This week, one of our members was complaining about the weather and the patients’ reluctance to come in. “Between the snow and the holidays, people just can’t seem to find their way into my office. Times are hard.”
The very next call, another doctor excitedly reported, “I’ve never been busier! Between folks coming in for tune-ups after shoveling, and others wanting to be at their best through the stress of the holidays, my practice is booming! There’s never been a better time to be a chiropractor!”
Which of these doctors is seeing things the way they really are? Tony Robbins teaches that “nothing has any meaning but the meaning you give it,” and this is a perfect example — whether you think this season is great for business or lousy for business, you’re probably going to find a way to focus your energy and attention to prove yourself right.
This is not to say that you can simply convince yourself that things are great when they aren’t, but rather to point out that no matter how things really are, you can select a way to represent it to yourself that is as empowering as possible, given the circumstances. I’m not recommending that you be an ostrich or a Pollyanna — what I’m suggesting is to look as objectively as possible at your situation, and find ways to describe it that guide you toward the best utilization of your available resources.
(Some people confuse optimism and pessimism with moving toward pleasure and away from pain, but these concepts are not the same. Optimism and pessimism refer more to a particular attitude or emotion, a model for managing your expectations. Optimism and pessimism focus on the positive and negative, while moving toward pleasurable benefits or away from painful consequences are both clearly positive. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that moving away from consequences makes you negative — it is a healthy and productive thing to avoid or opt away from pain, it’s not negative at all.)
So, if you perceive your marketplace as unfriendly, from weather, holiday distractions or whatever, what can you do to turn your attitude around? First, decide to be happier, just because, and you will find that it produces a more attractive vibration. Second, pick up on the people around you that have a prosperous, abundant and uplifting air about them — notice how they communicate and what they do, and model your own behaviors after that. Finally, monitor your self talk and be sure you direct your own attention toward the opportunities that are all around you. Most of your town is not under chiropractic care — it’s not the weather or the holidays that are keeping people out of your office, because if that were so, no one would be busy, and I can tell you that many doctors are. If you’re not one of them, maybe you can improve your results by showing up better, and putting a positive spin on what you say and do.
Could it really be that simple? Try looking at your world with faith and positive expectancy, and act consistently with that point of view, and see for yourself.
Dennis Perman DC, for The Masters Circle
PS If you’re planning your 2004 seminar schedule, remember to include the first quarter MVP seminars, entitled “Raising The Bar Of Chiropractic Practice.” These power-packed two day seminars in Chicago, SF and NJ will help you improve your practice with better leadership, marketing, patient education and confrontational tolerance. We’ve even added continuing education for many states — to register, or for more information, please call 800-451-4514 or go to themasterscircle.com.
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