How to Keep a Winning Aflac Attitude When You Always Seem to Miss the Mark

In sales, you get four quarters to prove yourself to your ‘uplines’. That is 12 months, divided into four quarters with the same or similar goals each month. The set goals aren’t easy. The ‘uplines’ who set the goals want you to work hard. Harder than the year before, quarter before, or even month before. These goals are there to encourage you, push you, and test you. Sometimes if you hit some of the goals you may win cash prizes or even free trips.

But what happens when you try your best and you are consistent…consistently missing the mark? Yeah, I know how it feels. To pour everything out. To get better and better each quarter by beating your previous self but missing the one laid out in front of you. No matter if you are a first-year agent, second year DSC, third year RSC or a MD. Missing the mark is never easy.

I have missed more marks than makes I have hit but the one thing that has kept me going is my attitude.  Below are some of the things I do to keep a winning attitude when I pour everything out in the work week but still somehow seem to miss the mark.

• When I have officially ‘failed’ I take ONE full day to be sad.
  • One day to sulk. That is it. Not an hour here or there throughout the week. Not a bad mood every night when we are getting close to the end. Save it all, build it all up for one day. Take one day and feel it. Really let it set in that you did everything, but you still came short. It is okay to let your body feel sad. It is a normally feeling that we need to feel! Allowing yourself to sulk in sadness for one day will allow you to really enjoy what it feels like to hit your goals and be happy. One day of sadness. That is it! Let it all out so that you can get back on your feet and get ready to step up your game the next quarter or year.
• Be OFF!
  • Take one day on the weekend and DON’T THINK ABOUT WORK! A sales job can consume you if you allow it. This was the hardest lesson for me to learn because I love working. But we mentally need one whole day each week, where we do not think about work! Pick that day and enjoy it. Live it up. Turn off all your electronic work devises and just reconnect with you who are and why you work so hard to hit your goals!
• Reflect and Redirect
  • Each Sunday night or before the sun rises Monday morning, I reflect on my past week and if I did everything possible to take a step closer to hitting my goals. If my number are still on track or if they are a little low. I look at how my attitude was throughout the week and if I had a winning mindset. I use the previous week to be a baseboard to redirect my mindset and attitude for the upcoming week. Setting aside this time (which can be less than five minutes) helps me to focus on the current goals and to get me excited to be one week closer to the finish line.
• Keep the main thing the main thing.
  • Once you have come across the finish line but have no fancy-free trip, no cash prize or a plaque to hang on your wall, I remind myself of why I do what I do. Even when I have missed the mark, I remember the best part of this job is #1. Being about to help people and #2. Flexibility!
  • I look back and think of the people I have been able to impact. At the amount of money, I was able to help people process for claims. Think of the times I was able to lead a listening ear or give words of wisdom. I think of the times I was able to be flexible and live life to the fullest and not be stuck clocked in at an 8-5 job. I take time to remember that, yeah, I might have missed the mark, but I was able to grow, learn and get better at my job while building who I am as a person.

These four steps have helped me redirect my attitude after missing the mark all too often. In a world where failing can get the very best of us and steal our winning attitude, we must fight to keep winning at the forefront of our mind. We must set our own personal goals to keep us moving as we strive to achieve goals other set before us. Most importantly we are not alone! Someone knows how you feel, they have been where you are and trust me, everyone wants to see you win! It starts with choosing to keep a winning mindset no matter what.

Love, Your Aflac sister who will NEVER settle for less than the best!

p.s. when you know this feeling I am talking about. When you know how deep it hurts because of how bad you wanted it, reach out to someone who missed the mark as well. Tell them at least one way that you saw them grow. Encourage them that they are not alone. Thank them for how they contributed to the team effort. Tell them that they can keep going and growing no matter what the current results say. Remind them that they are worth it, this career is worth it, and the policy holders we serve are worth it! We are all in this fight to keep a winning mind set together.