“Have no fear of perfection…you’ll never reach it.”
– Salvador Dali
The First Sip
Hey Insurance and Financial Advisors,
As we all know from being on the front lines of the financial and insurance industry we’re in, wealth can be used in a variety of ways.
And while it’s usually greed that grabs headlines, I was happy to stumble on this headline this morning:
“Doctor Clears $650,000 in Medical Debt for Patients”
The doctor’s name is Dr. Omar Atiq.
His story is one of kindness, generosity, and perspective.
See, it was 29 years ago that Dr. Atiq opened up the Arkansas Cancer Clinic to provide high-quality care for a rather underserved community.
Over the past three decades, Dr. Atiq has split time between the clinic and a nearby medical research university. In March, after some thoughtful planning, he decided to close the clinic.
As part of closing the clinic, he did the customary thing and hired an outside company to collect outstanding payments from former patients.
But upon further review, he realized just how much these patients were paying – many for years on end – and it didn’t sit well with him.
“Patients wanted to pay, but they just didn’t have the ability to pay,” he said. “And at the same time, the country was in the grip, and still is in the grip, of the COVID-19 pandemic that has devastated lives in more ways than one.”
So what did he do?
Dr. Atiq met with his wife and children and they came to the conclusion that his former patients needed the money more than he did.
So he canceled the $650,000 in debt and sent more than 200 patients a holiday card to let them know that they would no longer owe on their bills.
“Luckily, we were blessed to have the opportunity to just forego the debt. Just cancel it. So we did,” Dr. Atiq said. “We didn’t, luckily, need the money, somebody else did. So it was done.”
How’s that for a statement on the power of wealth to be a vehicle for positivity and change?
Let’s all be thinking of ways we can bless others this week with the resources we’ve been given.
Whether it’s time, money, or compassion…we all have something to offer a world in need!
1 Caffeinated Neurohack
It’s the beginning of the year, which means many advisors are spending these first few weeks planning and strategizing.
And if you want to be successful with your planning, copious amounts of creativity can certainly help.
Well, here’s a tip for you…
Did you know that the color blue is scientifically proven to make you think more creatively?
According to researchers, blue helps people think outside of the box and come up with unique ideas.
It’s so effective that when brainstorming in a blue environment, people are able to produce 2X as many creative ideas as when they’re exposed to red stimuli.
The basis for this is deeply rooted in color psychology and the way in which the human brain perceives and responds to different shades of light.
Red is associated with danger and caution, whereas blue is a color of peace and trustworthiness.
When you see blue, you subconsciously think about vast oceans, cloudless skies, and tranquility. And with no fears of survival, your brain is free to think more strategically.
Got an office or conference room where you typically brainstorm? It might be time for a blue-inspired makeover!
Marketing Psychology Quick Hit
You and I both know how much work goes into booking appointments.
And whether it’s a lead that you generated via email, LinkedIn, a webinar, or a referral network, the last thing you want to do is squander the opportunity.
Today, with 99% of meetings happening via Zoom, it’s more important than ever that you find ways to build quick rapport and trust with the person on your screen.
One simple way to do this is by leveraging a psychological principle known as echoing. (Researchers call it verbal mimicry.)
Echoing – which is very similar to the concept of mirroring – is where you listen for metaphors, analogies, and other phrases that the prospect uses in their conversation with you.
Then, you repeat those words back to them later on in the conversation.
For example, you might have a prospect who talks about his financial plan in automotive terms…saying things like “I feel like I have a good engine here, I just need to add the right mixture of fuel.”
Later on in the conversation, you could say something like, “You can think of this system like a major upgrade that’s going to allow you to hit the cruise control button for a few years and just relax.”
Do you see how that might work?
You’re not necessarily echoing the exact same words, but you’re using the metaphors that already make sense in the prospect’s mind.
That’s much more effective than coming up with your own analogy.
Do This First Thing Monday AM
Some people wake up in the morning and they’re ready to go – I know, because I’m one of them! 😆
But I know for many advisors, getting up and turning your brain on requires a coordinated effort.
While I’d probably encourage you not to reach for your phone first thing in the morning, I know that it’s a natural instinct for most of us.
And rather than scroll through Facebook or check the latest news headlines, there are some brain-training apps you can access on your device to get your mindset in a better place before your feet ever hit the bedroom floor.
Good options include:
Consider rearranging your phone’s home screen so that distracting apps are tucked away in a sub-folder somewhere, while these apps are prominently featured.
Then, when you reach for that phone tomorrow morning, you’ll be able to coax your brain into a more productive morning!
What’s New With Advisorist
Let’s talk soon,
Jeremiah
