While some doctors mistakenly think that it takes a long time to build a practice, the truth is that practices do not get built with time, but by doing the right thing.

You can double your practice within 30 days, or it could take you 30 years. It all depends on how you play the game. The decision is yours. If you are playing to win, your practice can explode.

How do you play the game of chiropractic?

Doctors who are successful have one thing in common. They plan to win, and they are decisive in what they do to make sure they win. Many times, the doctors who struggle are those who aren't going all out, doing what it takes to win -- hosting in-office workshops, asking patients for referrals, doing screenings, etc. Or, they simply choose not to play the game at all. They see the patients they currently have and do nothing "extra" to gain new ones.

For instance, a chiropractor I knew who had been in practice 20 years, was losing ground due to HMOs. His practice was losing income, yet he felt he shouldn't have to work an occasional evening or weekend, hosting lectures and workshops. After two decades, he believed he'd put in his time and wanted more time with his family. Instead of deciding to build his practice, he wanted to stay home. He wasn't playing the game.

Then there are doctors who make the wrong "plays." While organization is essential to an efficient practice, it shouldn't be the sole focus. There is no end to organizing. In fact, having some degree of chaos in your practice is better for it means your practice is expanding (and you now actually have reason to spend some time organizing).

If you want to build your practice, you have to be willing to create and manage a little chaos ("How do I handle 15 more patients this week?" "When am I going to find the time to host another workshop this month?") and then organize so that these new changes are worked in as part of your day. Make a game plan and adhere to it.

If you generate 15 new patients from a workshop or screening, go with it. First, realize you're going to see more patients each day. Then, accept that in order to see more patients, you're going to have to move patients in and out, without cutting into the next patient's appointment time. In order to do this, you may have to create a new office policy, change your scheduling procedures or the manner in which you handle your appointment book, etc. ("I'll only adjust patients from 9-11 a.m. and see new patients and do report of findings from noon-4 p.m.").

Take each wave of chaos and make it a part of your normal day. Expansion will follow.

On the other hand, if you decide to spend most of your time trying to get better organized before going out doing what it takes to get new patients, i.e., hosting the workshop or screening you will not gain new patients. You will lose your opportunity to expand.

If you don't go out and spread the word about chiropractic, educating people about it, in a sense you're choosing to not play the game.

Consider how many times you drive by the local Walgreens, Wal-Mart, grocery store, health food store, etc. This will give you a good idea of how many plays you miss in the game of chiropractic.

Now, consider how your practice can change if you go around your community and implement the following new patient ideas:

1. Contact the manager at the local gym. Schedule a lecture on a different health topic each month at the gym. If you give a workshop on arthritis, coordinate with the manager so you can offer your audience a "gift" for attending -- such as a free class to teach people exercises that can help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis. This will not only generate new patients for you, but will also help the gym increase its membership.

2. Approach your local pharmacy. Tell the manager that you'd like to hold blood pressure screenings once a month. Explain that these screenings will bring in more customers and increase pharmacy sales, while helping people in the community.

3. Schedule free trigger point massages at the local health food store. Turn the community on to natural health care and introduce them to ways they can reduce stress and tension at home without the use of drugs.

You can't sit on the sidelines and expect to win. If you sit back to avoid losing, that doesn't mean your practice is winning. You have to get out there and break out of your comfort zone.

Playing to win means putting yourself on the front lines. You have nothing to lose by going out into the community and telling businesses you want to help them give the gift of health to their customers, employees and the community as a whole.

Get into action mode and play the game today. Success is in the palm of your hands. Go out -- and play to win!