From: Dr. Margolies .. 1-5-98 This week¼s e-mail in on focus. I hope some of you have seen the latest Woody Allen movie "De-Constructing Henry." I realize it takes a certain personality to watch a Woody Allen movie .. but once you pass his ethnic stereotyping .. his humor .. wit .. and introspective look within many of us .. it¼s hard to beat. Nonetheless .. in this movie .. Robin Williams is one of the many character actors that play the same role .. in this instance .. he is on camera and is literally out of focus. Everyone is dumbfounded .. how can someone be out of focus. A great theme for a weekly e-mail ... are you .. are we as a profession .. is our state and national associations .. Out of Focus? I¼ll leave the psychological therapy for the therapist couch .. as well as the bigger battles our associations must win to themselves .. let¼s dwell upon patient and individual management that we can handle to achieve our personal and professional focus. Action step this week is to step back. After your morning and evening hours are complete .. step back and determine if you had focused on your primary reason for being in the office. Let¼s focus now .. was it to spend time away from home .. was it to go to work .. was it to serve your community with conservative health care .. was it to educate the ramifications of subluxations left unattended .. was it the challenge to create awareness of your purpose sharing it with your patients and having them share it with others .. or is it just to make money? Focus .. whatever your purpose was .. did you accomplish it? Did you get your message across to the majority you met? Are you focusing on the positive or the negative? Are you focusing in the realm of possibility or impossibility? Are you focusing in a state of desire or despair? Are you in focus? How about you as an individual? Is your life grounded .. focused? Is your daily life a grind and burden or is it always in the creative mode .. maybe somewhat unusual .. as mine .. but focused nonetheless. Is your personal life in turmoil? Are you complete with compulsive behavior habits? Do you need to be more focused? Have you already forgotten those new year resolutions? Step back .. focus. Seems to me that each patient is deserving of your best focused attention .. Seems to me that each staff member deserves your undivided attention for every detail of patient and practice management .. focus. Seems to me that practice promotion from each newsletter to patient orientation deserves creative energy focused towards success. Seems to me we all need to step back once in awhile and focus. What do you think? Dr. M