In Finite, Pursue the Infinite - Lin Guoqing, Top Expert in Global Life Insurance

Author: Lin Guoqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: When my brother found out I wanted to enter the insurance industry, he introduced me to his neighbor, Ms. Jia, asking if there were other career options. Ms. Jia was the vice president of an insurance company. She didn’t immediately recommend me to her company but thought New York Life had a good reputation in the industry and encouraged me to gain experience there. After three years of working in the insurance industry, I could then approach her. Ms. Jia knew the regional manager of New York Life and advised me not to go as far as San Francisco. She called her insurance manager and recommended me. I spoke with that manager on the phone for a few minutes, and after that, there was no further contact. Three years later, I had become a TOT (Million Broker) member. A few years later, when I met Ms. Jia again, she regretted not taking me seriously back then, not hiring me, and making a wrong decision in her career. Objectively speaking, in a desperate situation, I had no choice but to go to New York Life in San Francisco to learn and work. At that time, I had just divorced and was living with my brother. His villa was on a hill, and I didn’t have a car. Every day, I had to ask around which company or person could give me a ride to the train station at a nearby time so I could take the train to work. Coming back was the same—I had to find someone to take me up the hill after reaching Hayward. I was very grateful to Ms. Zhang Yunwei for giving me this internship opportunity, so I told myself: I must cherish this job. When I first started working, everyone worked in small cubicles at the company, so small that there was barely enough space to place a phone. The company also placed a large trash bin next to us, but I didn’t know what its purpose was. I remember the woman on my left was a blonde, and the man on my right was a blue-eyed handsome guy. Back then, I was shy and timid, and my voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible. Both the blonde and the blue-eyed guy placed their trash bins in my small cubicle, making it almost impossible for me to stand. Every Monday morning, there would be a review meeting for new employees, where we would discuss last week’s work and plan for the week ahead. The blonde always said she had many boyfriends and therefore had endless business. The blue-eyed guy also said he had many relatives. But I couldn’t say much. The company required us to make at least 10 calls and visit two clients every day. I didn’t have a boyfriend or many relatives, so I had to compensate with hard work. In the first few months of joining the industry, my performance became the top performer among new employees and remained so for three years, except for the month my mother passed away. However, the blonde and the blue-eyed guy left within less than half a year of my joining, without any word on why they left. Starting a business is tough, and there are no shortcuts. But once you recognize your goal, you must fight relentlessly. Don’t give up easily, don’t fear obstacles, don’t seek short-term gains, be diligent and down-to-earth, and you will eventually see the light. P8-9