While conversing with chiropractors on Friday, before Larry and I spoke, the predominating theme was fear.  Fear of survival,  fear of the economy, and fear of the future.  There is nothing worse than looking into the sad eyes of a chiropractor and seeing the, “This isn’t how I thought it would be,” look.  “I’m flat,” they would say…and their facial expressions proved them right!

But, after being bathed in the energy field of “Build an Amazing You – Create a Wow Practice” and “The Path to Prosperity Consciousness,” those same soiled souls came out clean on the other side.  They were given a vision of hope for a prosperous future, if and only if, they DECIDE to change their minds, create empowering beliefs, and take the appropriate action steps.

The shocking part to me, was the fact that this information was new to so many.  Success philosophy is something that I take for granted – it has always been instilled in me.  For these wonderful people, it seemed foreign.

“You mean to say that I can grow my practice by thinking about it?”  “YES.”

“You mean I can fix my relationships just by making a decision?” “YES.”

“ You mean I can create wealth by releasing my fears about money?” “YES, YES, and YES!”

The human mind is an amazing instrument – capable of making your dreams come true.  However, allowing negative thoughts, procrastinating, lacking certainty, or giving in to fear will halt your forward progress.  Get clear on what you want.  Feed your mind with positive affirmations.  Visualize your dreams coming true in all aspects of your life.  Most importantly, keep your faith.  Remember, true faith never waivers.  It will serve as a lighthouse, constantly redirecting you toward the light.

Well, as I set up The Markson Connection booth with my partners, I was filled with the anticipation of, “I hope things haven’t changed too much – not with the quality of the seminar or the speakers, because that is always top shelf – but for the energy of the chiropractors themselves.

As the rest of the booths were going up, some basic and some grandiose, I got the sense of “uh-oh” that I was hoping to avoid.  There was just so much STUFF!  Products and services and softwares, oh, my.  How was the average chiropractor supposed to navigate this sea of confusion, when they came to the weekend seeking clarity?

Please don’t get me wrong, the “stuff” was awesome.  The technology and innovation in our profession has continued to keep place with the needs of the marketplace.  Here’s my problem:  As I walked up and down the aisles, I tried to put my finger on why I had an uneasy feeling about what I saw…then it hit me.  “Where was the Chiropractic?”

I could find nutritional supplements and tables and rehab equipment and computer programs and lasers…all of which have value, in my opinion.  What I saw SO little of, which is a huge shift from five years ago…who is trying to help  the ChiropracTOR improve his or her ability to be successful delivering ChiropracTIC?

Years back, there were large management companies, bringing Chiropractors together and coaching them to become better communicators, better business people, and ultimately live the life of their dreams.  This past weekend, I was amazed to see that 90% of those companies either no longer existed or decided not to participate in our profession’s largest seminar weekend.

For the past few years, Chiropractors have been coerced into the belief that they need to offer outside products and services other than Chiropractic care to keep their doors open.  While that may or may not be true, what is clearly obvious, is the fact that without a foundation of philosophy, and communication skills, and confidence, and a plan, and leadership skills, and marketing skills, and a community of like-minded chiropractors to belong to, our beloved profession will continue to weaken into a group of 60,000 sales people, all practicing on islands of themselves.

In one word, what we need is “Connection.”  Connection to our roots, connection to the public, and connection to each other.  Then, and only then will we have the resources necessary to perpetuate Chiropractic’s ideals into the future.  Please look around, try to sift through the quagmire and don’t just expect outside products to save you.  Find a group to belong to.  Strengthen yourself first.  If you are being coached by a private coach, that is great, but not as good as belonging to a tribe.  We have strength in numbers.  Nothing replaces the energy created by cohesive thought.

Our profession has shifted to survival thinking based on fear.  Don’t buy into it!  Turn back the clock a few years when the focus on our profession was working on three things: You, Your practice, and Your community.  I promise, the rest of the “stuff” will then add much more value than you can imagine.

Think about it.  If you want to finish a marathon, you have to run…A LOT .  If you are learning a new language, you have to immerse yourself in it for long periods of time. If you are trying to build your practice, you have to take daily action toward new patient acquisition and PVA.

So, New Years has past and many of you have made the obligatory resolutions that you’ve been told have no chance of sticking.  Let me help…MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY!  I don’t care how you do it.  I don’t care how much you love fried food or hate exercise or are too tired to practice the piano.  Winners just flat out get it done.

Regret over past failures will get you nowhere.  Use the past only as a reference and NOTHING ELSE.  Keep your emotional focus toward the future.  Visualize the finish line of the race, the completion of your first authored work, or your miniscule waistline.  The pictures in your mind will carry you through.

Don’t waste this opportunity to develop your consistency muscle -  January 1st is a springboard for a new shot at the title.  Decide what you want and take action.   Don’t stop until you fulfill the goal.  Be consistent with your passion, your focus, your energy and your behavior.

You show me a leader in any arena, and I’ll show you a model of consistency.

Staff training systems are a vital ingredient to practice success and thus, need to be understood and implemented immediately.  The challenge is, the vast majority of the doctors we questioned are going about this procedure all wrong.

Let’s take a look at Broadway for a framework.  If you analyze the rehearsal patterns of the world’s foremost theatre companies, you can easily see what has been going wrong for all these years.

When an actor is cast in a Broadway show, he or she is given a script and a rehearsal schedule with deadlines for learning the lines, songs, and choreography.  What do you think happens if the actor comes unprepared?

Chiropractors need to create a Broadway atmosphere with their staff training.  You can’t just sit with the new employee and discuss the concept of what they are supposed to say when the phone rings.  You have to go into the next room, call them on the phone FOR REAL, and role play over and over and over again until it is near perfect.

You’ll never see an actor on the stage until they know every word and every step flawlessly.  Therefore, DO NOT allow your staff members to be average.  Don’t stop training and drilling them until you are fully satisfied with their skills.

The main areas of training should be:  phone scripting, handling finances, new patient orientation, referrals, multiple appointment scheduling, and most importantly, chiropractic philosophy.

The curtain never goes up on a show until all of the players are prepared to give the performance of their lives.  Use that reality in your training and you will see your practice run more efficiently and with vastly increased results.

Oh yeah…don’t forget to bow when you get the standing ovation.

When I see these replies and this mindless, virtual banter going back and forth, I find myself shaking my head.  “I don’t get it,” I say to myself.  “I don’t understand where all of the seething anger came from – it’s an email for goodness sake. Wouldn’t it be quicker, easier, and better for your blood pressure to simply hit the delete key and move on with your day?”

Maybe it is part of my enneagram (personality) to prefer to keep the peace, but why the hatred?  Why such disdain for those out there in the cyber universe who are simply using today’s vehicles to spread their message?  The Today show recently ran a report about children engaged in “cyber bullying.”  Are you kidding me – it even has a name?  High school wasn’t hard enough if you weren’t one of the fortunate – now you have to deal with the entire school receiving text messages and Tweets about what a loser you are…oh, that must be fun.

Here’s the point…If you receive an email, or even a blog post like this one, why not just politely request to be unsubscribed?  We coach our members to focus on responding affirmatively to situations, rather than reacting to them.  Reactions are emotional and typically don’t get you very far.  For example, the next time you walk outside and you have a flat tire, throwing your keys to the ground, cursing like a madman, and kicking your car will probably not result in the spontaneous re-inflation of your tire.

If you react to things with anger, the anger is already inside you and is looking for a place to exhibit itself.  There is nothing wrong with a contrary point of view, and the new communication tools of Yelp, Trip Advisor, and other social sites live and die by user reviews, both good and bad.  I’m not saying you shouldn’t share your opinion – just look at the tone in which you reply.

When choosing between being right or being kind, choose kind – it will serve you very well.

First, I want to remind you that if goals are not written down and not written correctly I might add, they are NOT goals – they are merely weak dreams and vague hopes.  The importance of writing goals and memorializing them cannot be over-emphasized.  The human mind is target oriented and like a missile it requires
instructions as to where you want it to go.

Goals must be specific, down to the smallest detail and each one must be comprised of four separate parts.  Just listing what you want is much like a child who makes a list of all the holiday toys he or she wants.  There is no chance that their dreams will
come true.

The four component parts are:

Write down exactly what it is that you want.  e.g. -  a 2011 500SL Mercedes Benz convertible,  white, with camel upholstery,  chrome spoke wheels, navigation system,  Blue-tooth, Sirius/XM radio, CD changer, rearview video and complete sports package, etc., etc, etc.  The price for this car will be $ 85,632.69.

Write down when you want it by – a date certain – the exact time it is to be received by you.  e.g. – October 2, 2010 at 10:30 AM

Write down what you are going to do to get it – the action steps.  e.g. - Use my current 2006 BMW as a down payment, add $10,000 cash as a deposit,  save $500 per month until delivery date and finance (not lease) the balance for 36 months at 5.62%.  Additionally, I will increase my income by 18% and control my expenditures.

Write down how it will benefit you or make you feel.  e.g. - As a result of this acquisition I will feel great because I set a goal and accomplished it.  I will feel successful and I will just love tooling around with the top down and the wind in my face!!

Another format that goals can be written follows the “6 P’s” – the first P is to write a Purpose Statement, then comes the P’s of Personal, Professional, Prosperity, People and Play Goals.

This is a big job, which I am sure has already scared some of you, probably the ones who are not focused, nor committed to getting what it is they want.  The top 20 percent of the shakers and bakers, the true winners and achievers in life ALWAYS write their goals.

The rest have alibis, excuses, rationalizations and defense mechanisms that are used to diminish the importance of goal setting.  I encourage you to be brave and take the time to become expert in this vital action step to success.

Now is the time to write your 2012 Goals!

If you break it down to its core elements, there is no difference between owning a chiropractic practice and owning a donut shop.  There are four elements that must be followed, no matter which business you are running.

1. Get people to know where your donut shop is – When you are communicating with the people in your community, whether through print or in person, make sure they know where your donut shop is located.  They may not be hungry for your donuts right now, but when they are, they need to know where to find you.

2. Get people to come in and try your donuts – Now that you are branding your location, people need to come in and make a purchase.  Just knowing that you exist doesn’t pay the bills.  The people in your community may not realize that their life is not complete without some level of “donut eating” in their routine.

3. Get people to tell others about your donuts – If your donuts are good enough, people can’t wait to tell their friends.  Your donuts will be the talk of the town and you’ll have a line out the door.  Ceate a consistent experience each and every time your customers walk in.  The reason why franchises exist is because people crave consistency.  Give them what they want – EVERY TIME!

4. Get people to keep coming back for more donuts – Your donuts are not a luxury item to be enjoyed only on special occasions.  Get your customers to understand that the key to a better life is consistent “donut eating.”  Haphazard visits to your shop is okay, but it doesn’t even come close to regularly scheduled donut enjoyment.

Ok, so I think I carried my analogy long enough.  So, you know what time it is, right?

Time to make the donuts!

And on the back of the very first page I included a one page article, whose author remains anonymous to this day.  I had a copy of “I Am Your Patient,” in my possession for years and years before deciding it was important enough to put in my text.

It has always been my belief that the most important resource in a Chiropractic practice are the patients we so diligently serve, and that while all doctors are accused of being too aloof or too busy or worse yet, non-caring – eventually it all boils down to  the patient.  So, like me, I hope you learn the message contained within, “I Am Your Patient.”    

“You often accuse me of carrying a chip on my shoulder – but I suspect that this is because you do not entirely understand me.  Isn’t it normal to expect satisfaction for one’s money spent?

 Ignore my wants and I will simply cease to exist.  Satisfy those wants and I will become increasingly loyal.  Add to this satisfaction, and personal attention and friendly touches you can dream up – and I will become a walking advertisement for you services.

When I criticize your service (which I will most certainly do when I am displeased and to any who will listen to me), take heed.  I am not dreaming up displeasure – the source of it lies in something you have failed to do to make our experience as enjoyable as I had anticipated.  Let’s first find that source and eliminate it … or you will lose me and my friends, as well.

 I am much more sophisticated these days than I was a few years ago.  I have grown more accustomed to better things and my needs are more complex.  I am perfectly willing to spend more money with you – I have more money to spend – but I insist on good service from you.

I am, above all, a human being.  I am sensitive – especially when I am spending my money.  I can’t stand being snubbed, ignored or looked down upon.  I am proud.  My ego needs the nourishment of a friendly personal greeting form you.  It’s important to me that you recognize my
importance – that you appreciate my business.  Remember, when I buy your services, my money is literally feeding you.

Whatever my personal habits may be, you can be sure of this … I am a real nut on the type of service I receive. If I detect signs of carelessness or other bad habits, ill manners or misconduct, you won’t see me again.

I am your patient now, but you must prove yourself to me again and again that I have made a wise choice is selecting your service above others.  And you must also convince me repeatedly that being your patient is a desirable thing in the first place.  I can after all put my business elsewhere.

 But you must provide something superior enough to beckon me away from other places where I might spend my money.  You must provide incentive for me to do business with you.”

That was terrific, was it not?  Read it over and over again and never forget
the lesson of, “I Am Your Patient.”

I found myself riveted by the maturity of these athletes.  There was such a sweet combination of youthful exuberance mixed with gritty competitiveness.  These kids played serious ball – fundamentally sound, focused, intense, and talented.  You could almost envision the hours and hours of drills and practices to get to this level.

The thing that finally grabbed my attention was that these kids don’t play for money or fame or free agency or signing bonuses.  They play for the love of the game.  When was the last time any of us have seen that?  Today’s sports are more business than entertainment.  Once there were billions to be made, the twinkle in the eyes of the players was not from joy, it was from the reflection of their shiny new diamond necklaces and sports cars.

Then it dawned on me…aren’t chiropractors the same?  Our ancestors started this game with a box on the wall, desirous of helping sick and suffering humanity with their bare hands.  Now…not so much.

Do you still love the “game” of chiropractic?  Going from table to table and connecting with your patients – and listening – and caring – and helping – all without the thought of profit? These kids were out there playing what we know to be our nation’s pastime and I’m thinking, “Why isn’t chiropractic still like this?”

Why do we see every chiropractic magazine filled weight loss and lasers, and athletic taping and multilevel marketing (oops – sorry, network marketing?)  Why are we not sticking to good, sound fundamental chiropractic?  Why are we not taking lessons from the Little League?  They listened to their coaches, they cooperated with each other, they worked as a team, and they honed their craft to expert levels.  They had attendance of over 400,000, and they created an energy field and boy, did they have FUN!

Let’s learn from these wonderful kids.  Work hard to perfect your skill set, study the fundamentals, practice, respect your coach, play hard, do your best – every time, be a good sport, and have the best time you possibly can – each and every day.

If you’d like to attract new patients into your office, feel free to implement this exercise into your daily routine…

I close my eyes and I see a white door with a gold knob. I open the door and walk into a small, white room. It is perfectly white. The floor, the walls and the ceiling are spotless. The only thing in this room is a sink. It is a pedestal sink, sort of antique style, and it is made out of 24 karat gold. This golden sink has a gold faucet and gold handles as well.

For me, this is my New Patient Sink. When I’m focusing on growing my practice, I go into my New Patient Room and turn the handles on my New Patient Sink. I can see the new patients come pouring out of the faucet. I zoom in on them all… men, women, children, old, young, fat, thin, even pregnant. Whatever type of patients I want to fill my practice with comes through that faucet at will.

If you have studied the law of attraction at all, you would know that creating certainty around the things you want is the first step. I have 100% positive expectation that when I walk up to any sink in my house and turn the handle, water will instantly come out. Such is the case for my golden new patient sink. I have total certainty that my visualization actually manifests my desires.

Since starting with this visualization exercise, I have now added other rooms and other golden sinks: money, love, health, and happiness to name a few.

Start getting clear on what you want, develop a knowing around its attainment and create a mechanism for your mind to attract it. It works for me.