Q: Dr. M, Thanks for the email the other day. It was very helpful. Today, I did a screening at the local Ames store ( it is like a Kmart). Guess what? About two hours into the gig the regional manager stopped in and kicked me out right in the middle of the screening. Can you believe this? Man, I even signed up the manager today for a visit this week. Seems like every place is turning us chiros down. Why? The manager even wants me to come back and do the screenings. He says it looks good for the community, but that regional manager had to come by and mess it up. I have been kind of in a daze lately as I have been just shooting ammunition aimlessly looking for more patients. Doing lots of calling churches and door to door that hasn't panned out much. My flea markets dried up and it's cold and the mall won't let us in until Jan. I have a talk on Monday at the new Target store in the area where I practice. I am borrowing a friends peak performance slides from Singer for the talk. Looks pretty good. By the way, how would you end the talk? I know there are three techniques, but seems like that crush ending hasn't been working lately. But man, I need some new blood in that practice now. I don't care if they come in a year from now, I want them in today! I know that you talked about burnout in your class, but wish there was a better way to cope with it. When things get slow, how do you deal with it? Feels like failure when no new patients come in for two weeks etc... Especially to a new practitioner constantly promoting. This work is consuming me and at times I feel like heck if I put the amount of effort into something else that I would get ten times the results. I love chiropractic and I love working with people. But sometimes I wonder. Has this ever happened to you? I mean, what I am coming across are people that are either too skeptical or cheap to come in, people who have great insurance that want a quick fix and don't come in for many visits only patch work even though you pitch correction real good, or people who want the care and have crap insurance and no dough for it. How can one provide a living in this realm?? I know the truth about subluxation, about what we are up against, and I do all the things you talk about in class, but feel like I am treading in place. I don't want to be rich, never did, just want to earn a living. Heck last month I did great, but after paying the guy out and taxes, your left with nothing. Is it just that I am new? I did great last month, but averaging what I collected last month and the months of first practicing---it brings it down big time. The big question is this---Is it all worth it when it is all said and done? I couldn't imagine doing any other job than the one I am doing now, but can't imagine anymore of making no money. Tough place to be in. Well, I know it has been a long email, but I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. One guy in the group that I practice with told me that it is because I am all about work and not into many other things right now----He told me to invest in other things. I understand where he is coming from, but how can you when you are in the situation I am in? You almost can't afford to take any time off. A: Thanks for the e-mail. My best advice is probably advice you are not ready to hear and that is to relax and go with the flow. We work with nature and it is nature that you have to be one with. The forces of nature are unlimited in intensity and attempting to fight the flow only ends up in frustration and more. If you would sit down during a quiet moment and consider all you have done and what results came of it .. you¼ll see that you did much and received much. Yes .. it may have been less that what you would like and the sustaining of the practice may be less than you wanted .. but people did come in .. you did go out and meet people .. and you have made some income. Can you have done better .. maybe .. but it wasn¼t a waste of time. As I mention many times .. if you go to a river and find everyone using only one form of bait to catch the same fish .. you may wish to use another form of bait and be that special hook that reel them in. This is what you must do. We have a product that people need and probably want once they know about it. Where can you go to meet these people? We have a product that people need after accidents and probably want once they know about it. Where can you go to meet these people? .. and so on .. every community big and small has access to unlimited new patients with or without insurance .. it is just a matter of determining where they are and how to reach them. I would continue what you are doing .. malls .. screenings .. talks .. etc. I would also survey every patient and determine what it would take to have their fellow employees .. friends and family to come to your office workshops .. workshops in their office and homes and churches. What would assist them to refer others to you etc. Have a planned event every month ..a special promotion a health issue of the month (this is much easier within your own office). As far as a closing statement .. check chapter seven in my book there is various closes for workshops. In conclusion .. you have to chill out and be less hard on yourself. There is a common theme within your e-mails and a trend I cautioned you about what you were a student .. be less intense .. quiet and calm is better accepted than intensity and desperation. People need our services .. you believe and understand what they need .. you have a gift of telling them the story .. just tailor it per group .. come from the heart rather than need and make it happen. Continue to go forward just look around for different bait and plan your progress well Have a Great Day Dr. M