You’ve probably been told since you were a child that there are many benefits that come from reading a variety of books. However, have you ever thought about what reading books can do for your work life?
If you’re considering becoming an insurance agent, take some advice from people who are already in the field. According to these Farm Bureau agents, reading regularly has helped them become more confident, improved their client relationships and encouraged them to grow their skills.
The Power of Sharing Books With Your Team
Information is power. As you grow as an agent and begin building your team, sharing that information can help improve everyone's performance. Books create a common language, spark meaningful discussions and empower others to take charge and learn how to take ownership of their roles.
Sharing a book with your team doesn’t just benefit your organization internally. It can help you build stronger connections with your clients and prospects. As an insurance agent, you will encounter people from all walks of life. Reading different perspectives in literature helps you better understand preferences, communication styles, motivations and interests, making it easier to connect with others in an authentic way.
Agent-Recommended Books 1
So, what are some of the best books for insurance agents? Check out the list below, supplied by some of our successful agents:
Two U.S. Navy SEAL officers share leadership principles learned from combat in Iraq, demonstrating how battlefield lessons can transform business and personal leadership for ultimate success.
Brandon Doke, an agent in Nebraska, shared this as his favorite development book. “It is a strong book but is very applicable to us as agents. We are in an industry that is tough and we can make excuses for everything, or we can take ownership and rise above all the challenges. This book teaches that,” he says.
“Break bad habits, interrupt self-doubt and negative self-talk and push yourself to take the actions that will change your life.”
“The book really helped me keep things in perspective and continue pushing forward during difficult times. It can be easy to fall into a funk when things get hard, but Mel is there to help you pick yourself up. She’s also funny and keeps it real!” says Lisa Snyder, an agent in Iowa.
In this sports memoir, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback shares a look inside his life and career.
Gordon Knudsen, previously an agent in Utah, now a growth consultant for Farm Bureau, had this to say about this inspirational book: “Steve Young’s book motivated me to see how much adversity he went through that no one really knew about. But through it all and his sheer determination, he won two Super Bowls and was elected to the Football Hall of Fame”.
Bettger writes about his personal experiences, failures and how he became one of the highest paid salespeople in the U.S.
“It’s filled with so many takeaways and encouraging tips for new salespeople,” says Kelly Neufeld, a Kansas agent.
This story shares how an American soldier gets a message through enemy lines and shares lessons that have changed many lives.
What did Tim Lundgren, an Iowa agent, have to say about this famous inspirational novel? “It’s a short story, but it reminds us that our ultimate responsibility is to get the job done, no matter the obstacle. It’s powerful, meaningful and necessary. And if you read with seriousness, it will direct your daily activities forever.”
Benefits of Reading
There are a variety of benefits that come with sitting down and reading a good book.
Reading Is Relaxing
Feeling a little bit stressed lately? Curling up with a good book can help. Research has shown that reading helps lower anxiety levels. Even six minutes of reading can make a big difference, and reading was found to be a better, faster stress reliever than listening to music, drinking a cup of coffee or taking a walk.
Reading Helps Keep Your Brain Sharp
Reading helps keep your brain functioning at its highest levels, especially in old age. Research found that regular, engaged reading strengthens memory skills in older adults, and readers saw stronger gains than a comparison group of subjects who worked on puzzles. The same research showed reading also helped with episodic memory – memory of events and working memory, which is remembering things while your mind is otherwise engaged.
Reading Can Help You Sleep
Reading before bedtime is a habit that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. When you read before bed, you may sleep better, wake up less often and sleep for longer. That may be because it becomes part of a bedtime routine that tells your brain it’s time to sleep.
Nighttime reading can also help you relax physically. It can calm your mind, especially when done in place of screen time, which can be bad for sleep.
Readers Are Goal Setters
When you sit down to read, you often set a goal for yourself. Whether it’s reading a specific number of pages before moving on to your next task, reading for a set amount of time or reading until you fully understand a concept, you’re trying to actively accomplish something as part of your reading.
Research points to links between people having clear goals and being more motivated to pursue their ambitions.
Readers Take Time to Reflect
If you enjoy reading, you may like to take time to reflect on what you have just read. Taking that moment for reflection allows you to understand how you can implement what you just read and learned. Reading may help you feel empathetic, think critically and connect with emotional insights, which are all beneficial traits for insurance agents.
Habits of Those Who Read Frequently
Some of the world’s most successful people all have reading as a common hobby. When Warren Buffett was asked what the key to his success was, his answer was simple: He reads 500-plus pages a week. Many of today’s biggest entrepreneurs include reading as a part of their daily life.
Become a Farm Bureau Agent
No matter what you read, whether it’s a business book, a novel, an autobiography or a journal, reading can help you develop successful habits. Farm Bureau agents often read to help connect with their prospects and clients and develop their skills.
Are you ready to become an insurance agent? Don’t wait. Kickstart your future in insurance by becoming a Farm Bureau agent!
1 Farm Bureau Financial Services (“Farm Bureau”) does not endorse this book or video or any books or websites referred to within it and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the material presented in it. Any books recommended, or websites referred to in the book or video are provided for your information only.
No written or spoken statement made in or associated with this book or video should be construed as a financial plan.
Further, please note that any concepts outlined in the video or book comparing and/or contrasting the benefits and costs of certain products, while accurate in general, may not be accurate or appropriate as applied to specific Farm Bureau products or to your specific situation.
Neither Farm Bureau nor its agents give tax or legal advice. You should confirm any information concerning legal and tax matters (or any related strategies) with your professional advisors before acting on it.