Everyone comes to the insurance industry from different markets, with different teams, resources, experience, and professional goals. There’s no one right answer or clear definition of success for all, and that’s okay.
This also means there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to the obstacles we face.
However, there are what I call “common-denominator success habits.”
These battle-tested principles have endured over time to improve the ones who embrace them.
This list isn’t all-inclusive of what makes a successful leader, but it’s my list of 5 C’s to help you become a better version of yourself.
Contrarian.
If you want to gain the results of the masses, do what the masses do. If you want to become exceptional, do the opposite.
George Bernard Shaw once said, “You see things, and you say ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say “Why not?”
Innovators, thought leaders, and high performers are failures.
You may read that with a confused look. That’s because we’ve been programmed to believe failure is a bad thing, but it’s not.
Look at common tasks and obstacles through a different lens. Pause and ask yourself, “How can I do this differently?”
There’s a chance your new idea will cause laughter among the masses, and there’s a high probability your idea will fail, but you’ll be better for it. Doing this consistently will eventually lead you to an exceptional idea, and that’s when the masses who once laughed will now want your help.
Consistency.
I intentionally used this word in the last sentence. Habits become habits because they are daily commitments that you execute with consistency.
You would never go a day without brushing your teeth—I hope. Chances are you brush in the same place, at the same time, using the same technique, right? Boring but effective.
Habits are boring, and in many ways, so too, are high performers. It’s crucial to master the mundane. Create daily routines to master what’s meaningful.
As humans, we tend to overcomplicate things. As insurance agents, we put overcomplicating on steroids! Break down this business into the simple, essential, repeatable systems that work for you and repeat them with consistency. It’s not sexy, but it’s highly effective.
Congratulate.
Be a person who always seeks opportunities to recognize and congratulate others for their good work. As a leader you must check your ego at the door — it’s not about you.
Your success with your family, in your community, with customers, and team members will be determined by how you make each of them feel about themselves. The more time you spend complimenting and congratulating others, the more love and respect others will have for you.
Continuous Learning.
Leaders are readers. We live during the most incredible time in history regarding access to life-changing knowledge. Any book we want can arrive at our door in 48 hours. In a few clicks on our phones, we can begin listening to a podcast offering million-dollar ideas… for free.
The internet is loaded with blogs and videos teaching us how to do anything we desire. You are here now reading this advice!
Never stop learning. Never stop desiring to learn. In life, all things are either growing or dying.
Spend just ten minutes each day seeking to learn something positive to keep your mind growing.
Celebrate.
This success habit is perhaps my favorite! The world sends us a disproportionate amount of negative to positive news. Owning an insurance agency skews those numbers even more.
Knowing this, it’s crucial that we seek small wins throughout the day and build in time to celebrate. No win is too small, all wins are wins and worthy of recognition.
At my Agency, we create halftime in our day. In a ten-minute block, each of us reflects on the first half of the day, identifies a win, and prepares to finish strong for the second half.
Motivation is fueled by momentum. Pause, reflect, recognize, and celebrate your wins periodically and carry that positive momentum into the remainder of your day.
No matter what mindset leads you day to day, you’re stronger than you think and capable of more than you realize. Use these success habits. I’d love to hear about your results.
To your success,
Scott Grates
Co-founder of Insurance Agency Optimization
Bonus reading
Your daily routine has a significant impact on how successful you are in your work. The article, The Foundation for Winning in Sales (and Life) explains how.
