My kids, like most tweens and teens today, are big fans of "The Hunger Games." If you're familiar, you know that Katniss Everdeen, the heroin of the story, unwittingly becomes the face of a rebellion. The people call her the Mockingjay.
I'm a member of an organization that recently experienced some turmoil. You know the drill. Decisions were made, people were hurt and members started questioning the leadership's competency. As a result, there were meetings, petitions and demands for more oversight. And, not surprising, battle lines drawn.
I've never been one to shy away from something I'm passionate about, so I spoke up. I let people know that, in my opinion, a great wrong had been committed, and it needed to be made right.
And then a funny thing happened. I was called by the head of the enterprise to discuss my role in a rumored "overthrow" of the sitting regime. I was shocked. Sure, I had signed a petition. So had dozens of others. Yes, I had attended meetings to discuss the issues, and I was certainly passionate about my disagreement with the leadership. But I was unaware of any rebellion, and I certainly wasn't leading one. Yet, I was being asked to "call off the dogs" and try to help the opposition find a peaceful resolution.
I was discussing it with my wife at dinner and my son said, "Dad, you're the Mockingjay. That's awesome!"
No it's not, actually, but it made me think. Why had I been singled out for that discussion? In an organization with hundreds of other members, why had the leader thought of me? In a word: passion.
Passion is what separates you from the tens of thousands of brokers and agents out there fighting for your prospects. We usually discuss passion in terms of internal motivation. It's the thing that gets us up early and keeps us out late and drives us all day, but passion also has an external impact. It informs people's perception of us.
I don't have any tricks for you to improve your passion so I'll simply say it like this: If you're passionate about helping people navigate this ever-changing landscape because you know how important their benefits are, then get out there and show it. If you're not, I'm begging you to close out 2014 and begin a new career in 2015. Find something that trips your trigger and go do that.This industry needs a few more Mockingjays. I hope you'll decide to become one. And may the odds be ever in your favor.
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