December 2006

Stop the frustration ...

Winning vs. whining

by Timothy J. Gay, DC

We as chiropractors have a lot to do with our own achievement or collapse. We are so busy making sure we're mentally prepared for failure, we forget where we came from and where we are going.

What I want to you to think about are all the positives we have achieved in our profession to date. It's so important to reflect on this with a feeling of triumph over failure.

I, for one, will not be part of failure because I believe we need to step it up and take part in each other's success.

Whatever we're doing in practice right now that's positive, we need to make a concerted effort to double it. That doesn't include the amount of time wasted shuffling papers from one side of the desk to the other in what we think is an attempt at practice building! We need to change our attitude towards our profession and our colleagues and admit the fact that it's easier to "let someone else do it" while we sit back and complain.

What's the difference between success and failure? There are all kinds of doctors who have great ideas about what should be done to achieve success. Why aren't they taking a leadership role in their respective towns or cities?

The answer to that question is simple. Although they've arrived at the conclusion that fear and complacency are barriers in practice and in the chiropractic profession, they're unwilling to do anything about it.

But, positive change is coming today.

We're returning to our chiropractic roots to remember the reasons we became DCs in the first place. We're going to look first at ourselves instead of pinning the blame for failure on outside factors such as payment reimbursements, other health care fields, our own lack of continuing to grow through our knowledge, or the philosophy behind what we do as chiropractors.

We are the next generation of leaders for our profession, the old and experienced as well as the young and green. The common ground that we share as chiropractors is all about adjusting patients and helping them create a wellness and health paradigm that will shift the consciousness of an entire population's way of thinking. We need to be affirming our thoughts and beliefs and putting them into places that can be seen and shared with others by utilizing multiple forms of media. Yet, first we must shift our own thoughts and beliefs. Start seeing the opportunities for yourself and your practice and begin making it happen.

If you've seen the movie "Forrest Gump," you probably recall the scene where Forrest gets on the bus and meets Bubba who has a background in shrimp and shrimp boats. Bubba's obsessed with what he knows about his product and wants to make sure that everyone shares in his excitement about this knowledge.

Understand that while up until now the "blame game" has been outside of you, from now on, it's within. If you're not enthralled with your chiropractic truth (your opinion about what you represent in chiropractic), look in the mirror for the person to blame. If you aren't screaming about your enthusiasm for chiropractic from the mountain top, once again, look in the mirror for the person to blame.

If, on the other hand, you're currently involved and active in the profession, working for the greater good, clip this article out of the paper and send it to someone who needs to read it ‑‑ someone who knows what to do, but is neither delegating nor following through on what's necessary. If there's somebody out there taking from the profession without serving or giving back, make sure he or she gets this article. Realize that without everyone's participation towards victory, it will continue to evade us in our practices and as a profession.

Whiners never say or do anything worthwhile. They have a contagious personality that has an can't do attitude. Quite frankly, I hope this article will be controversial enough to make people think on a different level about allowing those in our profession who enjoy doing nothing to be exposed and pushed into doing the right thing. It isn't so much about them as it is about the people needing chiropractic health care, those who haven't yet been told about the features or benefits of chiropractic that could change their lives.

Let's just conclude by saying we are either in or out depending on our level of contribution to chiropractic. If you are out, then go look for something else to do ‑‑ and get out of the way.

(Timothy J. Gay, DC, a 1977 Palmer College graduate, is the founder of Ultimate Practice Systems, a chiropractic management and consulting company specializing in personalized chiropractic consulting [on the web at www.ultimatepracticesystems.com]. He is a highly respected and nationally recognized speaker, and author of several books, as well as numerous CD and video products for the chiropractic profession. Dr. Gay holds seminars around the country on a variety of topics and may be reached by calling 1‑866‑797‑8366, or via e‑mail at timothygaydc@ultimatepractice.com.)