April 2007

Playing full out in life

by Dr. Mike Reid

There's a wonderful thing about life, and that's the ability to choose who we want to be, what we want to do, and what we want to have in life.

We get to choose our education. We get to choose our spouse. Most important of all, we get to choose whether we want to make a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us.

I marvel at avatars such as Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela. These are people who have experienced excessive trials and tribulations. They've weathered discrimination, persecution, hatred, and physical abuse. Yet, one commonality amongst all of the greats who changed the course of history was a decision based on principle, a moral code of conduct on how they lived their lives and how they would fulfill their destiny.

They all possessed an uncompromising vision to serve and make a difference. They followed their dreams regardless of how many times they scraped their knees or what other people thought or said. When they passed away, each left a legacy.

Mother Teresa's was love and servitude, Gandhi's peace, and Mandela's freedom and equality. Each of these individuals "played full out." They never wavered in their resolve in the line of fire of their detractors. They never compromised on their values or principles. They fulfilled their visions knowing that it could cost them their lives.

I have a question for you. As a doctor of chiropractic, do you truly feel in your heart that you are playing full out 24/7 for chiropractic? Or, are you comfortable where you are, making a living?

Consider 70,000 chiropractors world wide, each with the ability to have as much ‑‑ if not more ‑‑ impact than that small lady from Albania. Each with an education, each with a talent, and the foundation and the universal truth of where health truly comes from. I've always asked myself, why it is that some people have a thirst for life, to make a difference, to stand up and voice their opinion, to say "no thank you" to mediocrity, wrongful authority, hypocrisy and self‑righteousness.

What does it take for each of us to make a difference in a world where the leading cause of death is big pharma, where just two‑three percent of the population utilizes lifesaving chiropractic care? I don't have all the answers, but I do have some.

Consider this an inventory in life, because the bottom line comes down to your last breath on this planet when the questions will be, did you play full out and did you make a difference?

Checklist

Here's your personal checklist for "playing full out in life." Ask yourself these questions:

... Do I truly own the underlying principles of chiropractic?

... Do I disseminate the principles to the public and my patients?

... Have I drawn a line in the sand as to being congruent with my message and action steps?

... Is my vision so clear that nothing can stand in my way?

... Do I truly believe that chiropractic can dominate the health care world of tomorrow?

... Every morning, when my feet hit the floor, am I 100% juiced to serve more people?

... Are my outcomes, purpose, and action steps so clear and concise that no doubts can enter my mind?

... Do I demand more of myself than others would truly expect of me?

... Do I see obstacles as problems or simply challenges to conquer?

... Do I embrace an MOSO (moral obligation to serve others)?

If you're having a challenge finding your purpose in life and playing full out, I invite you to join me at one of my Fortune Training Universities or my Life Mastery Experiential Weekend.

(Dr. Mike Reid is an international lecturer, Canadian president of the World Chiropractic Alliance and the international director and head coach of Anthony Robbins' chiropractic coaching program called "Fortune." Merging his "Gorilla Chiropractic Coaching" with Robbins' personal empowerment technologies, Fortune is an elite and executive‑level program designed to create extraordinary practices and extraordinary lives. A member of the class of 1992 from CMCC, Dr. Reid maintains a private, cash‑based wellness practice in Ottawa, Ontario. For more information, contact him at 800‑781‑8127.)