As we head into the holiday weekend, I wanted to pass on a story I’ve often shared with my coaching clients.Years ago, there were four football players who were involved in a boating accident in Florida.The boat capsized in treacherous seas, and only one of the four men survived.The survivor later reported that two of his teammates gave up hope and quit fighting to survive within a few hours of the boat capsizing. The third teammate eventually took his life jacket off and tried to swim to shore.The individual who survived did so by remaining steadfast and clinging to the capsized boat.In hindsight, the men who died made some really poor choices.Why did they behave this way?According to researchers, when humans experience a high level of fear and stress, their central nervous system switches over to a high alert system that causes us to stop thinking rationally, and either fight, run, or give up.It’s important to recognize this may be happening to some of your agents as the accumulated stress of the market changes weighs on them.Be on the lookout for those on your team who are most vulnerable.Hope is the antidote for those who are struggling to see a bright future.And hope is often kindled by someone who offers a kind word and shows empathy in the struggle.