From: Dennis Perman DC,  for The Masters .. Masters9@aol.com

What if you knew a way to create your ideal practice and your ideal lifestyle?  Would you 
work hard up to a certain point,  and then after a while lose interest,  or would you take 
action on it and follow through until your life was just the way you want it?

You're probably thinking,  hey,  if I thought I had a way to make my life the way I want it,  
of course I would follow through.  And yet,  too often,  knowing the way is not going the 
way,  as Dr. Markson reminds us.  There is a vital factor to be considered before you can 
set meaningful goals and develop effective strategies for accomplishing them.

At The Masters,  we teach that happiness,  success and fulfillment come from you,  not to 
you -- that who you are,  and how you show up,  will determine how well what you do 
works.  That's what our Identity-Based approach is all about -- you must be the kind of 
person who would be able to take the actions that would lead to your goals,  and if you are 
not,  your first plan must be to transform yourself into someone who could.

At our Master Plan 2000 event this weekend,  this issue was brought to the forefront -- 
your identity determines your capacity,  and your capacity determines your results.  If 
you've been having trouble growing past a certain point,  whether in practice,  in 
relationships,  financially,  or in life in general,  it may be that there are some weaker areas 
you have not addressed that are holding you back,  weaker areas that are limiting your 
capacity.  If those weaker areas are procedural,  you'll have to change what you're doing -- 
better marketing,  improved patient education,  smoother processing of paperwork,  more 
clearly defined and enforced policies,  etc..  If the weaker areas stem from your self-
concept,  in other words,  how you are showing up based on your beliefs,  values,  habits 
and behaviors,  then improving on your procedures will only partially help.  You'll have to 
look more closely at developing yourself inside the skin,  by noticing where you have been 
falling short,  and by working on those areas.  Obstacles like fear of rejection or 
confrontation,  lack of self esteem or confidence,  or insufficient motivation are examples 
of inner weaker areas that you can improve upon with a little focus and persistence,  and 
often,  some coaching or training will accelerate the process and decrease the pain and 
inefficiency of the learning curve.

You know yourself better than anyone else -- be honest.  Where could you direct your 
attention,  to manifest a better version of you?  Could you manage your time better?  Could 
you be kinder in your self assessment,  or to those around you?  Could you be more 
patient,  or more reliable,  or more passionate?  Do you need to change a habit,  or develop 
a new,  empowering one?  By being willing to address weaker areas,  you can propel 
yourself to new levels of accomplishment.  This willingness to continually refine and 
improve yourself is a common denominator of all winners in life -- keep yourself on the 
path to mastery,  and you'll surely reap the rewards you deserve.