Seeing Clearly

To quote the song: ""I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way." How clear is your vision? How conscious are you of obstacles that lie between where you are and where you want to be? Seeing clearly is an inescapable mandate for long-term ac­complishment. Let us exam­ine. I am disturbed by the large volume of chiropractors and chiropractic parapro-fcssionals that are confused about their values, actions and directions. It is hard to ask patients for money when you are confused about what you are doing. It is impossible to accomplish specific politi­cal ends when you have political leaders who have a fog of consciousness directed at unidentified wishes and goals as com­pared to a severe and uncompromising standard and vision. We live in an age of approximations and rhetoric. Many of our leaders are evasive and know how to speak volumes without saying a word. This phenomenon, which exists inside and outside of chiropractic, leads to a sense of dread and despair and culminates in that worst of human conditions, a percep­tion of helplessness and the feeling of being unable to take any meaningful action; the unnamed emotion that has you wishing that somehow you will be spared so that you can survive in this incomprehensible world that has malice in its heart. Seeing clearly is the solution to this foggy nightmare. When you look in the mirror in the mom-ing, what do you see? When is the last time you examined yourself consciously to see if there is anything you want to change. Seeing clearly starts with look­ing in the mirror (metaphorically speak­ing). Ask yourself what values you hold in your life and why you hold these par- ticular values. These values lie in five aspects of your experience: 1. You, separate from the rest of the world. 2. Your family life. 3. Your professional life. 4. Your financial life. 5. Your spiritual life. Are you seeing your values clearly in all five of these areas? I recommend tak­ing out a pen and organizing your thoughts relative to this. Are there con­tradictions between some of these val­ues? If so, you must consciously fix them. For this article, let's focus on number three—your professional life. It is critical that you see clearly many dimensions of your professional experi­ence. Starting with the wider issues, if I were to ask you what your assessment was of the state of healthcare in your cul­ture, how would you answer me? You are in the healthcare field. You are expected to be an expert and have a point of view. What is it? Is it your point of view or some memorized slogan? Next, you should be able to articulate how chiro­practic, as a whole, is a solution to the problems and challenges facing today's healthcare predicament. The role your profession plays needs to be clear to all its practitioners. Now that you have de­veloped a clear perspective of the more global situation and have mastered articu­lating it, it is time to narrow the focus to your town or city. What unique chal­lenges or circumstances exist there? What is the clear role you play as a chiro­practor relative to these challenges? It is critical that you sec the answers to these questions clearly. Now, let's narrow the focus more and look at your practice. If I were to ask you why I should be­come a member of your practice, how would you answer me? How clear is it to you? What is unique and powerful about you and the services you provide? Can you answer this question in 15 seconds or less? You need to be able to. Many chiropractors arc a bit confused about the specific nature of the service they are pro­viding and, therefore, are confused about its value. If you want to see a symptom of lack of clarity in your office, talk to your staff. Ask them why they think it is important for people to come to your of- fice for service. Their answers should be very revealing. As the great line from Remember the Titans goes, "Attitude re­flects leadership." I want you to have a clear vision of your profession and its role in society. I want you to have a clear vision of your community and your role in it. I want you to have a clear vision for your practice and the nature of the services it provides. Seeing clearly means having a clear sense of purpose. Seeing clearly completely dissipates a sense of helplessness. See­ing clearly is a conscious, powerful state of being that catalyses purposeful action and breeds success. Seeing clearly does not happen as an automatic process; it requires your effort. Can you see this clearly? Patrick Gen tempo, Jr., D.C., co-founder and CEO of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance, in Maywood. NJ, is a I9M3 graduate of Life College. An interna­tionally renowned chiropractor, lecturer, and consultant, he has helped thousands of chiropractors achieve success and balance in their lives. Dr. Gentempo is also co-creator of the practice and life-changing Total Solution program. For information about CLA seminars, products, and ser­vices, call 800-285-2001. or visit www, subluxation.com