«The key to success lies in one’s daily effort to become better. Because you are not born great, you become great. It doesn’t matter what you do every day, but how you do it. To achieve this is a mindset and self-discipline, » shares our MDRT member Anna Niolaki.
It took me quite some time to truly understand what success means. Success is not about doing everything flawlessly, but about giving your best in both the simplest and the most complex tasks. It is about achieving your goals without fear of failure and without being discouraged by setbacks. On the contrary, it means aiming higher, setting new goals, and continuing to grow. True success is also being able to see and recognize yourself through the eyes of others. Through empathy, you learn to earn people’s trust and positively impact their lives. This is the driving force that makes you exceptional.
Of course, I wouldn’t have discovered all of this had I not found my way to MDRT. In a unique way, as life often happens, I took my first steps with the guidance of insurance advisors, under the supervision of my dear colleague, already a member of MDRT, at a conference held every year in Athens. I still remember the words: «MDRT is a way of life, it is the peak of our profession, and you owe it to yourself to be there » and that’s what happened.
In 2016, I attended my first local annual meeting. Successful individuals, both personally and professionally, especially in the insurance sector, shared their enthusiasm for sales practices but also for life itself. That’s when I made the important decision and commitment: I wanted to belong to this team, to this philosophy, and to this way of life. And so it happened.
The 2021 conference was the first international meeting I attended. That experience was unique and became a milestone for me because at MDRT the peak is defined by philosophy: “The Whole Person Concept.” It’s the balance of physical health, professional ambitions, financial stability, time management, personal relationships, education, and growth. It’s the confidence built through training, personal development, and self-growth. Because what ultimately has the greatest value is our continuous development and the relationship, we have with ourselves.
To be at the top is not only about your work, but about every level of your life. It is this balance across all areas that also leads to professional success, because it is a way of life. This balance is what helps us overcome the obstacles and challenges we face every day.
It was magical to see people rise from the ashes again and again, overcoming every hardship. Some who lacked even the basics yet managed to become the best. Because what truly matters is not how many times you fall, but how quickly you rise.
Role models are not only as professionals, but as human beings because what ultimately counts are the legacy you leave behind and how many people you inspire. To become their mentor. To positively influence others so that you contribute to their growth and, at the same time, to their future success.
This philosophy of life, combined with the need to give, to care, to protect, and to love people, is the key to becoming a better version of myself every single day. To do a little more or something different each day than I did the day before. To take risks and experiment because, as Albert Einstein said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Anna Niolaki studied Marketing & Advertising at ATEI Athens. She holds an NLP degree from NLP GREECE (affiliated with NLP University Santa Cruz, California) as well as Life & Business Coaching from ICPS (College for Humanistic Sciences).
She is a second-generation insurance professional and has been practicing as an insurance advisor for 7 years. For the past year, she has been part of K.E.A. (Circle of Successful Insurance Advisors of MetLife) and is a full MDRT member.
In 2016, she was awarded Rookie of the Year and has since participated in many local and international conferences.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, personal development, and self-improvement. She also travels frequently and is passionate about sports.
