‘Silence Negative Talk,’ Speaker Warns Advisors

ORLANDO, Fla. -- What separates the average advisor from the champion advisor? It's optimism, according to a clinical psychologist who has studied the factors that create a champion.

Dr. Jack Singer has advised elite athletes and high performers in all professions. He told attendees at the HAFA Agent Summit that high performance is not simply a matter of talent - it is about silencing the negative self-talk that holds people back.

There's no such thing as stress. It comes from your self-thinking about a negative situation. @drjacksinger #HAFASummit2017

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Singer described this as "linguistic toxicity," and he advised replacing it with "linguistic nutrition." That nutrition is turning negative thoughts into optimistic ones.

Stress is a byproduct of the self-thinking about something negative in life, Singer said. Emotions don't come from a negative situation itself but from the negative thoughts that it generates.

Performance equals a person's talent plus knowledge plus skill set, minus their distractions, Singer said.

Performance = talent + knowledge +skill set minus your distractions @drjacksinger #HAFASummit2017

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Change "what if" to "so what?" @drjacksinger #HAFASummit2017

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He shared what he called the six core emotional concerns of clients:

1. They want to feel understood.
2. They want to feel appreciated.
3. They want to feel the benefit of the doubt.
4. They want to be treated as an equal.
5. They want to be treated respectfully.
6. They want the freedom to decide.

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at Susan.Rupe@innfeedback.com.

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