Birds and Nests.....

I'm always asked with all type of questions. Including this....

Q: Why do man have pubic hair?

A: A nest for the bird.

Q: Why do woman have pubic hair

A: ???

This naughty girl who asked really caught me...

A: For the bird to get wild.

She said "No". Answer is...  A resting place for the incoming bird.

Nowadays even girls are more smarter than older men. Right?

Specially for this naughty girl - "God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest" ~J.G. Holland

Be brave to admit your mistakes....

Selling tips...

An inexperienced agent was confronted with this problem. She had misinformed her client that an accidental claim was payable. While the client was arranging the medical report from the attending doctor, the agent realised that actually the benefit wasn't added on the cover and claim would be rejected by the company. Now! How is she going to explain to the client who is expecting so much from the insurance? She was so worried!

I asked her what could be the compensation, if the claim is payable. She claimed that the indemnity could be around 1000 dollars.

This was what I told her. Imagine, out of rushing to see someone, you drove passed a red traffic light and was caught by a police traffic officer for breaking this severe traffic offence. Are you going to be scared? If you are, then most likely you would find it difficult to explain to the officer. But! If you are not afraid and have the confidence to speak nicely to him, offering good reasons why you accidentally speeded against a red light, perhaps the officer might let you go off just with a warning without a fine compounded. The reason why you are afraid for being caught is because you might be issued with a traffic summon. The fine could be amounting to 500 dollars. You are afraid because you might need to pay the unnecessary money for a mistake committed by yourself. On the other hand, if only you could except your own mistake and prepare to pay this 500 dollars, your mind would definitely be more lighter. The thought could be less scary, less stressful and you might even be able to speak better to admit your fault and mistakes. Honesty and empathy are the ideal way to overcome problems.

Coming back to the insurance claim, I told the lady agent if only she could admit her mistakes and prepare to compensate the client with her own fund, I'm sure her worries would disappear instantly. Explain and verify properly with the client. In case if she refuses to accept your explanation, please be sincere to offer your cash to her instead. After all is only 1000 and the 1000 isn't worth crying and be too worrisome over the problem that you faced. This is how I lasted in selling life insurance for 30 years. 

Food for thought - "Mistakes are always forgiveable, if one has the courage to admit them" - Bruce Lee.

Your food could be another person's poison...

My youngest son got a new job as an Event Manager for a new nightclub in another town. He has been stagnant to his present employment as an IT Engineer for few years and yet not benefiting much from it. He had done some part-time event business before, and some of his previous contacts are supportive with his new position. However our family, especially his elder brother is totally against his acceptance of this new venturing. What really attracts my son is a good income and may be having another chance to team up with his friends to do business later.

His elder brother knows the new town he is going to work in, is a cowboy town with lots of gangsters and drugs. He is worried the younger brother might get suck into those unpleasant environment and might not be able to come out of it later. Desperately the elder brother found him an alternative sales job, but the younger brother isn't interested at all. From afar, he kept calling me to try to change the younger boy's decision. All the family members have the same concern toward this son who is currently stood at age 31, still single but definitely available. 

I had a talk with him last week, and I know he is serious in taking this new challenge. He told me the upside of the new job and he knew the downside of it as well. Money is the main attraction that motivated him. I only listened but didn't offer any comments. In fact I was afraid to give a wrong decision. 

Thirty years ago, when I took the risk to become a Life Insurance agent, all my friends and my wife were against my decision. They claimed my last job as a Sales Executive was a good job with fixed salary, and I need not to worry the uncertainty of income. More so Life Insurance was a taboo product and people would not like to see a life insurance agent. Luckily I didn't listen to anyone of them but took up the new career till today. Today they said I was lucky to have taken selling life insurance as a career. They were wrong and I was right.

Twenty years ago, when my eldest son came back from his oversea studies with his law degree, told me the saddest thing in life. He had his law degree but didn't want to become a lawyer. He claimed that I was the one who insisted him to study law but he was never interested in this subject. Instead of pursuing the law practise, he ventured into various businesses on his own. Yes! I was very sad and angry then. But today, on his own accord, he has climbed the ladder of success in the International Corporate World. I was wrong in making his decision, whereas he is right.

Am I going to make another decision for my youngest son now! Really I'm at lost. Because there is a saying... Your food could be another person's poison. Any of my readers would like to advise? Really would appreciate them.

I sent my children to school

Chua was a little stressful lately because he needed to fetch his both daughters to school. With his tight schedules while conducting his business, he found not enough time to complete his work. His working wife could not help because she works as an office administrator and is not supposed to come out while working.

To encourage my friend, I gave him this true story. I have a very successful family's friend in Penang who had a formula to guide and educate their children. The husband is a lawyer and the wife is a doctor. Their three children had completed their university studies and all are self employed professionals too like both their parents. According to their parents, when the children were young and were at school, they never failed to drive them to study and picked them up again later of the day. All other families usually paid school buses to fetch the students or letting the neighbours to help. Not this family! The father and the wife took turns to be responsible to the welfare of their kids. They scarified much of their working time to be with their boys and girls. The morning session when they sent them to school was the time for motivating and inspiring. The early pep talk could spur them for better result at class later. Later in the evening when they picked the children home, either parents would listen to their day's class story. Their attentive listening could sense and to understand whether the children were happy or otherwise. Should there be a problem, the parents would solve and provide solution immediately. The children were properly groomed and developed out from the journey to school. It was the best and ideal time to understand and to teach the children.

After this short episode was told, Chua was enlightened and he promised not to complain any more. What about me! So sad! Because by the time I was given this true story, all my sons were already grew up in life. But! If ever I had a chance to have another baby, I believe I will be a better father to the child.

How true....

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging."

- Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again

Brave or Stupid????

An Iranian friend gave me this interesting question. When a man jumps over the bridge to commit suicide due to a broken heart... Is he considered as Brave or Stupid? 

Ah! I was caught there. The meaning of brave is 'Ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.' And stupid means 'Lacking intelligence or common sense.' If he isn't brave, he won't dare to jump but if he really jumps he is then stupid. How lah!!!

Any one out there can help please???

Care & Concern is my business.....

Selling tips....

Sales are important but after sales services are even more important, especially in the Life Insurance career. In the 30 years of my business, I had accumulated more than one thousand clientele. Constantly I have clients who are sick and are admitted to hospital for treatment. Those days I would have time to pay a friendly visit to those who were admitted. Nowadays I only worked four days a week, from Monday to Thursday. Friday and the weekends are for communities work, or being invited as platform speaker, or outstation hideouts. However deep in my heart, I still feel like to be closer to those who are sick and need a little of my attention. After all our business is to provide 'care and concern', especially when our clients are down with sicknesses.

Few days ago, my client Shamsul was admitted due to his raised blood pressure. Though I could not visit him, I sent him a message... "Is a beautiful morning today. I hope the young man in the hospital there is smiling." I knew he would read it. Instantly he replied, "Getting better, hope can be discharged sooner. Have to wait for the doctor. Thank you." Another message for him... "Laughter is the best medicine."

Next day before I left the house, I sent this message again... "Young man. Still resting in the hospital?" I wanted to make sure he wasn't discharged  yet!! He replied, "Yes! Most properly tomorrow. Still waiting results of my blood test." I tried to make him laugh... "Sure don't have HIV?" Guess what was his reply? He said, "Most properly not." Sounded like he could be a naughty man too! Haha!! Shamsul is 56 and married. Before I ended my conversation, I complimented him this... "Your blood result shows... Kind, fun, humorous, highly intelligence, likable and lovable type." He was laughing on his bed. I knew my laughter worked better than those medication given by his attending doctor.

Next morning, instead of me calling him, he sent over this message... "Blood results ok, slightly high cholesterol. Checking out later." I told him, "Thanks God! No HIV."  Late evening a final message from him, "Just left the hospital, TQ Sir and all the fun with you." I knew he is a satisfied client. 

Conclusion: Care & Concern could be felt, either by sight or by hearing. Physically I wasn't there to present my concern, but the intention and the effort through the telecommunication works pretty well too. 

I like this proverb - "He who sows the ground with care and diligence acquires a greater stock of religious merit than he could gain by the repetition of ten thousand prayers" - Zoroaster quotes.

Be truly a lady.......

JW is one of my lady client. This morning I received a message from her, "Hi Robert, I am unemployed again. Wondering how to carry on my insurance premium. Any advice? Thanks".

Later I relied her,"On checking with your family policies, there are sufficient fund to maintain the covers for at least 2 years, if you find it difficult to pay the premium. So my dear, please don't have to worry. I'm sure you would get a better job soon coz you are an intelligent lady. Ok?"

She continued, "It's not easy to get  a job... People look for young blood and dynamic aggressive ppl. I have to venture into something else but don't know what!"

To inspire her I said, "George Washington's tagline.. Do the common things in an uncommon way. The world would be at your command. I'm sure u can as well my dear. Good luck.". 

She continued, "U are always so positive about things!! That's your greatest asset. Must get the positive vibes from you. I am the other extreme... worry and negative."

My final words for her," A happy heart will see a beautiful world. Laugh and smile more. They are free my dear." I hope JW was motivated.

But deep down my mind, I wanted to tell her more. JW is a professional corporate legal adviser. She is  extremely an intelligent lady, ambitious, and no nonsense person. I can even consider her as super brainy lady who commands and dictates others. She has a character of a male but lost the charm of a lady. Two broken marriages had demotivated her and I doubt she would marry again. A single parent in her late forties with a teenage daughter staying with her. Otherwise she could be a lonely person. If only she could behave less intelligence, less prideful, less arrogance but more feminine, more sexiness and more humbleness, things could be different for her. In the eyes of most men, they are afraid to befriend her. And no woman would be happy, if there is no admiration from men. Yes! She could be a tough woman. And a woman still needs the shoulder of a man, if she needed to cry and be pampered. So sorry for JW! She is a woman but yet live like a man. Do I have the guts to tell her???  Still pondering myself. Or any suggestions from you out there??

Quotes by Coco Chanel....  A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.