You’ve probably heard of Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the worst possible time. There’s a corollary: Murphy was an optimist.
Anyone who starts a new venture must anticipate problems. And starting a chiropractic practice is no different. You will encounter bankers who forget to turn in your loan documents, contractors who make mistakes that cost you money, insurance registrations that fail to arrive, and on and on. Your impatience to get going on your practice startup must be tempered with the requirement that you work with other people, and no one else shares your urgency.
So what do you do when things go wrong?
Remember the saying, Plan for the best and expect the worst. Things will always take twice as long and cost twice as much as you expect. As long as you recognize this reality, it will be easier for you to deal with delays and cost increases. For example, your build-out will always follow this rule; it’s just a reality of construction. So don’t print your Grand Opening flyers until the paint is dry on the walls and the carpet is in place.
If you get blocked in one direction, move to something else. If you are waiting for a bank to provide you with money, start looking for used equipment or making contacts with sign companies. There is so much to do in starting an office that you should not have to just sit and wait.
Don’t dwell on the negatives. Get away for a while. Get re-energized. Instead of bring frustrated that nothing is happening, take your family for a picnic. Take a bike ride or a long run. Or talk to a successful chiropractor and find out how they dealt with the frustrations of starting a practice.
Finally, think long term. Sure, you’re frustrated now and you feel like your practice will never get going. But stop and visualize a year from now and how successful you will be then. Having a mental picture of the end result will keep you motivated and energized when things go wrong.
Taking the daily steps, one by one, to reach your goal of practice startup will help you overcome those little frustrations, delays, and cost overruns that are inevitable. Your continuing success in practice depends on your ability to deal with all kinds of problems and overcome them. That’s why they call it “practice.”
