and-a-half feet (although there are gorgeous spike-heeled shoes available these days).
The truth is, however, that you can achieve almost anything if your desire and determination are strong enough. Luck is nothing more than preparedness for opportunity.
I’d like to share a five-step process that I’ve used for years with excellent results.
Step 1: Decide what you want.
If you’re not sure what you really want, try this method. Take a large piece of paper and jot down anything you’d like to achieve, whether it be professional or personal. Don’t censor yourself; just write down everything and anything that pops into your mind. Have fun with this; then, when you’re finished, get serious. Review your list and prioritize it by picking out the two or three items that are most important to you.
Step 2: Write it down.
Write your desires on a piece of paper and place that paper where you’ll see it several times a day—for example, on your computer, bathroom mirror, car dashboard, or refrigerator. The more you see your list and read it, the better.
Step 3: Create an affirmation.
An affirmation is a statement of truth. Write your affirmation in the present tense, as if you’ve already achieved your desire. If you write it in the future tense, you’re affirming it will happen sometime later, and that never occurs. For example, if I’m constantly behind in my work and can’t seem to catch up or even get organized enough to know what I need to do next, I might create an affirmation like this:
“I am in control of my work. I am organized and know what I need to do next. I love what I do.”
If you believe what you’re affirming, you’ll either find more fulfillment in your current position or find a new job opportunity in your future.
Here are some more examples:
“Money flows to me freely. It just keeps rolling in, dollar after dollar.”
“I am writing large commercial accounts and my income is steadily increasing. I am driving a beautiful new car that I can easily afford.”
Keep your affirmations short and simple and in the present tense.
Step 4: Repeat your affirmation.
Repeat your affirmation several times during the day and always just before bedtime. This is imperative as you’ll want to program your subconscious so it can work on your project while you sleep.
Your subconscious mind never sleeps, nor does it judge. It just takes in information and emotion. That’s why you sometimes have those weird dreams that incorporate an emotional event at work into the last thing you saw on TV before you went to bed. The subconscious is very powerful.
Let me draw a picture of how this may work. Your affirmation is that you are writing large accounts. You wrote this on a piece of paper and put it on your computer. You see it and read it often. You state your affirmation several times a day and always just before you nod off for sleep. You may have dreams of writing large accounts or having more money.
On your way home from work one day, while dropping off your clothes at the dry cleaners, you overhear the owner’s telephone conversation with his insurance agent. He is very upset. You mention it to him and open an insurance dialogue. The next thing you know, you are quoting his entire chain of five dry cleaners including the package, workers compensation, auto and employment practices liability, which you had recommended. The following month you find that your production figures and income have increased significantly as you’ve written that account—and it was easier than you expected.
I recently created this exact affirmation and found it worked beautifully. I didn’t write dry cleaners except for a couple of jumbo accounts that were referred to me. They were very easy to write, and I love the new clients. I just added $5 million umbrellas and EPLI to the rest of their insurance portfolios. I’m in the process right now of bidding two other jumbo referrals that fell into my lap. One happens to be particularly easy as it is a large group health account. Since that’s not my area of expertise, I’ve brought in an expert who has been doing much of the work.
That sounds good for me, but you may not work on commissions. That’s fine. I’ve also been a salaried employee. I loved my job, but found myself working all the time. I stayed late and worked on Saturdays just to keep up. I was already the manager with no advancement opportunity. I affirmed that I did less work and earned more money. I had no idea how that could happen. A headhunter called me asking if I knew anyone who could meet a number of qualifications. I chuckled, and he picked up on that and asked why the chuckle. I replied, “You could be describing me.” After many conversations with him and many negative responses to his asking me to interview for the job, I finally gave in. I found myself working for a new employer for more money and fewer hours. It was exactly what I wanted.
You could say I was just lucky. Or was I just prepared for the opportunity? Did my affirmations make me more aware of new possibilities?
Step 5: Believe in yourself.
Believe you will achieve your desires and that you are worthy to have them. The stronger your desire and belief, the better this works. You need that desire to burn like a fire in your belly if you want it to happen quickly. Looking often at a picture of what you want is also an excellent way to speed up the process.
New attitude
If you decide to use this process, you’ll likely notice your attitude changing. It’s probably because, by creating and using meaningful affirmations, you’ve changed your perception of yourself as a victim to that of a winner in charge of your future. Remember, change your perception and you change your attitude. Change your attitude and you change your life.
Congratulations: You’ve now become a “lucky” person!
The author
Lynn DellaCroce, CIC, CISR, CPIW, is president of LDC Insurance Education in Santa Maria, California. She is also an independent insurance agent with Byars, Thompson, Buchanan Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. Lynn is a member of the Certified Insurance Service Representatives (CISR) faculty and chairman of the California CIC/CISR Education Committee. For more information on the CISR program, call (800) 633-2165 or go to www.TheNationalAlliance.com.
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