It was March of 1988, and boy, was I excited! My opportunity to become a multiline agent had arrived. The previous owner's children had assured me that that they had cleaned out the office of their deceased father. I soon discovered that this was mostly true. As I was settling in, I opened one of the cabinets and discovered a dusty three-ring binder. In that binder was a presentation entitled, "You'll Earn a Fortune!"
The meat of the presentation shares the events that took place when the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics followed the lives of 100 people for 40 years, from age 25 to age 65. By age 65:
- 54 were broke and depending on relatives
- 36 had died
- 5 were still working to meet their budget
- 4 had livable incomes
- 1 was financially independent
Now how is it that, in the richest country on the face of the earth, nine out of ten people are either dead or dead broke by the time they reach age 65?
These people didn't plan to be unsuccessful. They were just unsuccessful in making their plans. The problem with people is not so much that they don't have the ability to achieve what they want, but rather they don't have the ability to decide exactly what they want. So, they need you. Yes, and I do mean you, the reader. They need your skills, your passion, your personal power. Only you can help them make the necessary plans to attain their goals.
Ask yourself this question: How can I, with my training and experience, help my clients:
- establish a real budget?
- put aside 10% of what they make in a savings vehicle?
- put aside 6–9 months of income into an emergency fund (in the event of an unforeseen medical emergency, financial emergency, or unexpected unemployment)?
People can live on 70–80% of what they earn — if they are shown and taught by a caring professional. That person is you. Keep pushing through the hard and difficult people. In my 25+ years in this greatly needed industry, I have come to realize that the people most resistant to your ideas are the very same individuals that most need to hear what you have to offer.
So, fight the good fight. Stay persistent. Keep building your skills and your story. And most importantly, keep nurturing your commitment to serve. What we do is more needed now than when I started in 1987. Continue to show people how they will "earn a fortune!" In so doing, you'll earn a fortune, too.
