From: Dr. Margolies The last e-mail you received from me concerned the plight of a DC in practice for over 10 years and truly burnt out. Your response to her concerns .. actually concerned me .. as there were too many similar tales of woe. I attempt to impress upon my students at Life University that they must begin implementing successful action steps while a student. Gathering material to use; going over successful scripts .. just as an actor would prior to a performance; visualizing success because it was predictable and inevitable, and taking my class and reviewing their text seriously. As with everything .. some do .. many do not. Eventually, our survival mentality forces us from our comfort zones and begs of us to reach out. These e-mails is not a replacement of Dear Abby .. and it will never be .. but it is a sounding board and if I stimulate a collective response .. then I¼ve touched a trigger point .. a button that needs to be addressed. Below are two responses from many that I felt you would benefit reading. Naturally .. my reply will follow. Notice: ... my AOL address book was corrupted and I had to reinstall AOL .. losing all my e-mail addresses. There are, at least, 300 .. and I backed up almost 250. So .. if you are receiving this e- mail after requesting to be deleted .. please request again .. I apologize. If you have a freind that is sharing this with you and you relaize that you haven¼t been getting yours .. please request to get on-line again. Word to the wise .. back up and copy things on disk .. I did but was lazy the last few weeks. Okay: Back to the replies: (if you wish to receive the intial burn out e-mail .. please ask for it and it shall be done) 1st reply to the burn out e-mail from a DC in practice for many years: There is very little that this doctor went through that I haven't experienced one way or another. But the one thing that rings true is that she is willing to admit to herself exactly where she is right now - and that is often the hardest part. The other hard part is to see yourself as failing. As I look back to my years since graduation and even beyond, sometimes all I see is failure. But what I have learned (and I learned this only recently and I am 49!), is that with every failure I have learned an enormous amount. So, in essence, what I learned in failing (or more appropriately not succeeding at the level I felt I should have), was more than I could ever have learned in succeeding! This may sound really confusing, but I have a graduate degree from the school of hard knocks and I can testify to its truthfulness. I have found that our profession turns its back on its own far more often than any other profession I know of. Why - I'm not sure. So many DC's are envious, indeed jealous, of other DC's successes. Those that are successful are willing to share their secrets - for a price (hence practice management). What we have so very few of in this profession is mentors - true humans who wish to share what they have learned for the simple reason that they care. Success is not the number of patients you see per week. It is whether or not you wake up every morning and can't wait to do whatever it is that earns you income to live. There is one very simple suggestion, however, that I would like to make. About a month ago, I friend of mine (not a DC) in AZ called to suggest a set of tapes he'd purchased that he felt were incredible. I¼m probably like everyone else and have purchased tapes, books, gone to seminars, etc., with predictable, and disappointing, results. Ah, but this time I listened and it was worth every minute. The tapes are by Frederick Lehrman and are titled, "Prosperity Consciousness." They have literally saved my life. Mr. Lehrman does an excellent job of challenging your belief system on wealth, earning and your inner potential and forces you to face where this belief system actually came from - your childhood. While I knew some of those things that have shaped my beliefs and caused me to think as I do, never in my wildest dreams did I have the knowledge that these beliefs affect every communication (conscious and unconscious) with others. Subtle, almost psychic undercurrents that are passed on to others. No one is responsible for what happens to us but us and if you can take this simple idea and build on it, the way he does through these tapes, you can actually redefine your entire belief system about money, what it can and can't do for you, and how to achieve absolutely happiness, regardless of your profession. These tapes are sold by Nightingale Conant and were $55 - a drop in the bucket compared to all of the losses both she and I have suffered to date! (800 323 5552) I would welcome her e-mail address, or you may pass mine on to her, to communicate with her (not commiserate). Anyone, especially another female, who has had to walk through this dark tunnel, can attest that it can be the hand up that virtually sets you free and if I can help, I would be more than willing! Take care my friend, and keep in touch!¾ 2nd reply to burn out e-mail from a DC fresh out of school: „I appreciated your recent e-mail about the chiropractor¼s burn-out. It hit home for me in alot of ways. See I graduated from Life and took your class and have your Smart Start book. I respect what you say greatly, but I have been trying to implement what you outline and talk about. But, it gets discouraging when you do these things and you get NO feedback from the community. I have only been in practice (private) for 5 months. I bought a practice that was not what it seemed to be. After cleaning up the initial messes, I am now able to focus on talking the talk. But no one wants to listen and finances are running out. I feel sometimes like I am drowning and I can't help myself. But I refuse to give up I know that I am here to provide a service for those who don't know what we do and for the ones that do. Chiropractic has changed my life and others that I know, so I must tell others. But, when you are surrounded by successful chiropractors and things just aren¼t going like they should it gets a little frustrating. I wish that chiropractor luck because she has something that no one else can give but her. Thank You for keeping souls like myself afloat. I look forward to your e-mails each week. Hanging on by a prayer!¾ Now my reply: I appreciate your replies to this recent burn out e-mail. I am sharing two of many. The first one above was written by a DC with years of experience and being through hard times has never given up. The second reply, just above, is from a DC fresh out of school. Wide eyed, as all recent graduates are, she realized that owning a book and sitting through a class and scanning the chiropractic horizon is not enough to establish a successful business and a home for healing. The first step is to realize that you must take many steps to implement success. On the surface it seems that the successful folks are lucky and have their act together as a routine procedure .. it's not. Most have worked hard to get what they have and continue to work hard to keep it. It does take time and nurturing. The other day, during our mini staff meeting we discussed some of the recent problems we¼re having retaining patients. I know what to say .. what to do .. what to implement .. heck .. I wrote some scripts in my books .. but it still happens. In fact, I always expect something to happen .. if not retention .. it may be a lack of new patient's .. if not new patient's .. it may be no one wants to pay .. if not that it'll be this .. or that .. you know. A practice is like raising children .. with each growth spurt there¼s a challenge .. the end product you hope was something to be proud of. But you know the drill .. even the best of homes have problems. The fun is in the trying. So in our meeting .. we discussed the basics .. are we educating .. are we demonstrating .. are we bluntly communicating! Are we using analogies ..impressing the importance of follow through .. momentum .. physical care -vs- chemical care. Are we discussing the basics of chiropractic .. the subluxation .. taking away the concept that once their pain is gone they are too .. if you are a "patch-up" only DC (and that's your right and is a useful tool for many) then you're happy with a patch up here and a patch up there .. but for me .. I search for a correction. Again .. whatever your experience and training judges a correction to be .. you work with. But .. are we getting the message out. Are we giving our patient's homework .. whether it be exercises .. lifestyle evaluations, etc. and do we continue to call them after their first adjustment? Are we reminding them to return the next or the day after? Are we scheduling them and their supportive person to our initial workshop .. if they can't make it are we giving them the one on one time they desire and we must demand they get? Are we drilling or scripting, if necessary, everyone's role in the initial portion of our new patient routine .. from the welcome phone call to the case history, exam and report? Where and which steps are we missing? Can't be our community has chanced all of a sudden. The idea is that once you realize there is a problem and turn your attention towards correction .. just like the patient .. you¼re on your way to control and therefore back on track. Seems you and many others have tried to get on track .. but without a „track¾ record you continue to flounder. Believe me .. creation of a new and/or maintenance of an existing practice is the same .. it takes planning and follow through .. but the one common denominator is telling the story one on one. If you want my help you must do some homework. Create your farm .. write down within 5-10 miles around your office what exist concerning the four components of demographics .. clerical .. labor .. retail .. residential. Have a page for each and walk and drive the beat .. you have my book follow the advice in it. Chapters one and two. Once you write this down tell me .. via a plan .. what you wish to use these places for.. will it be workshops .. screenings .. community health network .. giving your cards and just saying hi .. surveys, etc. Once you decide what to do with the external portion of marketing and PR .. concentrate on the patient¼s you already have. What additional service can you provide that would augment their wellness and assist in your place being a beacon .. a focus towards health within your community? Will you begin weekly patient workshops .. even for just one person? Will you ask your patient to bring a friend for a very special workshop entitled „Wellness into the 21st Century¾ (workshop is already in Chapter seven of the book .. copy it and place your letterhead and give these out) maybe have the Pizza man around the corner deliver a pie or two and provide a snack. Will you take time from your busy day to spend extra time with a patient that has given you the proverbial „green light,¾ and seems to understand what you are attempting to do for them and others .. they will help you if you just ask. And .. what are you planning for the upcoming holidays .. from Thanksgiving through New Years. Will it be an office as usual ..or will you have LIFE all around and make it a happening living place .. maybe work with a charity and offer evaluations as part of a Patient Appreciation Day .. and extend it also to your community. These are just ideas .. but it¼s what works if you work with it. It¼s tough .. it never gets easy .. once you slake off .. so will your practice. Once you look the other way .. another DC open across the street with that tiger in their eye .. that burn in their belly .. that survivalist mentality will get what you were too lazy .. busy .. or afraid to get .. and that¼s new patients. So in conclusion .. unless you live on the Mir space hotel with a limited number of candidate patient¼s .. you have no reason to look at others and be jealous or envious. Success isn¼t just big numbers .. or how many you¼ve seen or how much you make .. success and happiness is much more than that .. but without fulfillment of your professional purpose .. you¼ll never be satisfied and success will always be a thought .. so .. be happy .. plan your trip .. and stay the course. The rest will follow. Dr. M P.S. .. if these e-mails are useful .. tell others about them .. or send me your chiropractic only e- mail address list and I¼ll send them a welcome e-mail. Also .. if you belong to a state association let them know of my e-mail address so they can publish it in their newsletter .. same is true for your alumni newspaper. I continue to appreciate the response to these e-mails. I attempt to stay on the positive course but being around just about ready to graduate students .. I learn from them and the new one you just left the coup .. as we in the business awhile already know .. it¼s not easy out there and we should help each other and share .. I¼ll edit the responses and keep it on the upside but with warts and all .. I¼ll attempt to help those needing it. What has also been very useful is my sharing an e-mail address amongst many of you .. a DC will ask to reply to someone¼s concerns .. I¼ll pass it on to them and if the other side agrees I¼ll pass their e-mail address along .. this way you get a number of opinions and help. That¼s the purpose. Keep in touch.