Risk & Business Magazine JGS Insurance Magazine Spring 2019 | Page 27

WHO YOU ARE Take Periodically As Needed: Everything You Do Is A Reflection Of Who You Are W e’ve all heard the adage “Actions speak louder than words” or “We are what we do, not what we say.” Any way you say it, the intent is the same. The point here is that although our vocalized intent to be a certain type of person may paint one picture, the actual daily brushstrokes that make up our character may look entirely different. Sometimes, our reflection is difficult to look at or even accept, so we find ourselves making excuses or becoming overwhelmed with the gap between who we want to be and who we actually are. The first step to address this is to find a way to look at yourself from a third-party perspective. This is by far the hardest step in reducing the gap between our intention and actuality. Self-awareness is paramount if we want to become who we say we want to be, so step one cannot be taken lightly. It could involve candid conversations with family, coworkers, bosses, or anyone else with whom you have consistent interaction. Preface the conversation with a disclaimer that you won’t react negatively no matter what their version of you turns out to be. You’re not allowed to disagree with their perspective. Now here’s the cold water. The big huge family or work events for which you actually showed up and performed for may not be the events that are defining who you are to your world. The fact may very well be that it’s the small everyday items that are inconsistent with who you’re trying to portray. In other words, everything you do is a reflection of who you are. Something I learned at a very young age that has created some of my most deeply rooted habits is that being fastidious in the small things opens up room in your mind and on the clock for more important bigger items that need to be accomplished. When I was growing up, no matter what our living situation may have been, my mother maintained an incredible amount of consistency in the everyday small stuff. Our diets were full of uncompromisingly healthy foods, such as carob chips instead of M&Ms or fruit leathers instead of Fruit Roll-Ups. None of which were cheap at a time when my father was building a business. Our family car was a work van, my car seat was a milk crate with a blanket in it and our house was a 750-square-foot one-bedroom bungalow. My mother kept a “junk drawer” that was more organized than the stationery section of Staples, literally separating rubber bands by size and sometimes even color. OK, I admit that it may have been a tad obsessive, but what that focus on diet, health, cleanliness and organization showed me was strength and safety. At a time when a young (extremely young) couple was raising three kids while trying to start a business with limited-to-no funds, I felt happy, safe, and loved always. I felt that way because everything she did was a reflection of who we were. My mother put focus and hard work into everything she did no matter how big or small. She didn’t have control of the success of the new business, but she certainly had control of our family’s growth. Always pushing me to be the best version of who I could be in the details built a great foundation for me to build on. It wasn’t until later in life that I truly gave credit where credit was due. It wasn’t until I focused on being self-aware that I realized the importance of what I learned at such a young age. Once I realized this, I was able to more purposefully work toward making my intended self match my desired self. Intentionally working to plan each detail of your day allows you to live on purpose. It allows you to work on purpose. It allows you to be the person you intend to be on purpose, because whether you like it or not, everything you do is a reflection of who you are. Make sure you’re planning properly. We only get one shot at this. BY: RYAN FLEMING DIRECTOR - HABITATIONAL GROUP JGS INSURANCE Ryan Fleming offers an understanding and a refreshing change of perspective. His 14 years of experience in the insurance industry has allowed him to understand business from many different angles and in turn, provide solutions to improve productivity. Ryan has been speaking for almost 10 years on various topics, focusing mainly on improving, staff mindsets, industry understanding and controlling loss. 27