June 2003

Journey into service

by Dr. Angel Tribuno

The song "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" emulates the life work of Dave Mager, an internationally recognized motivational speaker renowned for his expertise in marketing the chiropractic message.

In the early '80s, Mager was most often found in a sports arena coaching focused and unfocused athletes. This loud, persistent, structured leader expected excellence from his team and got it. He demanded superior behavior in all aspects of the athletes' lives ‑‑ commitment to God, family, self and the art of team sports.

Mager formulated the mind set of "GAME FACE" that translated into total and unyielding focus on the task at hand. This foundation principal was transcribed into peak performance in mind, body and spirit. He demanded no less of himself than the charge he imposed on the athletes.

While in the coaching role, Mager observed members of the girls' relay team running while leading with their left shoulder and dragging their left arm. His investigation found that the team was mirror‑imaging his own demonstration posture. A former football star, Mager had learned to live with residuals of chronic conditions secondary to the contact sport injuries. However, he found that his remnant stature was only a portion of the picture.

He continued to ignore the signs and symptoms and in time his condition worsened. Difficulty turning his head, pain in his cervical spine, numbness and tingling in his left arm drove him to seek medical care. Burdened with the uncertainty of the medical diagnoses, he sought out his long time friend, a chiropractor.

For years Mager had verbalized many of the sarcastic comments heard about chiropractors ‑‑ "bone cracker, spine cruncher, wanna‑be doctor." Now, in a desperate need to "get fixed what was broken," he humbly asked for help. The D.C.'s detailed examination stressed the importance of the history of previous traumas. Mager remembered none other than sport injuries. Finally, after time and the innate wisdom of the body recalling his actual health history, he knew that his condition was the direct result of a fall from the roof of his home.

Dramatic improvement of his chief complaint and a greater understanding of his body's structure and function lead him to seek a formal knowledge and understanding of the science, art and philosophy of chiropractic. Mager, a servant in all areas of his life, offered to spread the message about chiropractic for the friend who had answered his call for help.

Within weeks of conducting public spinal screenings, Mager knew he had been led to his calling, to take the chiropractic message to the world. "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime" became the war cry of this former athletic coach.

Dave Mager took his organizational skills, gift of teaching, and spirit of motivation and created a highly energized, purposeful and focused forum. In this educational arena, he has been teaching chiropractors and staff to communicate the chiropractic health care paradigm to diverse groups of lay people. He has orchestrated a proven formula for educating the public in a language that is user friendly, passionately expressed and proficiently clinically supported.

When the work day of most other executives ends, Mager can be seen coaching a doctor through an office procedure, marketing technique or clinical dilemma via his hands‑free cell phone while charging through an airport on his way to a chiropractic office or seminar. He is definitely a force to be reckoned with!

Attendees at his speaking engagements find themselves riveted to their seats as he draws each individual audience member to his or her highest motivational purpose. They become drawn into his passion for chiropractic with renewed strength and functional tools that last long after the day's program.

When Dave Mager puts foot to stage the air becomes charged with heart‑pounding excitement as he shares, with sincere energy, his absolute love of God and Monica, his beautiful wife of 28 years. He claims his dedication to his children ‑‑ Kirsten, mother of his first grandchild, Isaiah; and Michael, the son of any man's dreams. When he departs you take a piece of him with you and he demands that you pay honor to "GAME FACE" attitude.

Mager lives a life of long days and sleepless nights. The WCA Director of Education is a featured speaker at most CCE chiropractic colleges, the CLA Total Solution programs and Parker Seminars. As Co‑Founder and President of Paradigm Marketing, he is consistently updating vital communication procedures for clients.

In addition to his speaking accolades, Mager is author of the much in demand booklet, "Health is a Journey." He is a qualified and credentialed continuing education postgraduate instructor and was most recently selected as president of Turning Point Logistic Systems, an independent CE provider.

Mager is in "GAME FACE" focus 24‑7!

Dave Mager recognizes the need of the profession to mobilize as a unit, determined to uphold the philosophical standards of subluxation‑based chiropractic. Focused on this goal, he aligns with the mission of the World Chiropractic Alliance, which is dedicated to protecting and strengthening chiropractic around the world.

Dave Mager is clear about his priorities and loyalties, stating with determination: "The WCA will not allow chiropractic to be reduced to a musculoskeletal treatment program. Terry Rondberg will continue to educate the politicians, the public and even the incongruent members of the profession until every man, women and child is safeguarded in a subluxation free world. I stand with Dr. Rondberg in his goal and dedicate my efforts to this cause. There are many societies and organizations that claim a stake in a subluxation free world. I have worked beside two, the WCA and the CLA ‑‑ Chiropractic Leadership Alliance. It is the WCA and CLA that I give my allegiance, my support and my expertise to."

When asked why he does what he does, without hesitation Mager replies, "I want to make a difference. I know that God has blessed me with gifts and He expects me to share them. It is from this knowledge that I draw my strength and from His hand I renew my strength."

Each of us is destined to a life journey. Dave Mager has chosen a journey into service and he carries a servant's heart as he walks the path. He claims the mission of empowering the people of today to impact the world of tomorrow. He can be contacted by calling 888/746‑1550. His voice mail will ask you one question: "Is your 'GAME FACE' on?!"