November 2008

Saying goodbye to the student mentality

by Dr. Kevin Pallis and Dr. Ed Plentz

Many of our readers are still unconsciously operating under the influence of the student mentality -- the survival mode of "just getting by." Remember passing tests only to forget the material next week, the fear of national and state boards, being too busy and overwhelmed to appreciate those around you and the experience of becoming a DC, being skeptical and asking redundant rhetorical questions for the sake of stalling professors? Or, how about saving your singles and change to afford a six-pack of Corona and actually being able to have limes with it? Hopefully, with graduation you left your student mentality of survival and poverty on the stage as you walked off into the real world.

Now that you're a DC in your practice, are you still in a student mentality? Are you just getting by? Do you still possess a scarcity mentality that rents instead of owns? Do you concentrate on short-term relationships that fuel the addiction for constantly worrying about new patients, instead of nurturing long-term relationships that lead to people who stay, pay and refer? Does it always seem like a struggle to get ahead? Welcome to the insanity of mediocrity. A dull, lifeless state of existence that some would argue is a living form of death. What about your passion and enthusiasm for life and chiropractic? What about sharing your gift with the world? How did you get caught in the poverty trap of mediocrity?

Whenever we teach at chiropractic colleges, we're excited to see the next generation of DCs and leaders of our great profession. But, we also always see something else: the great divide. The great divide is the difference between a student mentality and a doctor mentality. The difference between an isolated, protected environment and the real world outside of a chiropractic institution. A student mentality may protect you while you go to school, but to be a successful practitioner you have to adopt the mindset of a successful doctor and let the student mindset go.

What are some examples of the great divide?

We were at a general assembly and asked students who among them wanted to start their own practices. They all energetically raised their hands. Then we inquired how many wanted to be associates. No hands were raised. The reality is that because of fear and lack of preparation, many of the students who wanted their own practices will be associates when they graduate.

The next day, when we taught a new doctor's program and asked students the same question, we got the same response. Yet, there was a difference in this audience, for there were doctors in it who had already graduated. When they were asked the question from the other side of the great divide, they replied that they'd never imagined they would be an associate… it just happened. They mentioned that many of their classmates were also associates.

Now, we're not down on associates so if you want to associate by choice to learn and be mentored, fine. But if you associate by default, that's why we coach and come to chiropractic colleges -- to help everybody be prepared for life outside the student mentality.

What are some of the penalties of keeping a student mentality when you're in practice? Lowered income, diminished career satisfaction, low self-esteem, short-term patients, few children in your office, people laughing at your recommendations and coming in when they feel like it. Your whole quality of life is affected. The love for chiropractic is gone, replaced by looking for income-producing activities to reduce the pain of losing the passion you once had for chiropractic -- and life.

The solution? Adopt the mindset of a successful doctor. Instead of questions, the mantra of the doctor mindset is action. A successful doctor mindset integrates the relationship and understanding of your practice members with patient education procedures. A successful doctor mindset knows without a doubt that people must make an educated choice to make chiropractic a lifestyle. A doctor mindset also knows that people must make a commitment with their time and money for a relationship to work. Giving away care doesn't count. Discounting fees doesn't count. Giving and receiving is what creates great lasting relationships.

Let the student mindset of scarcity go once and for all.

(The New Renaissance is a movement of passionate chiropractors dedicated to changing the world. The leader in patient education since 1977, the Mentor IV Coaching Program is a step-by-step navigational guide that embodies the very essence of The New Renaissance vision of healthier people creating a healthier world. Without patient education, your patients won't "get it." To learn more about The New Renaissance, contact world headquarters at 800-525-3879.)