How to use your imagination when buying life insurance
Visualization is an important practice in the self-development industry. (As you can see below in the lesson from world renown Personal Coach Matt Furey, visualization also involves imagination and feeling. We will follow his lead and call the technique “imagination.”)
I find it really interesting that people use imagination when they have to make important decisions – like buying life insurance. My father Leon Kobrin, of blessed memory, taught me this when I was a kid, working in his life insurance general agency.
Dad knew he had to help people overcome their emotional blocks to buying a policy. Chief among them, of course, was the inborn reluctance to think about dying. This is what he basically told them:
“Let’s assume that tragedy strikes, and God does take you. Not your decision – but His. Nonetheless, you knew this day would come, and had the foresight to plan accordingly. You bought a life insurance policy so your family would be taken care of in your absence.”
“Now it’s years later, and your son is going to college. He arrives at his dorm room, and starts unpacking. From his suitcase he takes a family photo from when he was young. He places it on his dresser, and with a sad smile says, “Thanks, Dad. You made this possible.”
Corny and sentimental? Yes.
True to the magic of life insurance? Yes.
Did it help people transcend their reluctance, and buy a a policy? Yes.
This imagination technique worked for Dad, and it has worked for me. It helps clients FEEL the value of the product they are purchasing. Doing so helps them transition from reluctance to excitement about a policy.
Try it yourself. You will feel the magic of life insurance when you know you have to buy a policy, but are reluctant.
From Matt Furey:
Visualization is the Wrong Word
One of the most misleading words in self-development is the term “visualization.” It implies that you use your internal sense of sight with your eyes closed.
But truly effective visualization is not purely visual and it is not necessary to close your eyes to make it work.
Consider the star basketball player at the free-throw line during the final seconds of a championship game. He must make the shots in order for his team to win.
Does the player close his eyes and visualize when he’s at the line? No, but he does see and feel the ball going through the hoop before he shoots it. He may also hear the swoosh sound.
Key point: Without the accompanying sense of emotion or FEEL, visualization does NOT work.
Yes, you see what you want in your mind’s eye, but you must also FEEL it to get results. After you have the FEEL, you work on adding the sound effects. And beyond that, you can figure out how to include taste and smell.
The first order of business though, is always to “imagine and feel.” Imagine what you want to see. Imagine what you want to feel. And imagine what you want to hear.
Although imagination is a much better word than visualization, we do have to use both when explaining the success process.
Just keep in mind that whenever you are visualizing effectively, you are tapping into the power of three words: Imagine and Feel.
Here endeth the lesson.
Matt Furey