Mom, Dad and Life Insurance

For those who care about Carlos Yulo to the point of intruding into his love life:

Hayaan nyo na please. He's 24. If he doesn't know what to with his love, he will be educated by pain and glory. Let him be. He needs space. Space and understanding is better for him than all the largesse and windfall he has received. Ipagdasal natin siya. He needs guidance at this point in his life. Please, people. Leave him be. He's a national treasure. Handle with care.

WGV September 24, 2024

When You Sell Life

I've been selling insurance for Manulife Philippines since 1992. It's one of the toughest jobs on earth, as you navigate through your friend list, hoping you will get a yes for an appointment, every yes a celebration in and of itself. I have survived. Not only survived, but flourished. Life insurance selling not only helped Baby (Renée) and me to finish our daughters in good universities, but more importantly, it has made me the person I am today.

All I ever want in life is to be a writer. My mind churns words and phrases every minute and writing is the only outlet I know, like a river finds the sea. In a way, writing and selling insurance are siblings. You have a theme before the actual writing task or before the face-to-face with a prospect. You organize your thoughts so that everything is clear to your reader, or to person at the other side of the table. There are important phrases that make the reader or prospect think, and take action. And there is the close. In writing you end with a statement that makes the article memorable, in insurance selling, you seal the deal with a line—not memorized or contrived—that is perfectly suited to the needs of the prospective buyer.

And oh, in Manulife, fun is other thing we do. If you hit certain levels of commissions, you get free trips abroad or you get awarded for some segmentized accomplishment. Management makes sure that our working relationship is tangible, even if the product we sell is as intangible as a good dream. A dream with a raft of benefits encased in a legal document, guided by 110 years of experience. (In our case, that's the number of years Manulife has operated in the Philippines.) So, last night I received a 3 inch x 5 inch glass paperweight with my picture in it. Quite stunning. And we dressed like in the 70s and 80s. It's been this way with Manulife ever since. You get commissions already, but management makes sure that every milestone in the production year is met with profound pomp and circumstance. And food and music and warm fellowship.

That's Ryan Charland, president, and Stephen Ong, vice president head of sales with me on stage.

Oftentimes, life is a child's game, parents swoon when kids bring home a star or something. That's the way it is in Manulife. Thank you, Manulife. If you were a person I would hug and kiss you, like a kid to a parent.

Ang tagal ko nang hindi nag-post dito. Salamat sa patuloy na pagtangkilik ninyo sa page na ito. Sisikapin kong sumulat nang sumulat para maibahagi ko ang kaunting nalalaman ko sa life insurance, savings, investments, education fund at endowment.

"Magkano ang pera mong natutulog sa bangko?"

Yan ang tanong ko kay Betty ('di nya tunay na pangalan) nang tumawag sya day before yesterday sa mobile.

"Four million," anya.

"Sige, magkita tayo bukas sa Starbucks sa 6750, ipapaliwanag ko sayo kung ano ang pwede natin gawin."

Nagkita kami kahapon, ipinakita ko sa kanya ang maaaring ipaglagakan ng pera nya.

"Nakapagtabi ka na ba para sa Emergency Fund?" tanong ko.

"Oo," sagot ni Betty. "May two million pa akong naitabi maliban sa four million."

"Good," sagot ko, "h'wag mo gagalawin yun, kasi ang heart bypass operation maaring two point five abutin."

"Oo nga," sagot ni Betty.

(Itutuloy sa susunod na posting.)

Hello, likers and followers! Sorry, been out of touch lately. I'm in a seminar today. Topic: how to reach my readers in the most efficient manner, for the good of all. Drop me a line. Let me know what you think. Ask me questions. I'm here to help. Later.

Merry Christmas, relatives, friends, likers and followers!

Something I wrote:

http://joeam.com/2015/11/29/your-fitness-bank/

Your Fitness Bank w By Wilfredo G. Villanueva The following article is a perfect follow-up to Joe America's humdinger of an article Greed in America, Joy in the Philippines. Why? Because I would suggest to JoeAm tha...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/health-risks-of-too-little-sleep_562a57c1e4b0aac0b8fca384?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living

The Scary Truth About Getting Fewer Than 6 Hours Of Sleep Each Night Short sleepers have an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Sharing with you my letter to my clients to be mailed this week:

19 October 2015

Dear __________:

Twenty-fifteen is almost over. First it was Bangkok, an all-expenses paid travel courtesy of Manulife Philippines. You gain a certain level of commissions and you get awarded incentive travel. It should have been Beijing for me as well this month, but I opted out of the package for deeply personal reasons.

This year I was awarded Million Dollar Round Table—MDRT—also the title Senior Financial Adviser for achieving a high level of production as reflected in 2014 commissions. Thank you, __________, for making this possible. Without you, there would be no Will Villanueva in high production clubs recognized in the entire industry.

By 2017, I would have gone 25 years in Manulife. It's as good as it gets. We have a quota system—we're supposed to be on our toes, competing in the market, or find something else to do. For the last 25 years I have redeemed myself as a financial adviser, learning new things so that you, __________ my client, will get the best out of your experience with Manulife.

I'll be 64 in January next year. Paul McCartney wrote When I'm Sixty-Four when he was 16. He must have imagined that age 64 is the door step to old age. "Send me a postcard, drop me a line, stating point of view, indicate precisely what you mean to say, yours sincerely, wasting away," he wrote.

It's true. I'm sort of wasting away, too. I don't jog and do my exercises with the same intensity. I have controlled hypertension and lately, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition of the heart that makes it race sometimes. I'm okay with other signs: cholesterol, blood sugar, PSA, uric acid, all blood tests turned out with normal readings, as well as chest xray, urinalysis and the like. I'm as fit as can be, but I have conditions—hypertension and atrial fib—that came out of nowhere, heredity plays a huge role.

I close this letter with a simple request. Don't take your health for granted. Good health and fitness is controllable up to a certain extent. Remember S.T.E.W.A.R.D.—Sunshine, Tiring Exercise, Water, Air, Rest and Diet, and you're on the right track.

I'll be here for you, your key to Manulife.

Sincerely,
Will

The worries that we have. Good night, mga anak!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anxious-thoughts-people-have_560ac062e4b0af3706de02f5?cps=gravity_2689_-1310166917546442810

10 Thoughts Anxious People Have Throughout The Day "Are they laughing at me?"

Health is wealth, mga anak:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-active-times/the-10-exercises-you-should-do-every-day-to-stay-fit-for-life_b_8228326.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living

The 10 Exercises You Should Do Every Day to Stay Fit for Life In other words, a well-rounded functional fitness routine, like the one we're about to share, can help to prevent and even reverse some of the side effects associated with growing older and ultimately, helping you stay fit and strong for life.