Whether we’re students, doctors, or patients, we all have dreams.
And we all want to bring those dreams to fruition. Some of us realize our dreams; some never do – at least not to the extent we would’ve liked. The difference is vision.
Vision is the hallmark of nearly every elite athlete, businessperson, or anyone who has attained that highest level of success untouched by most.
As doctors (and soon-to-be doctors) of chiropractic, we have all felt like we are climbing an overwhelming mountain of mediocrity and disdain. A majority of the population doesn’t have any idea what we really do or the benefits of our profession.
Sometimes we expect patients to stand in line to get through our doors so we can become successful by whatever standard we set. And then when they don’t come, we wonder why success and/or fulfillment evade us. The answer usually resides in our vision, or lack thereof.
Students often ask, “Where do you get good patients?” You know the type: compliant, trusting, educated in chiropractic, and those who always pay their bills. These “perfect” patients can be found anywhere. They’re not born, but made or trained from the first day you meet them.
Visualize to realize
However, you must have visualized what you want and how you want them to be first. You have to establish rapport and trust with your words and actions. You want to have seen in your mind’s eye the way you should treat them as people first and patients second.
Students are often asked these basic questions about why they are pursuing chiropractic as a discipline:
“¢ Is it money motivated, or do you feel called to serve others?
“¢ Do you want to treat pain/symptoms for the money, or do you want the patient to have a genuine understanding of wellness and health?
It is incumbent upon us as the “new” guard of the healthcare shift currently taking place around the globe to be more than we presently portray. We must visualize our persona and our dreams in 3-D and manifest them step-by-step.
We must be the people we want as patients. We must be very comfortable in our own skin and recognize our confidence and self-worth in order to progress to each level of our dreams.
Try this: Picture where you want to be in explicit detail, complete with feelings of happiness your chosen surroundings make possible. After all, have you seen a person – professional or otherwise – ecstatic and content in a place that he or she detests?
Or vice versa, have you seen people who are happy where they are, but dread every day they have to go to work at a job they hate?
If we can do what we love, love where we do it, and have the confidence, self-worth, and vision to show us the way, then we will reach a high level of satisfaction and contentment. At that point, success is almost assured.
Create a blueprint
Why is success almost guaranteed and failure all but impossible? That’s because when we “see” how we want things or how they look in the future, we have created a blueprint to follow – a blueprint for success, not only in a chosen profession, but in life.
We’ve seen not only the end results, but the way to get there. When we put the patient first in our vision and hone our intent, success will seem to follow. It’s not a coincidence.
To new and aspiring doctors of chiropractic, make your dreams real. See them in action before you even begin the journey. It will make all the difference in your life and your practice.
Be proud to be serving others with the right intent, be proud of a profession that has endured and continues to help so many, and be happy in what you do and where you do it. Develop a keen sense of confidence and self-worth, but most of all have vision.
