Check Marks the Spot!

The last several weeks, I have been conducting seminars and webinars preparing agents for the Annual Election Period where millions of seniors will make healthcare decisions.   The season lasts only 7 weeks and it takes about that long for an agent to get ready for it...certifications, tests, mandatory face to face sessions...the list feels endless.   I have had several hundred agents attend my last sessions and the #1 question for many of them, especially those that are new to the fray,   "Brandon, will all of this be worth it?'   I understand and sympathize with the question... why endure all of this for just 7 weeks of frenetic activity...dare I say chaos?  Easy...the financial opportunity is great.   That is the elephant in the room.  No one wants to turn their back on chaos when there is opportunity "hidden" in its midst.  The #2 question is,   "Ok, how am I suppose to do all of this and make a living at the same time?"   How do you eat an elephant (you had to know that was coming)?  Conventional wisdom says one bite at a time.  I want to revise that...take each bite strategically.    When you have competing priorities or a long list of things to do you, have to make a series of choices.  They should not be random choices, or based on doing things you like to do first or putting off the things that you hate to do.  Let me give you some food for thought (the eating theme continues!);   Make a complete list of all the things you have to do.  Look at that list and ask yourself the following questions;   Which things have the most value once completed? In sales, things that make money should get to the top of the list by default. Revenue generating activities are always a high priority.  Things that put you in the position to make money are equally as important.  Getting a certification that allows you to earn another $50,000 a year is high value.    What are the hardest things to do on your list (time and effort)? Do not use the difficulty factor as an excuse not to do the arduous tasks.  It should be used to prioritize them or give them dedicated blocks of time to complete. There are some things that allow for multitasking...not these things...these items require focus to complete.   What are the easiest things to do on your list (time and effort)? Can you finish 2-3 things on your list in a hour and "knock them out"?  These items are a chance to win "quick" victories of progress. You can juggle these easy activities and multitask to get more done.    What items have timelines?  There are some items on your list that "crack the whip" and keep you on time with specific actions required.  Webinars with dates, online training, etc.  They can't be done on your timetable but must be scheduled...or missed.   What items have deadlines? These are the "hard stops" that drive most of us.  We procrastinate until the last minute looms.  Most deadlines in business have windows of 30 or 60 days.  Manageable, if you begin early and work progressively.   If you wait until the end and scramble to get things done, this will only exacerbate the chaos.   Look at that list again.  It may still look daunting but you have at least "triaged" it to provide a hierarchal view that allows you do to "first things first"...you are building the foundation of an accomplishment strategy.  Tomorrow we will review how to attack this segmented list and work it down until...    Check Marks the Spot!   Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!