So why not be great?
Have you ever been in circumstances where you had to fit in to be accepted? Did you need to dress in a certain way, to speak and act in a certain way, to order your life according to the expectations of other people, or to hang with people you only pretend to like? Maybe it was with a group of friends, your boss or other people at your workplace, or with your spouse. To get along, you had to go along. You held your tongue or looked the other way even when you knew it was wrong, just to keep the fragile peace and status quo at all costs. This was done in the name of the blessed paycheck or acceptance from others. The problem is, by fitting in you were not standing out or being authentic to your true self. Over time this begins to wear on you and brings resentment and regret big time into your life.
DCs are pressured by society (patients, MDs, other DCs, insurance companies, the government) into playing a role that limits their infinite ability. This also restricts us to being accepted as others want us to be (no threat to steal their piece of the pie) and regulated almost to the point of suffocation with adult, musculoskeletal pain relief. There is nothing right or wrong with this model and many DCs are satisfied and aren’t changing. I'm looking for the DCs that see this as a strike against their freedom to practice the way they chose.
Many will ask, what is this freedom you speak of? Is it about superior clinical results or the expression of health instead of the amelioration of disease? Or is it financial? It's all of them.
Sometimes you get so busy with all of your office and family responsibilities that you don’t notice what is going on in your office and beyond. It basically comes down to agreeing to be less than you can be; to agree with society that Chiropractic is only okay for adult pain relief because there is no research or approval from "real" science and health for the other stuff.
DCs love to speak and talk about philosophy at gatherings and meetings, but where philosophy actually lives is in the practical application with the people we serve. If the national average of patient visit average (how long people stay) is only a handful of visits, what kind of health challenges will you be necessarily restricted to? You guessed it: adult, musculoskeletal pain relief only.
What if there was another way?
How about being a great DC? Instead of wanting someone else to do it for you, why not take full responsibility for not being a part of the status quo. Serve your patients fully instead of voluntarily participating in a game that very few can win (almost like a lottery). If you serve based on real humanitarian principles (not a business model of 'I win and you lose'), it should be a win-win for the patient, the doctor, our profession and for society as a whole.
If you’re truthful with yourself, your practice is anything but.
Instead of blending in with all other DCs, what would it look like if people knew you were distinct, in a category of one, willing and able to do things that most other DCs don’t want to do or don’t have the training to do?
Your patients aren’t dumb. They sense when something is unique, rare or valuable. They also sense when something is common and they have lots of options.
Take a look at your practice metrics. Your practice probably has a larger percentage of cash paying patients than just a few years ago. People will gladly pay cash for something that is unique, speaks to them, is transparent, and benefits their family in a huge way.
From private schools to tutors, Disney vacations, and first class seats on jets, people pay willingly for things that stand out and benefit their families. It’s not only for rich people, it's also for committed people.
Dare to be the best version of you. It’s got to be more than only pain relief. Your community is waiting for you and remember: Millennials are not the most patient people you’ll ever encounter. If you don’t provide that niche for them, they will find it somewhere else.
If you're ready to make the needed changes, then click the Free Consultation link under Free Content above or give us a call today to begin your coaching voyage back to purpose, passion and prosperity.
