October 2007

The 'haves' and 'have‑nots'

by Dr. Timothy J. Gay

The difference between the "haves" and the "have‑nots" in building practices and lives is easy to say and put on paper, but it's not as easy to do. Seeing the differences between doctors with successful practices, which, in turn, create rewarding lives, comes down to the basic components of what they have inside them and what they are willing to do to develop the "have" attitude.

In practice, as in life, there are certain events and actions that define us. We have all heard the words "passion," "focus," "mission," "vision," "purpose," and so on. While these are all driving forces behind who we are and what we do, they are words that have been overused to describe or define us. After you hear these words long enough (and you have heard them repeatedly from the podium, read them often in articles), though the tendency is to make a change, nothing seems to rattle the soul enough to get you to actually do it.

On the other hand, there are words (and related methods, techniques and behaviors) that can bring about the changes necessary for you to become a "have" rather than a "have‑not." They include:

***  Enthusiasm. If there is limited excitement in your life for what you do, the chances are that no matter what you use to identify yourself, you are falling into the "have‑not" category. Your level of enthusiasm determines your level of success and passion that you have for what you do in your practice. Low enthusiasm equals a low level of passion and that, in turn, develops a limited practice.

***  Quest for life. You should participate in or become involved with other activities in your life to become worldly, more experienced, and to recharge your batteries. Take four days off every six weeks to rejuvenate and redesign yourself. Take at least one, two‑week trip each year to a foreign country so that you will gain new experiences to broaden your horizons and knowledge. Plan it into your life, save for it, and after you get back, not only will you have a new sense of renewal and confidence but your practice will grow because of it. Out of all the things you read in this article, you will remember to take time off ‑‑ but you have to earn it.

***  Reflection. Where have you been? Where do you want to go? How are you going to get there? These are the burning questions that are based on the desire to achieve. How can anyone else know what you want if you don't? Get in the habit of writing down what you want and start acting on it. The key is in the wisdom. You can have the knowledge but the wisdom is in doing and that causes having.

***  Maintaining balance. Like walking a tightrope, balance is everything to this equation. However, balance is tricky and difficult. It's easy to lose our balance due to all the different responsibilities we have in our day‑to‑day lives. Barring emergencies, you have to draw lines in the sand as to how you are going to use your valuable time commodity, which needs to be prioritized by importance. Just a few of the valuable commodities include family, spiritual, practice, and financial. All of these require a piece of you. It is up to you to focus specifically and be conscious and conscientious with your time and energy. Draw a line in the sand and carry out only those that are top priorities.

***  Ingenuity. Practice requires change and that may take place in the procedures, marketing, or management of your practice. Look for the best ways to get the most done in the shortest amount of time. Rate your systems and have an analysis of every aspect of your practice. Walk into your office through the front door and start making notes in each room as to any changes you see that need to be made. The best investment you can make is in yourself and your practice.

***  Use of humor. We have a propensity to be too serious, or negative, especially in times of what we may consider, a practice crisis. Whatever that crisis may be, when communicating with patients or your staff, they can detect the pulse by which you think, and that can become a noticeable detriment. Keeping positive will improve the morale of everyone around you. By using humor or other metaphors, you help lighten the burden of that crisis. (Remember, sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, at someone else's expense.)

***  Practice philosophy. Do you believe in the philosophy of chiropractic? Do you believe in the "S" word...subluxation?

The components presented here are all essential, but the most important one is your belief system and what you are telling patients. There may be a few doctors reading this article who believe the philosophy behind chiropractic is hogwash. Yet, every chiropractor who has an ultra‑successful practice, teaches and educates every patient on the benefits of chiropractic and his or her "product" is based upon the philosophy and basis of what chiropractic is and isn't.

While we all know that be and do come before have, in order to get to the have, one has to believe and pass that along to as many people as possible. You can be a part of the change and have confidence in chiropractic, but you need to understand that without our philosophy, we have nothing to share with our patients except glorified pain relief.

(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.ultimatepractice.com ]. A highly respected and nationally recognized speaker, he is the 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 .)