When Does Going the Extra Mile Matter?

2023-04-22T19:24:24-04:00April 22nd, 2023|Customer Experience, Mindset|
With Agent and IAO Coach Brent Hershey
Length: 6:26

You have choices when facing any decision. Do you begrudgingly go through the motions to complete a task? In this episode, Agent Brent Hershey discusses what’s possible when you go the extra mile and how it pays off at the Agency.

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going the extra mile

TRANSCRIPT

I had the privilege a few weeks back to share with somebody, and it was a concept of becoming a Second Miler. I wanted to share this with you because I felt like it was very relevant to what our job consists of.

Jesus was talking to his followers at the time, he said, “If anyone forces you to go one mile with them, you should go with them two miles.” And during this time, Roman law stated that a Roman soldier could force anybody he saw to stop doing whatever they were doing and to carry his pack, his heavy gear for one mile.

And that was what the Roman law stated. This had to be annoying. You know, here I am, I’m working, I’m out in the field, I’m trying to get things done. Roman soldier comes by, calls me out, and makes me, forces me to carry his pack one mile down the road. What a terrible opportunity. What a terrible moment, right?

I’m pretty sure a lot of people at this time would be bitter. I’m sure I’d probably be bitter at that time. I was in the middle of something. I’m doing something. Not only do I have to carry your sack a mile down the road, I then I have to turn around and walk a mile back just to get back into my day.

So now I’ve kind of wasted an hour of my day in getting things done. And Jesus at this time, challenged his followers to not just go one mile, but to go two. And why would he do this? This created an opportunity for a lot of times in this moment, the Roman soldiers, when they willingly would now carry that pack a second mile.

The Roman soldiers would be confused, right? You know, the Roman soldiers are all about force. They’re all about domination. But if I’m going to willingly carry that pack a second mile it might spark some thoughts in the Roman soldier’s mind. What’s this person doing? Why are they care about pack another mile.? I only told them to carry it one, that’s all I’m allowed to tell them. But yet, they’re continuing on the journey with me.

I imagine at that time it probably opened up conversation. It probably opened up the opportunity to share with that Roman soldier, why am I willing to go two with you? I know you’re forcing me to do it, but why am I willing to go two? And I wrote something down back then when I was preparing for this, and I’m going to read it. It said, if our actions are bound by what is only required of us by our circumstances, then we become trapped. The things in life that are designed to restrain us when we willingly choose to go the second mile, are now rendered powerless.

That Roman soldier is coming in with force and power, and he is dominating that situation. That’s their circumstance. That’s what they’re stuck in, right? But as soon as they willingly go the second mile, maybe third, fourth, fifth, they have now rendered him powerless because it is from a willing heart.

Bring this lesson into your Agency. Become a Second Miler within your organization. We have a sign in our office, it’s huge, and I got it made. And it says, “What is possible?” And we ask that question a lot.

You know what’s possible if you choose to willingly go the second mile within your Agency, within your day with your clients, with your teammates, what is possible for your Agency?

What is possible for your life if you willingly choose to go the second mile?

I think what’s possible if I make that extra phone call, what is possible if I send that extra text or that extra email? What’s possible? What’s possible if I make that extra pivot today?

What’s possible? What’s possible if I hold an extra appointment, if I ask for that referral, what is possible? I am now going the second mile, right?

I’m sure in your office, I’m sure as agents, you have required expectations of your team members. You probably have a required expectation. I don’t know, maybe it’s 50 phone calls a day. Maybe it’s five pivots, five quotes. I don’t know what it is. You know, that’s within your agency, but you have a requirement. Are you begrudgingly just doing the requirements? Are you do it with an embittered heart?

You know, there’s a saying out there: You can either be bitter or you can be better.

And the only difference in those two is that letter “i.”

I choose to be bitter, right? I choose in that moment, or I can choose to become a Second Miler and I can choose to willingly do the next step.

You know, I’m required to make five pivots in a day. I’m going to make 10. I’m required to make 40, 50 phone calls out in a day. I’m going to make 75 or 80.

What’s possible? Think about it, right? If I go into my day and I just do what I’m required to do by my circumstances, to keep my job, to hit my goal, if that’s all I do, I’m probably going to be bitter about it at some point. But if I go into that day with a Second Miler heart and mindset, I’m going to get better.

I’m going to render my circumstances powerless, and I’m going to have the opportunity to grow beyond measure.

Do you want to be bitter? Or do you want to be better? Are you going to choose to be a Second Miler today within your Agency?

Guys, that’s my challenge. Go out, become a Second Miler, and then remember the phrase: What is possible if I become a Second Miler and I change my heart?

What’s possible guys? Go be awesome. You’re here. You showed up. Please take this, put it into action, and make this an awesome day.

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