January 2005

Belief: Taking off the brake

by Dr. Robert Schiffman

Do you believe in chiropractic as you did when you first got out of school and were excited about the power of the chiropractic adjustment? Is the excitement, the energy and the enthusiasm for helping people through the vehicle of chiropractic your top priority?

Maybe now since you're more mature, you're starting to wane. Do you doubt and question your belief? Are you still passionate about chiropractic? Are you making yourself think you believe or do you truly, with your heart believe in the passion of chiropractic?

Take off the brake

“Take off the brake,” by LH Nutting (in BJ Palmer's 1951 book “History Repeats”) advises:

“Are you struggling on through life with a burden hard to bear? Are you weary of the strife And almost in despair? Hunt up the cause and shake it. If it does not go just make it. Take off the brake.

“If your business is depressing, And your friends all pass you by, If you have to keep a‑guessing How to keep from being shy, Hunt up the cause and shake it. If it does not move just make it. Take off the brake.

“Don't give to fight and worry, Take the Chiro cure and win, Be joyful and not sorry And a blessing to your kin Chiro finds the cause and shakes it. If it does not go just make it. Take off the brake.”

I want to encourage everyone this year to take off the brake of unbelief... of doubt... of impossibilities. As Rev. Robert Schuler stated, “become a possibility thinker.” We need to become possibility thinkers in the greatness of chiropractic, and in total belief in what we do.

So many people are trudging through life with total unbelief in chiropractic, and the adjustment. They ask themselves if it really works because they don't have 100% belief in the principle, purpose and science of chiropractic. The only way you'll ever truly be successful and at peace with what you do, is to understand the art, science and philosophy of chiropractic.

I went to see the movie “Polar Express.” There were a lot of wonderful ideas in that movie, and many things to think about. It was amazing to see that the main character didn't believe in Santa Claus. Even though it's a children's film, it brought out some incredible points regarding belief and unbelief. The little boy didn't believe in Santa Claus, then he went on a magical train ride to the North Pole. He wanted to believe, but his unbelief kept nagging and gnawing at his educated mind, telling him that it couldn't be. The older he got, the more he had thoughts of unbelief. He could tell that he wasn't like his little sister who still believed in Santa.

As the story went on, a lot of different things happened to him that caused him to believe in Santa Claus. It's just like in our practices.

A patient comes in with a low back problem, he gets better and you start to believe. Then another patient comes in with some type of neuritis, neuralgia, it gets corrected and you have more belief. Then a different patient comes in with a totally reversed cervical curve, and after a year of correction, you see the curve return to normal, you get excited and have even more belief.

You also have those patients who come in with low back pain who don't follow through with care, and end up having surgery. These types of cases cause you to become shaky with unbelief and doubt.

Some patients don't believe the doctor's report, don't believe in chiropractic and what it can do for them. Then there are the patients who received correction, were good patients and eight months later you don't see them anymore.

All these situations make you feel rejected, hurt, down on yourself and you become insecure. A spirit of unbelief starts to attack your educated mind, and you start doubting in the principle of chiropractic, and doubting your very purpose.

When you doubt, you turn to things other than principled chiropractic in order to help patients. This causes you to forget the reason, value, truth, principle, science and art of chiropractic. It's at this time when you need to get with a group of people who believe as you once did. This will help to renew your faith and strengthen your belief.

My hope for 2005 is that you and your family have a wonderful and healthy new year. And, I pray that you're able to touch many more lives in your practices through the healing greatness of chiropractic.

(Studying under CS Gonstead ignited Dr. Robert Schiffman's passion for chiropractic. The Life University graduate's career accomplishments have won him much recognition, and he is one of the most sought‑after speakers in chiropractic today. Dr. Schiffman ‑‑ founder of the Get the Big Idea Seminars and Schiffman Solution Coaching Program ‑‑ continues to maintain one of the world's largest volume practices. Contact him by calling 877‑251‑0181, or online at www.getthebigidea.com.)