Have you ever asked that question? It is probably the most powerful question you can ask anyone Why? Try asking that question to a patient who has decided not to undergo treatment, or one who keeps breaking appointments. Be prepared for their answers, though; they may surprise you. He or she might be honest with you and really tell you "why."
While you're at it, you might want to ask yourself that same question: Why? Why are things not going the way you thought they would? Why are you not having fun in your practice? Why did you go into chiropractic in the first place? Why is life becoming a struggle? Why don't your kids listen to you? You know why!
I ask that question to many people who seek my help with their financial affairs. The answers I get are quite interesting. This is not going to be an exposé article filled with my "spiciest" answers. This article is intended to give you some insight into why people do what they do. I am always fascinated with the answers I get. Let me share some thoughts with you.
I do a lot of flying. I am one of those "road warriors" who keeps the airline industry in business. One day, while on a flight, I thought about that and wondered how the airline industry got started. I came to an interesting conclusion. Many think it got started to help people get from place to another. That is not the real reason. The real reason is that pilots wanted to fly! That may sound strange, but let me explain why I came to that conclusion:
Flying a plane is not cheap. The plane is expensive; gas is expensive; upkeep is expensive. What it all boils down to is that flying is an expensive hobby. Very early on, pilots realized this; they had to figure out a way to keep flying and let someone else pay for their expensive hobbies. Thus, the commercial airline industry was born. It's quite a novel concept, when you think about it.
The same was probably true with the advent of professional sports. Some guys just wanted to play ball all the time, but could not afford to do it. Their avocation became their vocation.
What is my point? It's quite simple. Why did you become a chiropractor? I have found that most chiropractors, when they first start out, really love what they do. In fact, they would probably do it for free if they did not have huge student loans and start-up expenses to deal with. They probably would all be happy with this approach: They start off really loving what they do and why they do it, and then - bang - they get hit in the face with all of the daily "stuff" they have to deal with in practice! There's overhead costs; employees; patients who don't follow treatment plans; people who think chiropractic is bunk; loans that are due (way overdue); and so on.
Does that sound familiar? Maybe it's time to go back to the basics. Why did you go through all of this in the first place? For the same amount of time and money, you could have been a dentist or an MD. Why did the airline industry start? Again, I remind you: because they loved to fly. Did you love what you did? (Yes, I know it is written in the past tense. That's because many of you no longer love what you do. It has become just a job. It is time to start thinking like a pilot!)
Why not sit down, right now, and make a list of reasons why you decided to become a chiropractor? When you're done, it might also be a good idea to make a list of all the "things" that bug you about your office. After you complete that list, why not see how many of those you can get rid of right now? It's time to get back to focusing on what is "right" about chiropractic, not about what is wrong with it. Eliminate the negatives as much as possible, and focus on the positives. You will be amazed how your entire life will change after this little exercise. In fact, you might want to even take up flying!
Stanley Greenfield, RHU
1829 Green Heron Court
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
(800) 585-1555
Fax: (904) 247-1266
stan@stanleygreenfield.com
