I recently had a telephone conversation with a client of mine who has been in practice for a few years. Over the years, he has made a very good living from his practice. We talked for a long time, and after I hung up I was reminded of the story of "Chicken Little." Do you remember that story? It was about a chicken who had something fall on its head, thought that the sky was falling, and convinced the other chickens that the sky was indeed falling. My facts may be wrong, but that is the essence of the story.
Throughout my career, I have found that some people allow the basic instinct of fear to take control of their entire being, just like Chicken Little, and all they can do from that point on is try to tell the world that we are all doomed. In other words, the sky is falling. Abandon all hope; just give up; lay down and die. I have in my own unique view of life named this syndrome after the children's story since it fits the description so well. I refer to this as the "Chicken Little syndrome." To those individuals, there is no hope for a future. Their sky is truly falling and they have no hope, just like Chicken Little.
My client has "Chicken Little syndrome," and he has a bad case of it. There is only one known cure for it. No, the new wonder drugs don't stand a chance against it. The only thing that will work is a good long session on the phone with yours truly. That works!
I have, however, discovered after spending many hours in the lab and watching "ER," "Chicago Hope" and "The Simpsons," some other methods that have been very effective against this syndrome and will now share them with you in hopes that we can stop the spread of this before you are all gone. Please write these down or commit them to memory and vow to tell at least three chiropractors every day how they can stop the spread of this dreaded disease. Have you got your pencil and paper ready? Good! Let's continue.
This syndrome needs a breeding ground to grow on, and I have found that if this breeding ground is eliminated or reduced, the syndrome will not flourish. That breeding ground is ignorance. Without it, it cannot survive. How can we eliminate ignorance? There are a few basic methods that can and will continue to stop the spread of ignorance and thus control the spread of this dreaded disease.
When was the last time you attended a local or state chiropractic association meeting? Yes, I know there are individuals who are infected with this syndrome, but spend your time with others who aren't! That is a prescription that you need to follow, and it will leave us with no negative side effects. It also has been shown that taking an active role in your local association is not harmful to your health, and can in fact immunize you from any future contact with "Chicken Little syndrome." Your attendance at these meetings is not usually covered by most health insurance plans, but it is well worth the personal investment. You might even consider it an "alternative health" plan that is well worth the money.
When was the last time you attended a seminar? It's a known medical fact that just attending one meeting will give you enough antibodies to ward off Chicken Little syndrome for many years. I know one chiropractor who has been attending seminars for years and has never even been affected by this syndrome. Never in his life has he felt that his profession is doomed and that he will someday be out of a job. Amazing!
Another cure for this is to get "re-excited" about your practice. Maybe you are just in a rut and forgot why you are practicing in the first place. Maybe it's time to go "back to the basics" and get fired up again about what chiropractic is all about. Philosophy -- remember that word? That will help you climb out of that rut and get back on the road to recovery.
Well, my client is on the mend now and is feeling better with each new day. I'm just happy we had out chat before it was too late. I just wish I could sit and talk to each and every one of you, but now I feel good in knowing that there is help available for everyone everywhere! All you have to do is attend.
I hope that the symptoms have not gotten you down yet. They are very easy to spot. A droopy posture, a lousy outlook on the future of chiropractic, a lack of marketing efforts, not asking for referrals, a total lack of patient education ... you know the rest. You've seen the symptoms for years. The next time you see a colleague that is suffering, remind them that there is hope. The sky is not falling. Chicken Little was wrong. There is hope and chiropractic will continue to grow and flourish. By the way, I just took Chicken Little on as a client, and he no longer wants to be referred to as Chicken Little. From now on, it's Mr. Big Chicken!
Before I end this, maybe it's time you did a self-examination to see if you have any of the symptoms of Chicken Little Syndrome. Go into your bathroom, look into the mirror and say, "I love what I do for a living." If you can do that without any nausea or the feeling that a massive headache is about to begin, you are probably germ-free at this time. If, however, you have trouble completing this task, maybe it's time to seek a cure. This cure is simple, quick and easy, and best of all, there are no side effects. Just attend an association meeting and call me in the morning!
Stanley B. Greenfield, RHU
1551 South First Street, Suite 701
Jacksonville, FL 32250
Tel: (904) 247-9313
