Someone once said that success was 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. I am going to take the liberty of changing that to success is 99% preparation and 1% everything else. It is all about having procedures in place that will allow you to function at your highest potential. Organize, systematize and then actualize. To do otherwise is chaos and although it may be exciting to jump on the chaos ride every now and again, it can not last. Pretty soon you will either get sick and confused where you will be screaming for the operator to stop the ride or they will just pull the lever and stop it on their own.
The chaos ride is exciting! You go to a motivational seminar or some type of meeting and you are pumped to the max. That in good. You learned some technique or many techniques on how to get new patients, run your practice, make lots of money .......... and then you go back to the office and implement everything at once. It's the proverbial "it you throw enough shit against the wall - some of it is going to stick" syndrome. And, it works - for a while. Suddenly your office is flooded with new patients, people are happy and you begin to prosper but then what? Or, maybe nothing happened because of your efforts (or pseudo-efforts) and now you are bummed out and become a 'that doesn't work person (yikes).
This is the exact opposite of 99% perspiration - it is 99% inspiration and 1% perspiration. Personally, I like the chaos stage. I like it when the endorphines are pumping and I love the thrill of the ride but...... think of your practice as a sporting event and the preparation part becomes vitally obvious and you will understand this tip a little more clearly.
Tip # 13 - Back to Basics
We are one week away from the Super Bowl - the biggest game in football. Every player on every team (or so we hope) begins and ends their career chasing this one milestone. The prize, a Super Bowl ring and the pride of playing on a winning team (not to mention a big fat paycheck). It is the pinnacle of their career - the icing on the cake. For 16 Sunday's a year, they take the field of battle for 60 minutes short minutes. Imagine that, these giants of the gridiron spend 8-10 hours a day, working out, studying their scripts, getting coached and practicing their performance just to showcase their efforts and talents for 16 hours out of a whole year.
Now, let's look at the numbers real quick. Let's say they prepare forty weeks out of the year, 4 days a week for 8 hours a day. That comes out to roughly 1,280 hours of preparation for 16 hours of show time. That is 80 hours of prep time for one hour of show time.
Every coach knows that in order to create a winning team (and in this case you are the coach) there has to be raw talent to begin with. Then, it is their responsibility to develop that talent. They give them a play book and ask them to study it. Wait a minute. Where did the play book come from? It is a collaborative effort but essentially - they developed it. They took what they learned during their journey to a head coaching position (school) and put their very own special twist on not only what they have learned but also on what they have observed other head coaches doing. Then they created their own play book, one which suites their personality and style of play. In their play book are their procedures and strategies on how to create a winning team - week after week they train from this book so they are prepared not only on how to score but also on how to keep the other team from scoring against them. Practice - drill- rehearse. Practice-drill-rehearse until game time. They either win or they lose but once again it is practice -drill-rehearse, practice- drill - rehearse.
There are offensive coaches, defensive coaches, quarterback coaches, receiving coaches, special team coaches, strength trainers, conditioning trainers and on and on. Each one practicing a minimum of 80 hours for one hour of play. That is an astronomical number of hours but demonstrates what goes into winning.
The team that wins is usually the one that continues practicing with continuity and is relentless in their efforts. They practice the same plays over and over hundreds of times until it is second nature and once they have perfected it, they practice it again and again. My assistant is great at answering the phone per our play book. I have received countless compliments on how good she is but every month we train on how to answer the phone. If we did not, she would inevitably sway from the procedure and the whole team would suffer. There needs to be a procedure for every aspect of your practice and every procedure needs to be practiced, perfected and trained on - ever and over.
Today, let's break your office down into squads or zones. We will make the front end Zone 1, your new patient room, Zone 2 and we will go on from there creating a play book for your office. but before that, we have to prepare you to be the head coach. For that, we have the Ultimate Success Journal, a tool I have already created. If you believe what I am saying here, then you will want to get yourself prepared. Visit www.successfuldc.com and order this play book.
Starting tomorrow, we get to practice.
Tip # 13 - Get Back to Basics
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tip # 12
What would you do if you opened the doors to your office and were suddenly flooded with calls from 100 people who wanted to schedule new patient appointments. Now I know your first reaction is hell yes! Bring 'em on. But let's be realistic, could you handle it or would you and your staff have a major meltdown. How about if ten new patients called or even five. Let's stop there for a moment and think about it. Honestly, how would you handle it it five new patients called and all wanted to come in today - how would you do?
All things happen in perfect time and maybe the phone isn't ringing off of the hook because the Universe knows that you are not equipped to handle anything more than what you currently have. Let's be totally honest for a moment because this is not something you learn as it's happening. What does that mean?
Simply if you office was flooded with new patient calls:
- Is your staff equipped to handle it. Right now can you put your hands on 10 new patient intake packets?
- Do you have 10 time slots available. If not are you willing to come in early, work through lunch and then stay late?
- Are your procedures in place and tight enough for smooth patient flow and follow up?
- If you get hit like that, how will your current patients be affected?
These are just a few of the thousand issues which face a high-volume offices on a daily basis. Muhammed Ali was quotes once as saying "The fight is won far from the shining lights and long before the roar of the crowd. It is won at 4:00am while I am running on a dark cold patch of highway all by myself."
Tip #12 - All Things in Time
A few doctors have contacted me and asked "when I was going to get into the good stuff." They liked what I was writng about but they wanted to get into things like "How to Attract a Million New Patients and Make a Bazillion Dollars in Two Days a Week." Even if it could be done - it would be a disater and yes I am exagerating but you get the point. Doc's - "this is the good stuff"! Please re-read Ali's quote.
The truth be told, most doctors would crumble if they received everything they wanted at this very moment because they do not have the systems and procedures in place to handle the masses they so desire. So before we run, let's build a great foundation to build upon. Let's figure out who we are, what type of practice we want to run. Let's take a behind the scenes look at what successful chiropractors really do. These people do not just wake up in the morning and go into a busy practice. They did not just get lucky or live in the "right" community. These doctors have a strict set of rules they live by, they get up early and work on themselves before they work on others, they receive the message before they give the message, they work on their goals so they can achieve their goals, they put chiropractic in their hearts before they can put it into the hearts of others and they study and implement business skills, stratagies and mindsets so they can handle the onslought of new patients they now so richly deserve and are ready for. And that kind of stuff is usually done between the hours of 4:00 am and 7:00 am.I really hate to be the bearer of bad news but - that is just the beginning.
No one said it was going to be easy - if it was, everyone would be doing it. The point here is that the steps to achieving the office of your dreams are easy and they all work but the elevator to the top is out of order - you are going to have to hoof it up the steps and that is where many Doc's get into trouble, they want, want, want but are unwilling to do the work necessary to achieve - or even be able to handle all of their wants should they somehow show up.
Let's get a reality check for a moment. I have harped on Goal Setting for months now. Every motivational speaker harps on goals, every paster, speaker, trainer, writer and motivator harps on goal setting. You have read it, you have heard it and at the heart level you know it to be true - but have you done it? I am guessing the answer is no. Sorry to those of you that have. But why have YOU not done this simple thing? It works. It's been proven to work. Every major player says it works. This is exactly what I am talking about. Getting to the top takes hard work. You can not skip the steps because you did not want to do them.
Yesterday I had the privelage of getting flight instruction from a 30 year 747 pilot. Now this is an incredible opportunity which most pilot's never get - and he gave his time for free. I am a pretty accomplished pilot but I am not even remotely in the same league as this guy. When he said to do something, I put my pride away, absorbed what he had to say and implemented his suggestions. After one lesson, I am already a better pilot. I am not capable of flying a 747 after one lesson because I do not know their systems and procedure and I have not put my time in but eventually with continued training - at his pace I will be able to. (not on my goal list - just a point).
Do you know what he said to me at the end of the lesson. He said "Well, you need a little work but you've already have some skill. He said, what I really like is that you have a good attitude and are willing to learn." Now I could have been offended - What do you mean - need a little work or I could have taken his advice and not implemented his suggestions. With his help, I will become a better pilot. Oh yeah, this guy started his lesson not in the air but we spent two hours on the ground first going over paperwork, and pre-flighting the plane before we ever stepped inside of it and then we did "day one" manuevers for the next 2 hours. Boring - Heck no. Although I already knew this stuff, I was proficient at the private pilot level but I am training with him because I want to take my skills to the next level. Make sense?
There is no quick road to the top. There are tips which will help you jump start things and we will but first understand tip #12.
Tip #12 - Everything in Time
All things happen in perfect time and maybe the phone isn't ringing off of the hook because the Universe knows that you are not equipped to handle anything more than what you currently have. Let's be totally honest for a moment because this is not something you learn as it's happening. What does that mean?
Simply if you office was flooded with new patient calls:
- Is your staff equipped to handle it. Right now can you put your hands on 10 new patient intake packets?
- Do you have 10 time slots available. If not are you willing to come in early, work through lunch and then stay late?
- Are your procedures in place and tight enough for smooth patient flow and follow up?
- If you get hit like that, how will your current patients be affected?
These are just a few of the thousand issues which face a high-volume offices on a daily basis. Muhammed Ali was quotes once as saying "The fight is won far from the shining lights and long before the roar of the crowd. It is won at 4:00am while I am running on a dark cold patch of highway all by myself."
Tip #12 - All Things in Time
A few doctors have contacted me and asked "when I was going to get into the good stuff." They liked what I was writng about but they wanted to get into things like "How to Attract a Million New Patients and Make a Bazillion Dollars in Two Days a Week." Even if it could be done - it would be a disater and yes I am exagerating but you get the point. Doc's - "this is the good stuff"! Please re-read Ali's quote.
The truth be told, most doctors would crumble if they received everything they wanted at this very moment because they do not have the systems and procedures in place to handle the masses they so desire. So before we run, let's build a great foundation to build upon. Let's figure out who we are, what type of practice we want to run. Let's take a behind the scenes look at what successful chiropractors really do. These people do not just wake up in the morning and go into a busy practice. They did not just get lucky or live in the "right" community. These doctors have a strict set of rules they live by, they get up early and work on themselves before they work on others, they receive the message before they give the message, they work on their goals so they can achieve their goals, they put chiropractic in their hearts before they can put it into the hearts of others and they study and implement business skills, stratagies and mindsets so they can handle the onslought of new patients they now so richly deserve and are ready for. And that kind of stuff is usually done between the hours of 4:00 am and 7:00 am.I really hate to be the bearer of bad news but - that is just the beginning.
No one said it was going to be easy - if it was, everyone would be doing it. The point here is that the steps to achieving the office of your dreams are easy and they all work but the elevator to the top is out of order - you are going to have to hoof it up the steps and that is where many Doc's get into trouble, they want, want, want but are unwilling to do the work necessary to achieve - or even be able to handle all of their wants should they somehow show up.
Let's get a reality check for a moment. I have harped on Goal Setting for months now. Every motivational speaker harps on goals, every paster, speaker, trainer, writer and motivator harps on goal setting. You have read it, you have heard it and at the heart level you know it to be true - but have you done it? I am guessing the answer is no. Sorry to those of you that have. But why have YOU not done this simple thing? It works. It's been proven to work. Every major player says it works. This is exactly what I am talking about. Getting to the top takes hard work. You can not skip the steps because you did not want to do them.
Yesterday I had the privelage of getting flight instruction from a 30 year 747 pilot. Now this is an incredible opportunity which most pilot's never get - and he gave his time for free. I am a pretty accomplished pilot but I am not even remotely in the same league as this guy. When he said to do something, I put my pride away, absorbed what he had to say and implemented his suggestions. After one lesson, I am already a better pilot. I am not capable of flying a 747 after one lesson because I do not know their systems and procedure and I have not put my time in but eventually with continued training - at his pace I will be able to. (not on my goal list - just a point).
Do you know what he said to me at the end of the lesson. He said "Well, you need a little work but you've already have some skill. He said, what I really like is that you have a good attitude and are willing to learn." Now I could have been offended - What do you mean - need a little work or I could have taken his advice and not implemented his suggestions. With his help, I will become a better pilot. Oh yeah, this guy started his lesson not in the air but we spent two hours on the ground first going over paperwork, and pre-flighting the plane before we ever stepped inside of it and then we did "day one" manuevers for the next 2 hours. Boring - Heck no. Although I already knew this stuff, I was proficient at the private pilot level but I am training with him because I want to take my skills to the next level. Make sense?
There is no quick road to the top. There are tips which will help you jump start things and we will but first understand tip #12.
Tip #12 - Everything in Time
Tip #11
As a child, did you ever try to do a flip off of the diving board only to land on your back? I sure did and it hurt like hell. Only later on did I learn that the reason I never completed the turn was that I did not commit to finishing it. Fear? Probably. Okay, definitely. I was afraid of getting hurt so I never comitted and in the end I would up getting hurt because I did not commit.
Interesting paradox here. There are few outcomes depending upon how I began. First, I could never have tried to do a flip because I feared getting hurt. How many of us have never appempted something or have given up on a potential mate or never persued a dream because of fear? Duh. All of us.
Secondly, and in this case, I tried but never really comitted, so I wound up realizing my fear and getting hurt. Now some people said to me, well you tried, good for you. I knew that was BS and what hurt worse than the slap of my back on the cold, hard water was the knowing in my heart that I did not commit. I could have succeed, I had the talent, I had the desire, but fear overtook me so to get the accolades of my friends, I gave it a half-hearted attempt. Others did not see it, but I did and that is what really stung.
I also ran track as a young child and my specialty was the high jump. I was never really good at it but I was tall and thin so the coach just naturally assumed I could jump (I could not). One day while he was watching me flop over the bar, he pulled me aside and said "if you just throw your head over the bar, your heart will follow." Interesting advice.
Tip # 11 - Commit
Only you will ever know if you are commiting to your goals, to your office and to your life. Commitment takes heart. It takes direction and in many cases it takes being held accountable. Just last night I "thought" I had a great idea. There is a project buring deep in my soul that I want to take care of - creating an on-line hospital ministery. I ran this by both of my coaches thinking they would jump on board this worthwhile idea. They did not! I was already comitted to helping my fellow DC's and they refocused me. While this is very worthwhile, now is not the time. I am comitted to following my commitment and I am throwing my head over the bar because to achieve this ginourmous task, I will need all of the heart I can muster.
My whole point here is that one, there is no chiropractor better than you - there are a few that may be more comitted. If you want you can be one of them - just commit - then follow your commitment. Two, most successful chiropractors have mentors - I have two. I am a big idea person but have a hard time following through. I know that about myself so I surround myself with detail people and people who will hold me accountable. Three, If you never try, you will always fail - if you try but do not commit, you will hurt your heart more than your back (little lesson on responsibility there). Three, if you try, and commit, you may fail but you may also soar over the bar with plenty of room to spare. Only you can decide. Choose to commit. The world needs you to succeed!
Lesson # 11 - Commit
Interesting paradox here. There are few outcomes depending upon how I began. First, I could never have tried to do a flip because I feared getting hurt. How many of us have never appempted something or have given up on a potential mate or never persued a dream because of fear? Duh. All of us.
Secondly, and in this case, I tried but never really comitted, so I wound up realizing my fear and getting hurt. Now some people said to me, well you tried, good for you. I knew that was BS and what hurt worse than the slap of my back on the cold, hard water was the knowing in my heart that I did not commit. I could have succeed, I had the talent, I had the desire, but fear overtook me so to get the accolades of my friends, I gave it a half-hearted attempt. Others did not see it, but I did and that is what really stung.
I also ran track as a young child and my specialty was the high jump. I was never really good at it but I was tall and thin so the coach just naturally assumed I could jump (I could not). One day while he was watching me flop over the bar, he pulled me aside and said "if you just throw your head over the bar, your heart will follow." Interesting advice.
Tip # 11 - Commit
Only you will ever know if you are commiting to your goals, to your office and to your life. Commitment takes heart. It takes direction and in many cases it takes being held accountable. Just last night I "thought" I had a great idea. There is a project buring deep in my soul that I want to take care of - creating an on-line hospital ministery. I ran this by both of my coaches thinking they would jump on board this worthwhile idea. They did not! I was already comitted to helping my fellow DC's and they refocused me. While this is very worthwhile, now is not the time. I am comitted to following my commitment and I am throwing my head over the bar because to achieve this ginourmous task, I will need all of the heart I can muster.
My whole point here is that one, there is no chiropractor better than you - there are a few that may be more comitted. If you want you can be one of them - just commit - then follow your commitment. Two, most successful chiropractors have mentors - I have two. I am a big idea person but have a hard time following through. I know that about myself so I surround myself with detail people and people who will hold me accountable. Three, If you never try, you will always fail - if you try but do not commit, you will hurt your heart more than your back (little lesson on responsibility there). Three, if you try, and commit, you may fail but you may also soar over the bar with plenty of room to spare. Only you can decide. Choose to commit. The world needs you to succeed!
Lesson # 11 - Commit
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tip #10
I just finished my daily report of findings and had 5 patients present. I consider this a very sacred part of our day. It is an opportunity to show our patients how much we care about them by closing our office for that hour and taking the time to explain chiropractic and to show them their x-rays while explaining how postural imbalances and subluxation may be causing the health crisis they are experiencing.
It never ceases to amaze me how this simple procedure creates lifetime patients full of families who refer their friends, co-workers and people they know to the doctor who takes time to talk to them. At the same time, I find it unbelievable how many doctors do not give a report of findings or ever speak to their patients much less show them their x-rays and correlate their symptoms to subluxations levels but more on that later.
Tip #10 - Talk Simply and Explain
People do not want to know what you know until they know that you care. There are many levels of caring however, one of the best ways to create lifetime patients is to show them how much you care by spending time explaining chiropractic to them and by showing them their x-rays. But, now for a word of caution; speak to them simply and in language THEY can understand and with simple stories and analogies that will make sense to them and highlight your points.
Many doctors are just to technical in their explanations. I have sat in on many reports (kind of) where, when after the patient left I had to ask the doctor "what the hell did you just say?" If I, as a chiropractor and coach can not understand what you are saying, then most certainly your patient did dot understand. It is like you turn the switch off in them instead of turning the power on. That goes for when you do health talks, health fairs and any other time you are in the public eye or trying to convey the chiropractic message.
People love to learn about chiropractic when it is explained to them in simple terms, using colorful analogies. Be bold when you are speaking - when you speak the truth is comes through in everything you say. People want to know that chiropractic is the most important thing they can do for themselves and their families. Then tell them why. Tell them about the power of the body and innate, and how a clear nerve system leads to optimal function.
The point is, people want to hear your message. All you have to do is figure out what your message is and them tell it to them simply, honestly and powerfully. \\
Tip #10 - Speak in plain language
Not many people care or even want to understand the
It never ceases to amaze me how this simple procedure creates lifetime patients full of families who refer their friends, co-workers and people they know to the doctor who takes time to talk to them. At the same time, I find it unbelievable how many doctors do not give a report of findings or ever speak to their patients much less show them their x-rays and correlate their symptoms to subluxations levels but more on that later.
Tip #10 - Talk Simply and Explain
People do not want to know what you know until they know that you care. There are many levels of caring however, one of the best ways to create lifetime patients is to show them how much you care by spending time explaining chiropractic to them and by showing them their x-rays. But, now for a word of caution; speak to them simply and in language THEY can understand and with simple stories and analogies that will make sense to them and highlight your points.
Many doctors are just to technical in their explanations. I have sat in on many reports (kind of) where, when after the patient left I had to ask the doctor "what the hell did you just say?" If I, as a chiropractor and coach can not understand what you are saying, then most certainly your patient did dot understand. It is like you turn the switch off in them instead of turning the power on. That goes for when you do health talks, health fairs and any other time you are in the public eye or trying to convey the chiropractic message.
People love to learn about chiropractic when it is explained to them in simple terms, using colorful analogies. Be bold when you are speaking - when you speak the truth is comes through in everything you say. People want to know that chiropractic is the most important thing they can do for themselves and their families. Then tell them why. Tell them about the power of the body and innate, and how a clear nerve system leads to optimal function.
The point is, people want to hear your message. All you have to do is figure out what your message is and them tell it to them simply, honestly and powerfully. \\
Tip #10 - Speak in plain language
Not many people care or even want to understand the
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Tip #9
As we know, everything in life is a choice and where we are right now is the sum total of all of the choices we have made in the past. Good, bad or indifferent, we have create the situations which we reside in today. But, if we are to take it to the next level, we must follow -
Tip #9 - Adopt the Lifestyle you Wish to Live In
Everyone knows the lifestyle they wish to live in. We have all seen people whom we admire and wish to emulate. We love the way they dress, we love the way they live, we love their toys and the accolades and we wonder how they achieved everything they have. Some are born into it but most have achieved their place in business and society by making a conscious dedicion to do so. They saw what they wanted and adopted the steps, strategies and actions necessary to duplicate what these people had done to achieve their level of success. Success is duplicatible. As chiropractors, to be successful, all we have to do to be successful is to study what successful people do and then duplicate it. As you may have noticed, I am not giving step-by-step instruction because before you move on to procedures, you have to develop, identify and create yourself as a chiropractor. We have to become chiropractors in heart, philosophy and we have to develop a chiropractic lifesyle.
If you wish to run a wildly successful practice and live an amazing lifestyle then the first thing you have to do is adopt and live in the manner which successful chiropractors live in. Simple put:
If you want to be a successful chiropractor and serve a lot of patients and live in the nice house and drive the nice car or whatever you equate success and happiness with, then you first off and above all else have to become a chiropractor - not in your head but in your heart and in your attitude.
Chiropractic (or insert your business) is not a job! It is a lifestyle. It is something you believe in and believe in it so firmly that your life and lifestyle revolve around it. You love and believe in chiropractic so much that you want everyone to share in it and you are willing to do whatever it takes to bring your message to the masses. Chiropractic has to be something that catches your spirit on fire and gets you jumping out of bed in the morning with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and fire.
You can not fake this. You can NOT be a chiropractor you must be a chiropracTOR! ChiropracTIC has to overtake you. It is not a 9-5 job or a way to make a living. It is a 24/7 job and a way to change the world. Yes a way to unleash the power of human potential in every adjustment you make. I could go on for pages but I believe you get the BIG IDEA - or do you?
Look at the giants in the industry, the mentors, the movers and shakers - they do not sit around and bitch or say people don't understand or wait for thing to happen - they make things happen and if a strategy does not work they adapt and overcome.
Chiropractic is an art, science and philosophy. Those are the things which make YOU a chiropracTOP. A new pillow or device will not make you a chiropracTOR or make your practice overflow with new patients. No vitamin or traction table will bring generations of families into your office. What will make you A chiropracTOR and propel your practice to a new level of excellence is when you are willing to adopt a chiropracTIC lifesyle, attitude and philosophy and then develop your skills so that you can transfer your vision to others and repeat that vision through consistent education so others can then transfer that vision and on and on.
Developing the attitude so you can become a chiropractic giant means that you need to accept yourself at the heart level for who you are and for what you want to be. You must come to grips with the fact that you are a chiropractor. It is a great thing to be! Be proud that you are a chiropracTOR! As such you have an amazing gift to share with the world, a gift that no one but a chiropracTOR posesses. Anyone can move a bone but a chiropractor has the intent and skill necessary to unleash the power of innate with each and every adjustment - the power to change lives with the education and philosophy only they posess and the ability to bring their unique message to the masses.
No other profession possess the gift that you have, the ability to clear the nerve system allowing for the restoring of function. Believe in that abilty and the power which you are releasing has the ability to allow for the regaining of health and of life and that is an awesome ability and responsibility.
ChiropracTIC is not a circus treak to be performed on people at bars, nor is it a back pain or musculoskeletal therapy, it is the removal of subluxation for the restoring of function, life and health. Believe in it and treat it that way.
Young docs fail because they are not taught or have never developed this critial aspect of chiropractic. So in closing for today, before you can move on to the office procedures, (which are a part of developing and adopting a chiropractic lifestyle, they are secondary to developing yourself as a chiropracROR. Develop your mind, develop your heart, develop your philosophy and educate yourself on chiropractic. Listen to the leaders and follow their lead. Only you can determine what type of chiropractor you want to be. Choose what makes you happy, develop your heart around that style, choose a mentor and learn from him/her and build your practice around a chiropractic lifestyle.
This is only a starting point but one which is necessary to master before you can move on. Do not let what you percieve other people views on chiropractic to deter you or even slow you down from accomplishing your mission. Chiropractic is a mission and a lifestyle and your mission and philosophy are what will drive you to the top.
TIP #9 - Adopt a Chiropractic Lifestyle
Check out our Success Tools at www.successfuldc.com
Tip #9 - Adopt the Lifestyle you Wish to Live In
Everyone knows the lifestyle they wish to live in. We have all seen people whom we admire and wish to emulate. We love the way they dress, we love the way they live, we love their toys and the accolades and we wonder how they achieved everything they have. Some are born into it but most have achieved their place in business and society by making a conscious dedicion to do so. They saw what they wanted and adopted the steps, strategies and actions necessary to duplicate what these people had done to achieve their level of success. Success is duplicatible. As chiropractors, to be successful, all we have to do to be successful is to study what successful people do and then duplicate it. As you may have noticed, I am not giving step-by-step instruction because before you move on to procedures, you have to develop, identify and create yourself as a chiropractor. We have to become chiropractors in heart, philosophy and we have to develop a chiropractic lifesyle.
If you wish to run a wildly successful practice and live an amazing lifestyle then the first thing you have to do is adopt and live in the manner which successful chiropractors live in. Simple put:
If you want to be a successful chiropractor and serve a lot of patients and live in the nice house and drive the nice car or whatever you equate success and happiness with, then you first off and above all else have to become a chiropractor - not in your head but in your heart and in your attitude.
Chiropractic (or insert your business) is not a job! It is a lifestyle. It is something you believe in and believe in it so firmly that your life and lifestyle revolve around it. You love and believe in chiropractic so much that you want everyone to share in it and you are willing to do whatever it takes to bring your message to the masses. Chiropractic has to be something that catches your spirit on fire and gets you jumping out of bed in the morning with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and fire.
You can not fake this. You can NOT be a chiropractor you must be a chiropracTOR! ChiropracTIC has to overtake you. It is not a 9-5 job or a way to make a living. It is a 24/7 job and a way to change the world. Yes a way to unleash the power of human potential in every adjustment you make. I could go on for pages but I believe you get the BIG IDEA - or do you?
Look at the giants in the industry, the mentors, the movers and shakers - they do not sit around and bitch or say people don't understand or wait for thing to happen - they make things happen and if a strategy does not work they adapt and overcome.
Chiropractic is an art, science and philosophy. Those are the things which make YOU a chiropracTOP. A new pillow or device will not make you a chiropracTOR or make your practice overflow with new patients. No vitamin or traction table will bring generations of families into your office. What will make you A chiropracTOR and propel your practice to a new level of excellence is when you are willing to adopt a chiropracTIC lifesyle, attitude and philosophy and then develop your skills so that you can transfer your vision to others and repeat that vision through consistent education so others can then transfer that vision and on and on.
Developing the attitude so you can become a chiropractic giant means that you need to accept yourself at the heart level for who you are and for what you want to be. You must come to grips with the fact that you are a chiropractor. It is a great thing to be! Be proud that you are a chiropracTOR! As such you have an amazing gift to share with the world, a gift that no one but a chiropracTOR posesses. Anyone can move a bone but a chiropractor has the intent and skill necessary to unleash the power of innate with each and every adjustment - the power to change lives with the education and philosophy only they posess and the ability to bring their unique message to the masses.
No other profession possess the gift that you have, the ability to clear the nerve system allowing for the restoring of function. Believe in that abilty and the power which you are releasing has the ability to allow for the regaining of health and of life and that is an awesome ability and responsibility.
ChiropracTIC is not a circus treak to be performed on people at bars, nor is it a back pain or musculoskeletal therapy, it is the removal of subluxation for the restoring of function, life and health. Believe in it and treat it that way.
Young docs fail because they are not taught or have never developed this critial aspect of chiropractic. So in closing for today, before you can move on to the office procedures, (which are a part of developing and adopting a chiropractic lifestyle, they are secondary to developing yourself as a chiropracROR. Develop your mind, develop your heart, develop your philosophy and educate yourself on chiropractic. Listen to the leaders and follow their lead. Only you can determine what type of chiropractor you want to be. Choose what makes you happy, develop your heart around that style, choose a mentor and learn from him/her and build your practice around a chiropractic lifestyle.
This is only a starting point but one which is necessary to master before you can move on. Do not let what you percieve other people views on chiropractic to deter you or even slow you down from accomplishing your mission. Chiropractic is a mission and a lifestyle and your mission and philosophy are what will drive you to the top.
TIP #9 - Adopt a Chiropractic Lifestyle
Check out our Success Tools at www.successfuldc.com
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Tip #8
Everyday for the last 12 years I have made popcorn in my office. This is something I love to do and not only do my patients love it but they have come to expect it. Now while you do not have to make popcorn to have a wildely successful office there are four or more tips which can be learned from this and we will cover all of them eventually (learn from your surroundings; do what makes you happy, when you build expectations - people expect and there is potential in everything).
Tip #4 - There is Potential in Everything - Explode your Potential
There is a lot we can learn from the little things in life. One day while making popcorn in the office I got to thinking how much life is life a batch of uncooked popcorn. What we start with is not our outcome but when we understand our potential, things become a little bit more exciting. Case in point:
To most, a bag of popcorn is just that, a bag of popcorn. What I see is a bag full of unrealized potential that when given the right amount of encouragement (heat or action potential) and when surrounded by others with the same or greater potential will we can experience our highest and best potential.
One kernel of porcorn by itself, while still good, will never become great. It need to be surrounded by others who are seeking to explode their potential also. Surround yourself with those kind of people. Birds of a feather flock together. Surround yourself with winners or losers - it is your choice.
Popcorn needs the right elements to become all it can be. It needs the right kind of oil and the right amount of heat - to little and its potential is never realized - to much and it burns. Neither is good. Find your balance. Once you get your fire burning you can not just sit in one place, like popcorn, you need to be agitated a bit ie; take your brain out and dance on it evey now and again(Einstein). If you sit on the fire to long you will burn so keep moving.
Some pieces like some people will never realize their full potential, they get removed from the mix. Stick with the winners. Remove toxic people and events from your life.
Popcorn is better with a little seasoning on it. Spice your life up.
Popcorn starts out as one little kernel but like people, it has a huge expansion ratio. We all start out in the unrealized potential state but in the right element and with the right encouragement and in the right environment, everyone has the opportunity to explode their potential and their practice.
I encourage you today to develop your potential and explode your opportunities.
Tip #8 - Explode your Potential
Tip #4 - There is Potential in Everything - Explode your Potential
There is a lot we can learn from the little things in life. One day while making popcorn in the office I got to thinking how much life is life a batch of uncooked popcorn. What we start with is not our outcome but when we understand our potential, things become a little bit more exciting. Case in point:
To most, a bag of popcorn is just that, a bag of popcorn. What I see is a bag full of unrealized potential that when given the right amount of encouragement (heat or action potential) and when surrounded by others with the same or greater potential will we can experience our highest and best potential.
One kernel of porcorn by itself, while still good, will never become great. It need to be surrounded by others who are seeking to explode their potential also. Surround yourself with those kind of people. Birds of a feather flock together. Surround yourself with winners or losers - it is your choice.
Popcorn needs the right elements to become all it can be. It needs the right kind of oil and the right amount of heat - to little and its potential is never realized - to much and it burns. Neither is good. Find your balance. Once you get your fire burning you can not just sit in one place, like popcorn, you need to be agitated a bit ie; take your brain out and dance on it evey now and again(Einstein). If you sit on the fire to long you will burn so keep moving.
Some pieces like some people will never realize their full potential, they get removed from the mix. Stick with the winners. Remove toxic people and events from your life.
Popcorn is better with a little seasoning on it. Spice your life up.
Popcorn starts out as one little kernel but like people, it has a huge expansion ratio. We all start out in the unrealized potential state but in the right element and with the right encouragement and in the right environment, everyone has the opportunity to explode their potential and their practice.
I encourage you today to develop your potential and explode your opportunities.
Tip #8 - Explode your Potential
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tip #7
There are times when no matter what you are doing or how hard you are trying, nothing seems to work. You have everything in place, your ads, your marketing, your promotions, your procedures and still you are not getting the results you either expected or desired. Stay with it.
Tip #7 - Stay with it!
Often times over night success stories are twenty years in the making. We have all seen the overnight success stories pop up on Oprah or take the stage at a seminar and we wonder, how the heck did they do that. Well let me assure you, they did not do it overnight. What you are seeing is the culmination of many days (and nights) of hard work, sweat and tears that finally paid off after many years of consistent action and many years of dedicated service. Sure every now and again someone creates a product or rewords a "success" technique in a way that catches the public eye and propels them to the top rather quickly but that is the exception and not the norm.
The best way to become an overnight success to to create your a plan, develop your strategies, work your plan and then do it again day in and day out. If you have created a good plan and have stayed true to it on a consistent basis and have put enough energy and attitude behind it, you to will join the ranks of overnight success. The key is to stay with it!
There is an old saying which I have engrained into my children, my family and myself, simply, 'winners never quit and quitters never win." People have to see your message time after time. In fact, in the sales circles they say that a person has to see or hear your ad or sales pitch a minimum of five times before they will even notice it and then just maybe they will become interested.
So Tip #7 - Stay with it!
Tip #7 - Stay with it!
Often times over night success stories are twenty years in the making. We have all seen the overnight success stories pop up on Oprah or take the stage at a seminar and we wonder, how the heck did they do that. Well let me assure you, they did not do it overnight. What you are seeing is the culmination of many days (and nights) of hard work, sweat and tears that finally paid off after many years of consistent action and many years of dedicated service. Sure every now and again someone creates a product or rewords a "success" technique in a way that catches the public eye and propels them to the top rather quickly but that is the exception and not the norm.
The best way to become an overnight success to to create your a plan, develop your strategies, work your plan and then do it again day in and day out. If you have created a good plan and have stayed true to it on a consistent basis and have put enough energy and attitude behind it, you to will join the ranks of overnight success. The key is to stay with it!
There is an old saying which I have engrained into my children, my family and myself, simply, 'winners never quit and quitters never win." People have to see your message time after time. In fact, in the sales circles they say that a person has to see or hear your ad or sales pitch a minimum of five times before they will even notice it and then just maybe they will become interested.
So Tip #7 - Stay with it!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tip 6
The life of Chris Gardner, another guest at the Take Control of Your Life Seminar was portrayed by will Smith in the major motion picture, "The Pursuit of Happiness." Now when your life is made into a major motion film and you are played by one of the hottest stars in Hollywood, either you have done something very bad or you have done something very good. In this case, Chris Gardner did something very good. He is the epitomy of the American Success Story and a role model for all those who want to achieve their life's visions and dreams.
As I had not seen the movie prior to seeing Chris speak, I was quite amazed at the many obstacles he overcame. From living in the bathroom of a gas station for over a year with his then 14 month old son to touring the world sharing his message of transformation, Chris showed how one can achieve success and happiness in life if they follow a few simple rules, namely setting goals.
Tip #6 - Set Goals
As a goal setter, speaker and creator of goal setting tools, I fully appreciated Chris' enthusiasm for this incredible life creation method and technique for creating abundance and success.
Goal setting is not a one time thing, it is an everyday thing and it is not something you just think about in your head or write on a cocktail napkin while you are out for the night. It is a systematic process which is done in an organized and methotical way. It takes work. A goal journal is a living document which changes as your life changes and it grows as you levels of thought and levels of achievements grow.
Chris put it wonderfully as he said that goals need to be
Clear - You have to be specific
Conscise - Short sweet and to the point
Compelling - They have to make you want to jump out of bed in the morning
Consistent - They have to agree with your values
Comitted - They must be written down
Both he and Bill Ransik, the winner of the first Apprentice and right hand man to Donal Trump agreed that all successful business people have written goals which they infuse into their spirit everyday and both also agreed that most unsuccessful businesses and business people do not.
So, as we go into the New Year, ask yourself - what type of business person you are? If you want to be a goal setter then the Ultimate Success Journal is a tool you should not be without (shameless plug). It can be ordered at www.successfuldc.com
Tip #6 - Be a Goal Setter
As I had not seen the movie prior to seeing Chris speak, I was quite amazed at the many obstacles he overcame. From living in the bathroom of a gas station for over a year with his then 14 month old son to touring the world sharing his message of transformation, Chris showed how one can achieve success and happiness in life if they follow a few simple rules, namely setting goals.
Tip #6 - Set Goals
As a goal setter, speaker and creator of goal setting tools, I fully appreciated Chris' enthusiasm for this incredible life creation method and technique for creating abundance and success.
Goal setting is not a one time thing, it is an everyday thing and it is not something you just think about in your head or write on a cocktail napkin while you are out for the night. It is a systematic process which is done in an organized and methotical way. It takes work. A goal journal is a living document which changes as your life changes and it grows as you levels of thought and levels of achievements grow.
Chris put it wonderfully as he said that goals need to be
Clear - You have to be specific
Conscise - Short sweet and to the point
Compelling - They have to make you want to jump out of bed in the morning
Consistent - They have to agree with your values
Comitted - They must be written down
Both he and Bill Ransik, the winner of the first Apprentice and right hand man to Donal Trump agreed that all successful business people have written goals which they infuse into their spirit everyday and both also agreed that most unsuccessful businesses and business people do not.
So, as we go into the New Year, ask yourself - what type of business person you are? If you want to be a goal setter then the Ultimate Success Journal is a tool you should not be without (shameless plug). It can be ordered at www.successfuldc.com
Tip #6 - Be a Goal Setter
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tip 5
At the end of the Parker Seminar, instead of catching a Vegas Show, my wife, my staff and I were excited to catch a motivational seminar at the Hilton entitled, "Take Control of Your Life." It was the perfect way to end the weekend and recharge our batteries before returning home. As vendors, we spent the weekend empowering other chiropractors and their teams on How to take control of their lives and now it was our opportunity to soak up the messages of such superstars as Bill Rancik (The winner of the first apprentice), James Van Praagh (The Ghost Wisperer)and Chris Gardner (The movie, The Pursuit of Happiness was based on his life).
During the seminar, Bill Rancik said, one of the keys to success was to "think like an entrepreneur." Being about three feet from the stage, this information hit me like a ton of brinks and excited me to the point that I immediately wrote it down and had to share it so.....
Tip #5 is - Think Like an Entrepreneur
Part of the art of being a chiropropractor (fill in your occupation)is the art of being a successful business person and to that point thinking of ones self as an entrepreneur. Wickipedia describes an entrepreneur as someone who is in charge of a new enterprise, venture or idea and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and outcomes. Read more at wikipedia.org. But for now let's say that as chiropractors we are certainly entrepreneurs and that means that to run a successful office we need to develop an entrepreneural spirit and the business skills necessary to identify market opportunities and exploit them by organizing our resources effectively to achieve specific outcomes.
So how does one develop an entrepreneural spirit? Simply by understanding that they are in business not only to help people but also - to make money. Yes, I said it. You primary mission is to make money and in order to do this you must begin seeing yourself as an entrepreneur - a leader - an innovator and a business person well versed in business, accounting, and marketing. Now these are the major catagories and in the coming days we will break these down into subsections so they can be better understood and achieved.
Entrepreneurs do not sit around waiting for things to happen; they are self-motivated individuals who think outside the box and make things happen. Entrepreneurs are learners. They get up early and they work late. There is an old saying which says 'learners are earners and readers are leaders."
There is more to being an entrepreneur than just wanting to be one. You have to work hard, attend seminars, listen to people, get mentored, purchase materials which will help you grow and then utilize all of the above.
For today, let's just absorb the understanding that you are an entrepreneur by repeating the following affirmation over and over. "I am an entrepreneur and I posess and utilize every skill necessary to run a highly successful office and earn enormous income."
Think like and entrepreneur in all you do. Discover new ways to run and market your business more effectively. Ask yourself focus questions everyday such as "how can I attract more new patients or how can I streamline my procedures?" Even if you do not have the answers right now, by conditioning your mind with forward thinking questions on a consistent (daily) basis, your mind will begin to provide you with the answers - them all you have to do is implement them.
See you tomorrow with more tips.
During the seminar, Bill Rancik said, one of the keys to success was to "think like an entrepreneur." Being about three feet from the stage, this information hit me like a ton of brinks and excited me to the point that I immediately wrote it down and had to share it so.....
Tip #5 is - Think Like an Entrepreneur
Part of the art of being a chiropropractor (fill in your occupation)is the art of being a successful business person and to that point thinking of ones self as an entrepreneur. Wickipedia describes an entrepreneur as someone who is in charge of a new enterprise, venture or idea and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and outcomes. Read more at wikipedia.org. But for now let's say that as chiropractors we are certainly entrepreneurs and that means that to run a successful office we need to develop an entrepreneural spirit and the business skills necessary to identify market opportunities and exploit them by organizing our resources effectively to achieve specific outcomes.
So how does one develop an entrepreneural spirit? Simply by understanding that they are in business not only to help people but also - to make money. Yes, I said it. You primary mission is to make money and in order to do this you must begin seeing yourself as an entrepreneur - a leader - an innovator and a business person well versed in business, accounting, and marketing. Now these are the major catagories and in the coming days we will break these down into subsections so they can be better understood and achieved.
Entrepreneurs do not sit around waiting for things to happen; they are self-motivated individuals who think outside the box and make things happen. Entrepreneurs are learners. They get up early and they work late. There is an old saying which says 'learners are earners and readers are leaders."
There is more to being an entrepreneur than just wanting to be one. You have to work hard, attend seminars, listen to people, get mentored, purchase materials which will help you grow and then utilize all of the above.
For today, let's just absorb the understanding that you are an entrepreneur by repeating the following affirmation over and over. "I am an entrepreneur and I posess and utilize every skill necessary to run a highly successful office and earn enormous income."
Think like and entrepreneur in all you do. Discover new ways to run and market your business more effectively. Ask yourself focus questions everyday such as "how can I attract more new patients or how can I streamline my procedures?" Even if you do not have the answers right now, by conditioning your mind with forward thinking questions on a consistent (daily) basis, your mind will begin to provide you with the answers - them all you have to do is implement them.
See you tomorrow with more tips.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Tip 4
I am going to admit it. I am a unique kind of person. I walk to the beat of a different drummer (as do mst chiropractors) and I love to do things my way. I have been through different careers, I have accepted different roles and through all of the ups and downs what has always carried me through and made me the happiest (and the most money) was when I was just being me. true to myself
Tip 4 - Just Be You
Probably the biggest tip I will ever give, the one which if accepted, internalized and acted upon; the one which will make you the happiest and will make your practice more fun and much more profitable; one which will give you a sense of relief and a sense of fulfillment is Tip #4 - Just be you!
Ten years ago I wrote the Creative Principle which speaks about beginning with the end in mind (a great principle for achievement. In it I wrote that we must all stop seeing with our eyes (because they lie) and being seeing with our hearts. When you look with your eyes you see yourself with judgement ie. fat, ugly... you get it. However, when you see with your heart, you see the true beauty. The beauty of the person. You are perfect just the way you are.
Throughout life we have taken on different roles. We have been molded by our parents, teachers, mentors ... and that is well and good but to live and practice in a true state of happiness requires that you find out who YOU are and then to live in that form. Right now (if you need it) I give you permission to Just Be You! It's okay. It's okay to be who you are and to practice the way to want to practice and to live life in the manner which is best suited to YOU. You do not have to be, live or act the way others want you to. You do not have to practice the way you were taught. Patients will come to you because if you are being true to who you are, you will be happy and patients will want to be in your presence. People see through phoney.
I could wear a suit and tie to work or a white coat and stethoscope, but that is not me. I am a blue jeans and polo shirt kind of guy. I like to love my patients and in return, they like to love me. My office is not fancy but it is full of patients from opening until closing. They certainly do not come for the fancy trappings, they come because when they are there, their doctor loves them, cares about them, educates them. He is philosophical, funny, educational, fast and is pretty darn good at what he does.
The point here is that you do not need the fanciest office or the nicest clothes (unless that truly is who you are and what you love). The point is, that if you discover your brilliance and what makes you happy and then work under that light, you will have an amazing career and everyday will be a joy.
Just Be Yourself.
PS. - No time to check for errors this morning as I have to rush off to Toastmasters. Sorry, I am just being me. I am not a detail person and I accept that as a part of who I am. I am a big picture person, however, I surround myself with people who are detail oriented. Just Be You! Have a GREAT Day.
Tip 4 - Just Be You
Probably the biggest tip I will ever give, the one which if accepted, internalized and acted upon; the one which will make you the happiest and will make your practice more fun and much more profitable; one which will give you a sense of relief and a sense of fulfillment is Tip #4 - Just be you!
Ten years ago I wrote the Creative Principle which speaks about beginning with the end in mind (a great principle for achievement. In it I wrote that we must all stop seeing with our eyes (because they lie) and being seeing with our hearts. When you look with your eyes you see yourself with judgement ie. fat, ugly... you get it. However, when you see with your heart, you see the true beauty. The beauty of the person. You are perfect just the way you are.
Throughout life we have taken on different roles. We have been molded by our parents, teachers, mentors ... and that is well and good but to live and practice in a true state of happiness requires that you find out who YOU are and then to live in that form. Right now (if you need it) I give you permission to Just Be You! It's okay. It's okay to be who you are and to practice the way to want to practice and to live life in the manner which is best suited to YOU. You do not have to be, live or act the way others want you to. You do not have to practice the way you were taught. Patients will come to you because if you are being true to who you are, you will be happy and patients will want to be in your presence. People see through phoney.
I could wear a suit and tie to work or a white coat and stethoscope, but that is not me. I am a blue jeans and polo shirt kind of guy. I like to love my patients and in return, they like to love me. My office is not fancy but it is full of patients from opening until closing. They certainly do not come for the fancy trappings, they come because when they are there, their doctor loves them, cares about them, educates them. He is philosophical, funny, educational, fast and is pretty darn good at what he does.
The point here is that you do not need the fanciest office or the nicest clothes (unless that truly is who you are and what you love). The point is, that if you discover your brilliance and what makes you happy and then work under that light, you will have an amazing career and everyday will be a joy.
Just Be Yourself.
PS. - No time to check for errors this morning as I have to rush off to Toastmasters. Sorry, I am just being me. I am not a detail person and I accept that as a part of who I am. I am a big picture person, however, I surround myself with people who are detail oriented. Just Be You! Have a GREAT Day.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tip 3
Well we are back from the Parker Seminar in Vegas and everyone had a great time. There is always so much to learn and so much to do that you can easily overload your senses which leads to today's tip.
Tip 3: Get some Rest
As chiropractors we like to consider ourselves as super humans and in many ways we are but there is one thing which will affect every part of your practice and your life and that is not getting enough rest.
After the weekend and the travel back and forth I noticed I was getting a little bit cranky and that my attitude was a little bit sour. I always pride myself on being a positive, motivated and upbeat person. In fact there is not much that can get me down but lack of rest can knock the smile off of my face, ruin my "sunny" disposition and send my great attitude into a tail spin.
The 12 step programs have an acronym called HALT. That means never let yourself get to hungry, angry, lonely or tired. When you are out of balance, you lose your focus and your ability to motivate your staff and everything in your world seems to go wrong.
So, today's tip is simple. Get some rest and recharge your system. It's a new year, let's energize our bodies, our minds and our practices.
Tip 3: Get some Rest
As chiropractors we like to consider ourselves as super humans and in many ways we are but there is one thing which will affect every part of your practice and your life and that is not getting enough rest.
After the weekend and the travel back and forth I noticed I was getting a little bit cranky and that my attitude was a little bit sour. I always pride myself on being a positive, motivated and upbeat person. In fact there is not much that can get me down but lack of rest can knock the smile off of my face, ruin my "sunny" disposition and send my great attitude into a tail spin.
The 12 step programs have an acronym called HALT. That means never let yourself get to hungry, angry, lonely or tired. When you are out of balance, you lose your focus and your ability to motivate your staff and everything in your world seems to go wrong.
So, today's tip is simple. Get some rest and recharge your system. It's a new year, let's energize our bodies, our minds and our practices.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Tip 2
This morning I was awakened early (before 5 am) by my alarm clock, Every morning I set it early enough to allow me time to get up, do my prayers, meditate, set my goals, blog, do my morning correspondence, get a good breakfast while watching sports center, shower, dress and get to work by 7:10.
This morning, like many, I lied in bed thinking about not getting up but then I did any how. It is dark and cold and another hour of sleep would feel great but..........
I am comitted to my rituals and that is tip number two. "Rituals"
Rituals are what you do (the steps you take) day after day at the same time each day to put organization and consistency in your life. These two items, above all else are the cornerstones of success. The dictionary describes a ritual as "any practice or pattern of behavior regularly performed in a set manner." Rituals are so important because they allow you to turn tasks into behaviors and behaviors (positive ones) into habits and successful habits will propel your practice throught he roof.
Tip 2 - Create your own rituals for success. Beginning right now, commit to the positive steps you will take in and out of your office. Steps which will create forward momentum in your attitute, behavior and health. Start from the morning and work your way until the evening.
Morning Ritual
Ride to Work Ritual - Fill your head with a motivational tape or perhaps some good music. I love the comedy stations on my way to work. Whatever peps you up and puts you into "State" do it. Make your ride to work fun, educational and motivational.
Pre-opening ritual - Morning huddle with staff, go over your schedule, look over daily financials and upcoming promotions.....
You get the picture.
Now for a word of warning - In order to be effective (listen close because here this is the mac-daddy of recurring themes in the success game) they must be done consistently and they must be done will all of the conviction in your heart. You never miss a day of doing your rituals. Nobody said this was going to be easy. No whing or complaining, if you want to be successful - do what successful people do - all of the time - every day - day in and day out - no exceptions. When you feel like you do not want to do your rituals is when you desperately need to do them.
So have a great day, I am off for some goal setting.
If you need more help or direction visit www.successfuldc.com I currently have slots open for my new VIP One-on-One Web Based coaching program. This is a personalized one-on-one coaching program where you and I work together directly to answer your most burning questions on how to run a successful practice and become a better businessperson.
Hope to see you at Parker. Please note that I may not post again until we get back on Monday. That should give you plenty of time to work on your rituals and goals. I look forward to hearing how it is going?
Dr. Steve
This morning, like many, I lied in bed thinking about not getting up but then I did any how. It is dark and cold and another hour of sleep would feel great but..........
I am comitted to my rituals and that is tip number two. "Rituals"
Rituals are what you do (the steps you take) day after day at the same time each day to put organization and consistency in your life. These two items, above all else are the cornerstones of success. The dictionary describes a ritual as "any practice or pattern of behavior regularly performed in a set manner." Rituals are so important because they allow you to turn tasks into behaviors and behaviors (positive ones) into habits and successful habits will propel your practice throught he roof.
Tip 2 - Create your own rituals for success. Beginning right now, commit to the positive steps you will take in and out of your office. Steps which will create forward momentum in your attitute, behavior and health. Start from the morning and work your way until the evening.
Morning Ritual
Ride to Work Ritual - Fill your head with a motivational tape or perhaps some good music. I love the comedy stations on my way to work. Whatever peps you up and puts you into "State" do it. Make your ride to work fun, educational and motivational.
Pre-opening ritual - Morning huddle with staff, go over your schedule, look over daily financials and upcoming promotions.....
You get the picture.
Now for a word of warning - In order to be effective (listen close because here this is the mac-daddy of recurring themes in the success game) they must be done consistently and they must be done will all of the conviction in your heart. You never miss a day of doing your rituals. Nobody said this was going to be easy. No whing or complaining, if you want to be successful - do what successful people do - all of the time - every day - day in and day out - no exceptions. When you feel like you do not want to do your rituals is when you desperately need to do them.
So have a great day, I am off for some goal setting.
If you need more help or direction visit www.successfuldc.com I currently have slots open for my new VIP One-on-One Web Based coaching program. This is a personalized one-on-one coaching program where you and I work together directly to answer your most burning questions on how to run a successful practice and become a better businessperson.
Hope to see you at Parker. Please note that I may not post again until we get back on Monday. That should give you plenty of time to work on your rituals and goals. I look forward to hearing how it is going?
Dr. Steve
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tip 1
Good Morning Everyone
As doctors of chiropractic we not only have a deep desire to help people but we also have an entrepreneurial spirit. As entrepreneurs (business people with free spirits) we are free to create our practices any way we desire. We can be straight based, therapy based, sports, PI/WC... you get the picture. There is a lot to running what I call a really cool practice, one in which you the doctor are achieving high levels of success and financial freedom in an office environment which is fun, happy and creative. As we go through the days we will discuss what it takes to create the practice you desire and we will go through it together. Over the next few day and years, I will give you a behing the scenes look at what really happens and I will give you the success steps doctors, entrepreneurs and free spirits from all walks of life use to create really cool, high profit practices and business ventures.
What does it really take? That is a loaded question because there are so many things which go on behins the scenes to make a really cool practice run flawlessly; ie; the staff is trained and motivated, the patient flow is smooth, the collections arre being made and collected, the patients are happy and referring and the doctor(s) are truly happy. There are procedures and systems, marketing and meetings, trainings and a million little behins the scenes checklists which need to occur on a daily, consistent basis (key words there). For today, lets start with the most important one.
Tip 1 - Discover Who You Are
Take a few days to get to know who you are and what type of practice you should be running. What I have discovered is that many docs are in practices where they are not happy. They did not initially create the type of practice they desired. Either they did not know, or they associated with someone and became a part of their plan. Bottom line, like many of us, they were just happy to be out of school, but without a business background or a Life/Practice Plan it was just, fling the door open and see what happens. Unfortunately, this leads to getting trapped into any style which may not work for you. Instead of creating the practice of their dreams, these docs are led down the wrong path by some management groups, technique salespeople or whatever gadget is new and hot that day. It's simple, if you don't know what you want - you will never get it and if you do, how will you know?
"If you do not have a plan of your own, you are destined to become a part of womeone elses plan."
As entrepreneurs (yes, chiropractic is a business and you have got to realize that) you get to control how everything in your office runs; from dress code to the color of pens you buy, every decision you make in your office is yours. Choose decisions which make you happy and your day more fun and watch how things suddenly seem to shift. On my biggest day, 141 patients, all by myself, I was wearing a pair of shorts and a chiropractic t-shirt. That's my style somedays. Don't judge me and I won't judge you. The point here is because you can be you and you can practice any way you like and you will attract patients who want to be in your presence. I was doing what made me happy and obviously the patients like it also because a lot of them keep showing up.
There is an old saying which says "my how you have changed since I have changed." Well your practice will change when you implement change or change yourself. So for today, have a heart to heart with yourself and ask yourself a few questions such as:
1. What would make me happy in practice? I know of many docs who want to run family style practices but are stuck in a medical style office. They talk a big show but never seem to make any dough. How come? Incongruency of thought and action. They are always looking to make a fast buck or they are just modeling what they learned in school. They are not right or wrong, the point is, if you do what is in your heart,your happiness and success will follow.
2. Implement change. Once you have discovered areas of change, take the next step and implement them. Change is scary in the beginning. What if my patients don't like the changes; they will leave me.... Don't go having a big lie fest inside of your head. You know that negative self-talk... If I do this... they will do that ...NEVER happens! Instead turn your changes into positive experiences for your patients. As always, it's not what you say it is how you say it. Most patients will love your changes because they will see you as a happier doctor and they love that. Yes, realistically some will leave but that is a small price to pay for your happiness and a joyful place to work in for the next however many years. We all know patients come and patients go... that's life. When you make changes that make your office a happier place - when you are true to your sense of, value, purpose and truth, you will attract the patients who are like you and who like you.
So tip 1 is - Have a heart to heart with yourself. Face down your potential person (TM) and discover your greatness by discovering and converting to a way of practicing which makes you happy. Some of you will make a major overhaul and some will just need a few tweaks. Whatever it is, you are the captain of your ship and the creator of your destiny.
Have a great day!
Dr. Steve
www.successfuldc.com
As doctors of chiropractic we not only have a deep desire to help people but we also have an entrepreneurial spirit. As entrepreneurs (business people with free spirits) we are free to create our practices any way we desire. We can be straight based, therapy based, sports, PI/WC... you get the picture. There is a lot to running what I call a really cool practice, one in which you the doctor are achieving high levels of success and financial freedom in an office environment which is fun, happy and creative. As we go through the days we will discuss what it takes to create the practice you desire and we will go through it together. Over the next few day and years, I will give you a behing the scenes look at what really happens and I will give you the success steps doctors, entrepreneurs and free spirits from all walks of life use to create really cool, high profit practices and business ventures.
What does it really take? That is a loaded question because there are so many things which go on behins the scenes to make a really cool practice run flawlessly; ie; the staff is trained and motivated, the patient flow is smooth, the collections arre being made and collected, the patients are happy and referring and the doctor(s) are truly happy. There are procedures and systems, marketing and meetings, trainings and a million little behins the scenes checklists which need to occur on a daily, consistent basis (key words there). For today, lets start with the most important one.
Tip 1 - Discover Who You Are
Take a few days to get to know who you are and what type of practice you should be running. What I have discovered is that many docs are in practices where they are not happy. They did not initially create the type of practice they desired. Either they did not know, or they associated with someone and became a part of their plan. Bottom line, like many of us, they were just happy to be out of school, but without a business background or a Life/Practice Plan it was just, fling the door open and see what happens. Unfortunately, this leads to getting trapped into any style which may not work for you. Instead of creating the practice of their dreams, these docs are led down the wrong path by some management groups, technique salespeople or whatever gadget is new and hot that day. It's simple, if you don't know what you want - you will never get it and if you do, how will you know?
"If you do not have a plan of your own, you are destined to become a part of womeone elses plan."
As entrepreneurs (yes, chiropractic is a business and you have got to realize that) you get to control how everything in your office runs; from dress code to the color of pens you buy, every decision you make in your office is yours. Choose decisions which make you happy and your day more fun and watch how things suddenly seem to shift. On my biggest day, 141 patients, all by myself, I was wearing a pair of shorts and a chiropractic t-shirt. That's my style somedays. Don't judge me and I won't judge you. The point here is because you can be you and you can practice any way you like and you will attract patients who want to be in your presence. I was doing what made me happy and obviously the patients like it also because a lot of them keep showing up.
There is an old saying which says "my how you have changed since I have changed." Well your practice will change when you implement change or change yourself. So for today, have a heart to heart with yourself and ask yourself a few questions such as:
1. What would make me happy in practice? I know of many docs who want to run family style practices but are stuck in a medical style office. They talk a big show but never seem to make any dough. How come? Incongruency of thought and action. They are always looking to make a fast buck or they are just modeling what they learned in school. They are not right or wrong, the point is, if you do what is in your heart,your happiness and success will follow.
2. Implement change. Once you have discovered areas of change, take the next step and implement them. Change is scary in the beginning. What if my patients don't like the changes; they will leave me.... Don't go having a big lie fest inside of your head. You know that negative self-talk... If I do this... they will do that ...NEVER happens! Instead turn your changes into positive experiences for your patients. As always, it's not what you say it is how you say it. Most patients will love your changes because they will see you as a happier doctor and they love that. Yes, realistically some will leave but that is a small price to pay for your happiness and a joyful place to work in for the next however many years. We all know patients come and patients go... that's life. When you make changes that make your office a happier place - when you are true to your sense of, value, purpose and truth, you will attract the patients who are like you and who like you.
So tip 1 is - Have a heart to heart with yourself. Face down your potential person (TM) and discover your greatness by discovering and converting to a way of practicing which makes you happy. Some of you will make a major overhaul and some will just need a few tweaks. Whatever it is, you are the captain of your ship and the creator of your destiny.
Have a great day!
Dr. Steve
www.successfuldc.com
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Welcome to Successful DC
Welcome to the Successful DC blog. This blog is an extension of Successful DC Seminars and Consulting and has been created in order to help my fellow chiropractors reach higher levels of success and happiness in lives and in practice.
In the coming days and years I will post a daily(or as often as I can) message pertaining to chiropractic, the success principles or some area of life or philosophy which you will be able to implement immediately to achieve a higher level of fun and profitability in your life.
Please feel free to respond and share your wisdom for the benefit of the other doctors who belong to this blog. This site is for the exchange of information, philosophy, technique, and success principles. Let others know how you are doing and what you are doing.
What we do NOT do here is discuss politics, religion or anything offensive. If you are considered outside the rules, you will be warned and given a second chance - there will be no third. Everyone has something to share no matter their technique or practice style and all opinions are valuable. Here, no technique is better than another, we are all here to learn.
Enough of that stuff.
____________________________________________________________________
Here is a little background on me. I grew up Long Island, dropped out of High School in the 12th grade and joined the Navy where I earned my flight wings as an H3 helicopter crew chief. I got my GED while I was in the Navy. I left after 4 years with an Honorable discharge and began working at Sikorsky Aircraft in Connecticut where I was a part of the final inspection team for the Black Hawk helicopter and a member of their field modification team. After leaving there I worked at Grumman Aerospace for a number of years. I left Grumman when the entrepreneurial bug bit me and I have never looked back. I owned a commercial cleaning company, a Real Estate office and a mortgage brokerage firm before deciding to follow my dream and become a chiropractor. During my time in banking I was a founder and president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers for two years. One night after a particularly grueling day in NYC I drove home in the snow (got home about 2 am) and I woke my wife up and told her I wanted to go back to school - 3 months later we were living in SC and I was finishing my prereq's for Sherman College. This was no easy feat - a 1 year old, a 3 year old, a mortgage and we were broke. In fact, we had to file bankruptcy to make our vision come true. I would go to school from 7:30 am until 4:00 pm and then would rush home, grab my clothes and go wait tables until about 11:00 pm. While in school, I created the Ultimate Success Journal as a way to condense the Universal Laws of Success into one creative Life Planning System. It worked! I graduated on time and was licensed to practice before I graduated. I rented an office 6 months before I graduated and before I was even licensed to practice and rented it to a chiro who had graduated a few months before me. I graduated on Saturday and was open on Monday. The Monday I opened, my wife Nancy started Sherman and if was great to see her follow her dream. Once she graduated we moved to the mountains of NC. Nancy opened our practice there until I could sell the one in SC and for the past 9 years we have practiced together in the wonderful little town of Brevard.
We have been members of practice management groups and have learned from many great mentors. the Ultimate Success Journal has become a standard for many chiropractors and entrepreneurs and has sold in book stores, colleges and is being used in over 11 countries.
I received my ordination as a non-denominational minister in 2007 and I use it to help in hospital and prison ministries. Always involved in the field of human potential, I have worked as a graduate assistant for Dale Carnegie and I am on the advisory board of 3 speaking and coaching groups. My goal is to simply help people achieve their highest vision.
Currently my new book "How to Run a Really Cool Practice and Make a Really Big Profit" is now on the market. It is a compilation of many of the success tools I have learned over the years and was written so my fellow chiros can glean this information without paying a fortune for it.
All of my products are designed to simplify the process and be affordable. I consider myself a systematizer. I like to take complex information and reduce it to its simplest form so everyone can understand it and get the true value of it. My latest product is the Ultimate Marketing Calendar.
I started Successful DC as a way to help my friends who were struggling in practice. I give straight forward practice tips and mentoring advice. Running a great practice is fun and easy to do if you follow a few simple steps.
I love to fly airplanes, ride my motorcycle and spend time with my family. I am a pilot with the Civil Air Patrol and a member of our local toast Masters Group. I have 4 dogs, live on the golf course, have homes and investment properties at the beach and practice 3 days a week.
I come from a broken home and have been in recovery for almost 25 years. As you can see, if I can do it - so can you.
Enough about me.
____________________________________________________________________
Beginning tomorrow and carrying over for the next 100 days, I will be sharing tips from my latest book and from there, we could go anywhere. Please forward this blog to everyone on your list and get active by sharing your wisdom.
In health and prosperity,
Steve Cagen
PS - Sometimes my spelling is a little bit off. My mind works faster than my fingers.
Lesson One
Things do not have to be perfect before you begin implementing. Sometimes you have to take your foot off of the brake pedal and just get going!
See you tomorrow,
Steve
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