I found myself yelling at the TV again. Former NBA star Alonzo Mourning was on, interrupting a pick-up basketball game. But he wasn't there to sign autographs or play. He was there to encourage the guys to sign up at HealthCare.gov. As the kids would tweet, #smh (that means “shaking my head”).

I thought millions of Americans were craving this. I thought all they needed was access. I thought they’d stand in line for hours to sign up for a policy. And now Alonzo Mourning has to show up and beg people to enroll?

John Heywood, 16th century British dramatist, is credited with coining the phrase, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.” I first heard it from my grandfather, and again when I took my first management job. I was 25, and most of the agents on my team had kids older than me. It was intimidating, so I began recruiting younger agents.