“Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world”

“Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world”.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Success doesn’t always come to the smartest person or the best looking person in the room. The one thing that keeps so many people from success is FEAR. Fear can get in the way of success and the lack of fear allows some people to move ahead of others. The first thing you can do to in your attempt to overcome fear is to understand that you have this fear and it is IN YOUR WAY of having more success than you are enjoying now.

 “The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is … Fear Itself” … FDR’s First Inaugural Address.

 It was said that the friendly, witty Roosevelt used his great personal charm to make people feel good. In campaign speeches, he favored a buoyant, optimistic, gently paternal tone spiced with humor.

Facing and understanding your fears are the first thing required to move forward in business or in life. You are not alone. Many people have fear of success itself. They have fear of the telephone and meeting people, fear that they may not be “good enough”, fear that people may not like or respect them and on, and on and on!

Think of some of the top producers, or successful individuals in any business … you know who they are … and you will find people who are “fearless” or who have overcame their fears, fears that they have in the back of their minds.

Finding and speaking with positive people helps. Find ways to HAVE FUN as you do the business you are in. That is a BIG help in overcoming fear and creating success. Belief in yourself and your products also help.

One thing that gets many of us afraid is current events. Many of us consume a lot of news. This impacts how we FEEL which can impact how we do our jobs since it can impact how WE FEEL about things. It sure adds a level of FEAR.

We might think that what is in the news now, today, is so much worse than it has been before. Really, really, I mean really?

Let’s take a period of time and look and see how SIMILAR it was then to now.

March 1951 – Mohammed Mossadegh presents the idea of nationalization of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company to the Iranian Parliament and it is eventually approved by the Iranian Parliament

April 1951 – Mossadegh is elected as Iran’s new Prime Minister

May 1951 – Britain imposes an embargo on Iranian oil and bans the exportation of goods to Iran in retaliation. Britain also mobilizes its navy as a show of force.

June 1951 – The United States, under President Truman, tries to mediate the situation between Iran and Britain diplomatically, while Britain decides to take legal action against Iran in the International Court of Justice

1952 – Iran decides to sever diplomatic ties with Great Britain

Wow. The more things change the more some things stay the same. There have always been major issues in the news that can impact our business, our family and our nation and world. OK, back then we did not have the DRUDGE REPORT, CNN, FOX NEWS, 24 hour news-radio, IPADS, IPhones, etc.

If the world around you is bothering you get a perspective, consume a little less of it and remember: YOUR PROSPECTS STILL NEED YOUR HELP DESPITE ALL OF THIS IN THE NEWS.

In my business (Long Term Care Insurance) perhaps the news is part of the reason consumers need to have a plan for the physical, emotional and financial burdens that Long Term Care places on family and friends.

What about your business? What about your future in your business?

Don’t allow fear to defeat you … YOU can DEFEAT fear!

It’s Now or Never.”

- Elvis Presley

“It’s Now or Never” … Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold wrote the lyrics for the Elvis Presley hit which was adapted from an old Italian standard “O Sole Mio”. Elvis had this as a number one record back in 1960.

 It’s now or never,

Come hold me tight

Kiss me my darling,

Be mine tonight

Tomorrow will be too late,

It’s now or never

My love won’t wait.

Tomorrow will be too late, it’s now or never, my love won’t wait. Maybe you are thinking I have lost my mind and perhaps I have. But when you think of your business are you thinking with the same sense of urgency as two star-crossed lovers saying we should embrace tonight since tomorrow may be too late?

Think about the business you are in and your potential customer. Every customer … every “lead” for a potential customer is a person. “Leads” are people.

No matter how you develop your potential customer (direct marketing, walk ins or call-ins, etc.) each and every lead … each and every potential customer is a person.

This really hit me in a way that perhaps we all should remember and think about. Leads are people … maybe this not as impactful as knowing that Soylent Green is people. But just like Charlton Heston, maybe you should have a major reaction when you discover that your potential customers, you’re “LEADS” are people …

 

… and it’s NOW or NEVER to help them and help your business. Many times we lack the sense of urgency which not only negatively impacts our own business BUT also can negatively impact the people represented in each and every potential customer … each and every lead you get.

Things can change quickly no matter what business you are in. People have choices. They can go to some other business that offers similar or the same products or services. The moment the customer … that lead that has an interest in you and your product and service is the moment of opportunity for both them and you and your company.

In my business, Long Term Care Insurance, people’s health can change at a moment’s notice or less. They respond to direct mail, they go to the internet and maybe we call and respond to their request or maybe we delay. Maybe we lack that urgency in dealing with each and every lead.

Yes, sometimes the consumer attempts to delay us. We either give-up or continue to make every effort to provide them with information and the advantages of the product or service we are marketing. Too many people in business give up way to quickly on the cunsumer. They give-up on that lead … they are giving up on people.

We fail not only ourselves but our prospects when we lack this sense of urgency with each and every PERSON because LEADS ARE PEOPLE!

These people do deserve our help. If we are going to help our customers and provide them with the products and services they desire, then we need to respond to them right away with a sense of urgency otherwise someone else will. You see, it’s now or never. You either commit or quit.

Talking Change or Causing Change?

“Some people talk change, others cause it.”

- Hubert Humphrey

It was 1968 and Vice President Hubert Humphrey entered the race for President after President Johnson decided he would not seek re-election. His campaign theme was simple and to the point, “Some People Talk Change … Others Cause It”. We had the war in Vietnam, a sagging economy and unrest in the streets. Candidates were talking about change. Humphrey was saying talk can be cheap … suggesting that he could actually cause change just not talk about it.

His campaign message could have worked had he entered the race earlier and had a field organization in place. He was caught off guard by Johnson’s announcement and others had already been running with strong organization. Humphrey won the Democrat nomination after the assassination of Robert Kennedy and an explosive Chicago convention. The end result was Richard M. Nixon became President of the United States.

It doesn’t matter what your political bent is since this message is NOT about politics. This is about business and how you can increase your success in your business. Humphrey’s slogan is speaking to us today in a climate of uncertainty.

The late US Senator and Vice President is speaking directly to you. Are you just one to talk a lot about how you’re going to change and improve your business OR are you going to place things in motion to CAUSE these positive changes?

If you are under-employed or are looking for a new way to provide financial independence for you and your family for not only today but for decades to come, this Humphrey message is one you should pay attention to.

We know that talk is cheap. It is much harder to cause positive changes in what you do, day in and day out, to make advances in your business. Think about what you can do this week and really execute.

If you are in a dead-end job perhaps making a positive change in direction could really benefit you and your family.

The career I am familiar with is running your own business helping people plan for the physical, emotional and financial burdens Long Term Care places on family and friends.

ACSIA Long Term Care provides the state-of-the-art training and support, plus provides the millions in targeted marketing so you can speak to people interested in having a plan. Go to www.ltcopportunity.com and discover a way to cause positive change for you.

If you are already in business or in a career you are very happy with, please keep in mind that you need to do more than just talk about change in your organziation. Positive change can be done in any organization if you are committed to it.

Here is the hard part: really executing these positive changes. Make the effort, see the positive changes and create your own luck!

Shakespeare and turning doubts into the “to be” of success.

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we often might win, by fearing to attempt.” – William Shakespeare

Yes, when we think of Shakespeare we think about, “To be or not to be, that is the question”.  The meaning, in this case, “to be” is to be engaged in your business or life itself. We do have a choice “to be” or not “to be”. That is a question we need to ask. If we are not ready to “bring your best” each and every day perhaps it is time to look for another career, maybe another life.

But we really have the choice “to be”.

As far as our doubts, yes we always have a few. Though doubts are feelings that come from ourselves and ourselves alone, they are not the best feelings to have. In a sense that they are “traitors,” they are certainly are not there to help us.

Doubts prevent us from so much from attempting to achieve and there is no way to achieve something without attempting it first. I have spoken about doubts and fears and how to overcome them in the past. It is very important to make every effort to lessen the impact of our doubts and fears because they become a barrier to success and happiness.

I think the bottom line is to remember that every day we have the choice “to be” or “not to be”. That IS the question we need to ask ourselves as we pursue our own personal and business growth.

It’s not 1952!

It’s 1952. You’ve just opened your business in the downtown of your city. You get your space, put out your sign and wait for the flow of people to walk in. Guess what, people came in and you were a very happy person … as long as you had quality service, friendly staff and competitive prices. Life was good.

On occasion Sheriff Taylor or his deputy, Barney Fife, would walk in and say Hi, giving you and your customers additional peace of mind.

No matter what your business, the owner needs to come across as the area expert in that area. How can YOU be that? It is both easier and much harder in 2012 than it was in 1952.

In 1952 you used the local newspaper which was the dominant form of media in your community. You dropped by the local AM radio station as well and attempted to appear on the popular shows being broadcast to your community. Then you had your nice downtown office where people walked right in to see you.

In 2012 there is a tremendous amount of additional media sources and ways to impact customers and potential customers. Are you using these media opportunities to make an impact in your community?

Newspapers are not dead but they don’t have the impact, especially locally, like they used to. However, some newspapers have been able to create a web presence which is being used by the public. There are even “local” web based community newspapers which get local exposure.

Finding out what your options are and reaching out to the writers and editors is critical. This will not create instant success, but over time they may reach out to you to help them with a story. Not only does that create exposure for you but helps set you up as the area specialist in your field in your community.

Instead of one or two AM radio stations, now there are many AM & FM stations of all types of formats. Know your stations and local hosts and discover how you can help them help you. Local news/talk stations always need topics and guests. Morning shows and some afternoon shows will need guests as well. Some stations have midday news or farm shows where your specific expertise could be used. Introduce yourself to the producers and the hosts and establish yourself as an expert.

Think you are too little for TV? Nope. Many local TV stations have the need for guests on their morning news shows which wrap around the GMA’s and Today Shows. Watch or tape them on your DVR and see what they need on local segments. I’m not from Omaha, however, last summer when visiting I was a guest on local TV talking about the 3in4 Need More Campaign.

(see here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZqtPcw4U_4)

Contact the local producer and see how you can get on TV. Then use these appearances for your in house promotion. If you have the talent you can even host your own “show” on cable access or even buy a half hour or hour on local radio or TV.

Don’t forget the new media as well. Do you have a website? Does it have good content? How about your own “app”? What do your emails look like? Your email signature should convey a strong message. Include a photo, contact information, links to your website, etc.

You are a brand. Use your brand to tell the public that you are the specialist in your field. Really doesn’t matter if you are a Long Term Care Specialist or a specialist in something else. You need to look like you know what you are doing. Everything from the voicemail message on your phone lines to your letterhead should send a strong message. Then act like the specialist that you know you are.

November … a time to think about … Long Term Care?

Recent headlines have talked about the federal long term care insurance option through the so-called Class Act. Kathleen Sebelius, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, said the federal government can’t provide a Long Term Care benefit that is financially sound.

In making the announcement, Sebelius said in a letter to Congress that “Without insurance coverage or personal wealth to pay large sums (of money) in their later years, more Americans with disabilities will rely on Medicaid (the medical welfare program) once their assets are depleted, putting further strain on state and federal budgets.”

Many people are unaware that health insurance and Medicare (health insurance for those 65 and older) don’t pay for most Long Term Care services. This places the burden of caregiving to the family or the family’s back pocket. With November being National Long Term Care Awareness month, developing a plan for Long Term Care is essential to everyone’s retirement planning. Understanding the government can only provide for those who have no assets makes this even more important to have a plan in place long before retirement. Affordable Long Term Care Insurance is the answer for many Americans who want to address the physical, emotional and financial burdens that a Long Term Care event can create on a family.

Terry Savage,  columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and nationally known expert on personal finance, author and regular radio & television commentator on issues related to investing and financial markets has said, “The cost of long-term custodial care is the most devastating thing that could happen to your retirement plans — even worse than a bear market. Yet it is the thing we least want to think about. And boomers haven’t been forced to confront this reality, because our parents are living longer, with new hips, knees and heart valves. But eventually, we will all wear out!”

When we talk about Long Term Care we are talking about two types of issues. Although some Long Term Care is “skilled” nursing home care after a period of hospitalization (some of which is covered on a limited basis by health insurance and Medicare) most Long Term Care is custodial in  nature. This means a person needs help doing basic everyday living activities. Otherwise known as ”ADL’s” these include such activities as bathing, dressing, feeding, and toileting. According to the MetLife Mature Market Institute the national average daily rate for a nursing home is $239 a day …  over $87,000 a year. Assisted Living yearly cost in 2011 averaged almost $42,00 a year and homecare, which most people would prefer, can run about $40,000 a year based on a 5 to 6 hour a day homecare schedule. This is expensive even for the well-to-do.

The national 3in4 Need More campaign (www.3in4needmore.com) is a non-profit organization working with industry, government and community groups to spread awareness for the need for Long Term Care planning. They say that 3 in 4 people need to know more. Prudential Financial Inc. notes that 74% of consumers ages 55 to 65 polled for a recent survey said they are concerned about needing some kind of Long Term Care. That’s about three in every four of us! But the consumer concern has not yet been translated into action in most cases. In the Prudential survey, 25% of all consumers admitted that they have no idea what a day in a nursing home costs. And only 22% of the participants mentioned the idea of using private LTC insurance to pay for care. (Prudential Financial Inc. Newark, N.J. 2010 Long Term Care Cost Study).

The fact is the advances in medical science allow us to survive accidents and major illness more now than ever before. The end result … we live longer and we survive health events. Unfortunately the end result is the need for help with everyday living activities and, as we age, we need supervision due to memory issues.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “At least 70 percent of people over age 65 will require some long-term care services at some in their lives,” (HHS/www.longtermcare.gov). Think that long term care is just for elderly people? Think again. Young men and women also need long term care for a variety of reasons including accidents, multiple sclerosis, strokes or other debilitating conditions. 40% of the people receiving long term care are working age adults between the ages of 18 and 64. (Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project. “Long-Term Care Financing Policy Options for the Future,” June 2007.)

Sure, there may be more exciting things to think about, however during times where protecting your hard earned assets and your future or current retirement is more important than ever before, making plans for the biggest involuntary risk we face is something you should investigate. While Long Term Care insurance is a very affordable way to plan, it isn’t for everyone. You might not qualify due to health. You might be too old for this product as well. A Long Term Care Specialist can help guide you and answer your questions. It doesn’t hurt to learn and do so when you are younger and healthy and premiums are very affordable.

Try www.completelongtermcare.com. It has a tremendous amount of information, including information on the federal/state partnership program for each state, tax incentive information, cost of care and much more. You can click to get quotes and even talk to a Long Term Care Specialist. You can also find a specialist and information from the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance at www.aaltci.org . You can also get information and find a Long Term Care Specialist in your area by visiting ACSIA Long Term Care. ACSIA is the leading group of Long Term Care Specialists in the nation who represent all the top companies. That website is www.acsia.com.

It is the holiday season. Time to get the peace of mind knowing that at least this risk is planned for and you don’t have to worry about the physical, emotional and financial burdens Long Term Care places on family.

3 in 4 Need More

A recent news story about University of Tennessee Head Basketball Coach Pat Summitt reminds us how quickly things can change. As you may have heard, the well-known coach has been one of the most successful woman’s basketball coaches in our nation’s history. She has won the most games of any college coach, man or woman, including eight NCAA championships. She became the first person to both play on and later coach  medal-winning U.S. teams at the Olympic Games. She has been named to two Basketball Halls of Fame, has two basketball courts and two streets named after her.

Sadly, at age 59 she has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Despite all her achievements, this will become a major concern for her and her family. We hear stories like this all the time, accidents, health events and aging cause the need for care at one’s home or a facility like assisted living, memory care or a nursing home. Health insurance and Medicare do not pay for the most common extended care, custodial care. This means this high cost is placed on you and me and our families.

The federal government tells us that 70% of all Americans over age 65 will require some Long Term Care in their lifetime. But this is not just an issue for older people, 42% of all those who require Long Term Care today in the US are under the age of 65! This is why a plan is so important to address this issue which impacts our families emotionally, physically and financially.

Many of us think it won’t happen to us. However, medical science continues to advance … he survive health events and accidents. We live longer. More and more of us will need help with our activities of daily living … or will need supervision due to memory issues.

This is why the 3in4 Need More campaign is so important. It brings this issue to the American people and provides education about the need for Long Term Care planning. Check out these links. I was a guest with Dr. Marion Somers on Omaha TV:

http://www.omahamorningblend.com/videos/127311333.html

Watch me here talk about the campaign:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZqtPcw4U_4

You can find out more by going to www.3in4needmore.com. To learn more about Long Term Care insurance, go to www.completelongtermcare.com. To discover how to become a Long Term Care Specialist as a career you can go to www.LTCopportunity.com.