Editor's note: This article was written while Dr. Necela was a student at Life Chiropractic College West.
Here's an idea: Follow the 300 million or so Buddhists down the eight-fold path and let Buddha build your practice!
What in the world is this article talking about? First, be assured that this is not an attempt to convert fellow members of the chiropractic profession to Buddhism en masse. However, by looking at the eight-fold path (part of the Buddhist quest for spiritual advancement), we may be able to gather many helpful hints to build, grow and maintain a successful, principled practice of which we can be proud. Here are the steps of the eight-fold path and how they may be applied to improving our practices.
Right Knowledge - Understand chiropractic. Don't fool yourself into believing that a 4.0 GPA correlates with understanding. Take time out of your busy day to truly learn the field. Go to seminars that interest you, and also challenge your understanding of the subluxation, neurology, and your current model of chiropractic. Take the title doctor seriously and literally. Doctor means "teacher." Without knowledge, you cannot teach your patients anything about health and their bodies. Without this, we are simply spinal technicians moving bones around, hoping it works and trusting that our patients somehow understand what we are doing.
Right Thinking - Decide to set your life and practice on the correct path. It is never too late to imagine your dream practice and take the steps to build it. Take the appropriate steps to use your knowledge toward building your dream - one step at a time. Plan these steps. Don't to just think about them - take action!
Right Speech -Take the time to explain things to your patients. Study after study indicates that this is one of the most attractive features of chiropractic in the eyes of our patients. Tell them the benefits of chiropractic, and in terms they can understand. Take the chiropractic story everywhere you can. Let it be heard.
Right Conduct - Practice members for mentors to coach them toward better health. Being an appropriate role model attracts business. Start living a healthy lifestyle to influence those around you: your patients, family, friends and future chiropractic practice members.
Right Livelihood - As chiropractors, we are fortunate to have chosen a vocation that allows us to help others. That's a noble calling. Let's keep it that way by not falling into the trap of personal injury shenanigans, insurance scams, and dubious billing procedures.
Right Effort - Work, work, work toward all worthy goals and never lose sight of the finish line. Ask the biggest chiropractors in practice today and they will tell you that being a truly successful chiropractor involves being a successful person. That requires lots of work on yourself and your craft.
Right Mindfulness - Become intensely aware of the states of your body, feelings and mind. Those who have healed and helped themselves have more ability to use their energy to help others.
Right Concentration - Any improvement in any endeavor requires focus and discipline. Meditate on the chiropractic philosophy, principles and values you hold important in your personal life. Focus on bringing all of these aspects together into one impressive package.
I hope these time-tested ideas can inspire you to get in motion and build your practice and your personal life. Enjoy the journey!
When I graduated from chiropractic college in 1981 and started practice, I heard it all, and very little was positive. “You are a quack; you do not know what a subluxation is; you couldn’t get into a real health care program, so you chose the one that is slightly above a mail-order degree; you have no proof that chiropractic works; Are you really licensed?”, and so much more.
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