Limiting Mindset #6:

“I’m Comfortable Where I Am.”

The reality of Deciding on Your Discomforts.

Let’s continue on with our series about the various ways doctors and wellness professionals tend to have 9 DOT … in the box … or LIMITED thinking when it comes to their business. These BETWEEN THE EARS challenges often prove to be THE limiting factors to building and managing a practice. So far, we have touched on the following Limiting Mindsets”

• #1: “Tolerations”
• #2: “It’s Not That Bad…YET” or “Nothing Has Happened…YET!”
• #3: “It’s My Town”
• #4: “It’s just not my practice style”
• #5: “I’ve tried it once before”

This week we are going to address something nobody likes to discuss or feel: DISCOMFORT!

When we hear that phrase above (“I’m comfortable where I am”) it almost immediately flips on our “BS Meter”. Look, we’ve been around for decades, coached hundreds of doctors in some fashion or another and owned or help launch well over a hundred practices. Through all of that, it has become increasingly clear that when a statement like the one above is used it is really that doctor saying “I don’t want to get uncomfortable… if that’s what it takes to grow more, serve more or earn more”.

Nobody ever wants to be UN-comfortable when it comes to their practice, their business or their career. Doctors and wellness providers just want to help people. They want to enjoy their work. And they want to earn a nice living doing that. Well, most of them prefer to earn a VERY nice living doing that!

If you are like most other healthcare professionals that was probably your dream when you jumped into your field. Right? And, if you’re like most, there is still some hope or desire for more. Even IF you’re doing “okay” there is likely a hope for more. That next level would always be welcome. Right?

The disconnect for many professionals and business owners seems to be the realization that achieving that next level or that common dream really does require an ongoing investment of work, effort, decision, discipline and change. Of course, all of those things may be perceived as pain or discomfort by some. Professionals often opt to avoid such feelings of relative discomfort whether that is felt physically, mentally or emotionally. It’s their choice to do so.

That perspective or approach of “staying comfortable” may often work fine … for a while … until something occurs. Over time the world and our “industry” evolves and change happens around us. Gradually, people in this “comfort” mindset typically end up with a result, condition or circumstance much different than they really desired.

Where they find themselves doesn’t look or feel like they thought it would. Not at all. That ease of practice, the enjoyment factor and maybe even the income has not matched their dream. Not even close. Those things have somehow slipped away. It’s frustrating. It’s uncomfortable. But, it feels REALLY uncomfortable and overwhelming to think about changing that current state of affairs!

The cumulative effect of avoiding discomforts and choosing little “comforts” day in and day out … month in and month out … and ultimately year in and year out along the way has a way of creating a more significant DIS-comfort over time. This phenomenon can occur in virtually every area of life: our physical fitness, our finances, our relationships, our attitudes and our businesses! When we get lazy, sloppy or inattentive to “health” in any area (aka we remain comfortable) and begin to coast, there is usually trouble brewing.

This cause-and-effect scenario is so common. It is very real and has been recognized for years by experts and advisors. One such authority was a renowned speaker, author and personal achievement expert named Jim Rohn. He famously summarized this paradox this way:

What? The “pain” of discipline … or the “pain” of regret? Ugh! Nobody wants pain! Of course, nobody wants regret either!

A mentor of ours from early in our careers (Dr. Danny Drubin) used to always say it this way:

“You are either in the pain, or you are in the pain”

This principle will totally hold true for you if you are in practice – especially if you are a practice owner. It is human nature to not want to endure the “pain” or discomfort of resolving a business challenge, adapting to the ever-changing world of healthcare or expanding your practice to serve more … so you can EARN more. All of that is UN-comfortable! The secret lies in the perspective of that discomfort – and the linking you make with it.

Maybe the quickest and easiest way to begin shifting that perspective – and the results associated is to simply ask yourself a few questions:

• Am I truly comfortable right now?
• Is this how I imagined practice would be? Really?
• Is there any pain (physically, emotionally, financially, relationally, time-wise, etc.) associated with the way I’m currently running my business/practice?
• Is it painful to think that (unless something changes) I’m going to have to keep grinding through this thing called my career for “X” more years until I can “escape”.

Talk about UN-comfortable! As a doctor or business owner who has probably invested years of work and lots of money into your degree and practice, those are tough questions to ponder. Yet, they are real and, if taken seriously, they CAN be helpful to start shedding some truth about this matter of choosing your discomforts.

The MOST painful things to think about for many are those BIG meaningful factors … things bigger than money … things like life experiences they may miss, the negative and costly circumstances they may cause or the people and relationships they may let down if they do NOT get UN-comfortable and change. Those deep seated feelings are what create the regret Jim Rohn referenced in the first quote above.

Regret is one of those truly painful feelings. It’s different than the “discomfort” of expanding your practice, introducing a new service or learning a new way of doing things. Regret associated with our business and our income is brewed over time. It is way stronger and more difficult to resolve than those small daily discomforts. In reality, although the small daily action steps may seem difficult it’s the cumulative effect of NOT growing and expanding that is most difficult.

In closing, we want to encourage you to not settle. Refuse to get comfortable. Be willing to take on new challenges. Always be willing to grow and expand. Don’t be intimidated about considering a progressive (and profitable) way to help all of those in your practice and community struggling with obesity and living overweight. It may be UN-comfortable to think about adding something new to practice. But, like anything else, a little risk and a little discipline in learning, applying and sharing can generate great rewards!

This last quote summarizes this perspective of daily disciplines and regret very well …

Don’t live and practice in a way you may regret!

Serve more. Serve big. And, earn accordingly. You deserve it!

The GOOD NEWS is you get to Decide on your Discomfort. Choose Wisely! We are here to help empower you to do that. Click or call today!

Limiting Mindset #6:

“I’m Comfortable Where I Am.”

The reality of Deciding on Your Discomforts.

Let’s continue on with our series about the various ways doctors and wellness professionals tend to have 9 DOT … in the box … or LIMITED thinking when it comes to their business. These BETWEEN THE EARS challenges often prove to be THE limiting factors to building and managing a practice. So far, we have touched on the following Limiting Mindsets”

• #1: “Tolerations”
• #2: “It’s Not That Bad…YET” or “Nothing Has Happened…YET!”
• #3: “It’s My Town”
• #4: “It’s just not my practice style”
• #5: “I’ve tried it once before”

This week we are going to address something nobody likes to discuss or feel: DISCOMFORT!

When we hear that phrase above (“I’m comfortable where I am”) it almost immediately flips on our “BS Meter”. Look, we’ve been around for decades, coached hundreds of doctors in some fashion or another and owned or help launch well over a hundred practices. Through all of that, it has become increasingly clear that when a statement like the one above is used it is really that doctor saying “I don’t want to get uncomfortable… if that’s what it takes to grow more, serve more or earn more”.

Nobody ever wants to be UN-comfortable when it comes to their practice, their business or their career. Doctors and wellness providers just want to help people. They want to enjoy their work. And they want to earn a nice living doing that. Well, most of them prefer to earn a VERY nice living doing that!

If you are like most other healthcare professionals that was probably your dream when you jumped into your field. Right? And, if you’re like most, there is still some hope or desire for more. Even IF you’re doing “okay” there is likely a hope for more. That next level would always be welcome. Right?

The disconnect for many professionals and business owners seems to be the realization that achieving that next level or that common dream really does require an ongoing investment of work, effort, decision, discipline and change. Of course, all of those things may be perceived as pain or discomfort by some. Professionals often opt to avoid such feelings of relative discomfort whether that is felt physically, mentally or emotionally. It’s their choice to do so.

That perspective or approach of “staying comfortable” may often work fine … for a while … until something occurs. Over time the world and our “industry” evolves and change happens around us. Gradually, people in this “comfort” mindset typically end up with a result, condition or circumstance much different than they really desired.

Where they find themselves doesn’t look or feel like they thought it would. Not at all. That ease of practice, the enjoyment factor and maybe even the income has not matched their dream. Not even close. Those things have somehow slipped away. It’s frustrating. It’s uncomfortable. But, it feels REALLY uncomfortable and overwhelming to think about changing that current state of affairs!

The cumulative effect of avoiding discomforts and choosing little “comforts” day in and day out … month in and month out … and ultimately year in and year out along the way has a way of creating a more significant DIS-comfort over time. This phenomenon can occur in virtually every area of life: our physical fitness, our finances, our relationships, our attitudes and our businesses! When we get lazy, sloppy or inattentive to “health” in any area (aka we remain comfortable) and begin to coast, there is usually trouble brewing.

This cause-and-effect scenario is so common. It is very real and has been recognized for years by experts and advisors. One such authority was a renowned speaker, author and personal achievement expert named Jim Rohn. He famously summarized this paradox this way:

What? The “pain” of discipline … or the “pain” of regret? Ugh! Nobody wants pain! Of course, nobody wants regret either!

A mentor of ours from early in our careers (Dr. Danny Drubin) used to always say it this way:

“You are either in the pain, or you are in the pain”

This principle will totally hold true for you if you are in practice – especially if you are a practice owner. It is human nature to not want to endure the “pain” or discomfort of resolving a business challenge, adapting to the ever-changing world of healthcare or expanding your practice to serve more … so you can EARN more. All of that is UN-comfortable! The secret lies in the perspective of that discomfort – and the linking you make with it.

Maybe the quickest and easiest way to begin shifting that perspective – and the results associated is to simply ask yourself a few questions:

• Am I truly comfortable right now?
• Is this how I imagined practice would be? Really?
• Is there any pain (physically, emotionally, financially, relationally, time-wise, etc.) associated with the way I’m currently running my business/practice?
• Is it painful to think that (unless something changes) I’m going to have to keep grinding through this thing called my career for “X” more years until I can “escape”.

Talk about UN-comfortable! As a doctor or business owner who has probably invested years of work and lots of money into your degree and practice, those are tough questions to ponder. Yet, they are real and, if taken seriously, they CAN be helpful to start shedding some truth about this matter of choosing your discomforts.

The MOST painful things to think about for many are those BIG meaningful factors … things bigger than money … things like life experiences they may miss, the negative and costly circumstances they may cause or the people and relationships they may let down if they do NOT get UN-comfortable and change. Those deep seated feelings are what create the regret Jim Rohn referenced in the first quote above.

Regret is one of those truly painful feelings. It’s different than the “discomfort” of expanding your practice, introducing a new service or learning a new way of doing things. Regret associated with our business and our income is brewed over time. It is way stronger and more difficult to resolve than those small daily discomforts. In reality, although the small daily action steps may seem difficult it’s the cumulative effect of NOT growing and expanding that is most difficult.

In closing, we want to encourage you to not settle. Refuse to get comfortable. Be willing to take on new challenges. Always be willing to grow and expand. Don’t be intimidated about considering a progressive (and profitable) way to help all of those in your practice and community struggling with obesity and living overweight. It may be UN-comfortable to think about adding something new to practice. But, like anything else, a little risk and a little discipline in learning, applying and sharing can generate great rewards!

This last quote summarizes this perspective of daily disciplines and regret very well …

Don’t live and practice in a way you may regret!

Serve more. Serve big. And, earn accordingly. You deserve it!

The GOOD NEWS is you get to Decide on your Discomfort. Choose Wisely! We are here to help empower you to do that. Click or Call!