Really.
Will Bowen, creator of A Complaint Free World, suggests that when we utter a complaint - any complaint at all - we shift the energy of our immediate environment and create a world of negativity for ourselves and the people we are in contact with.
Think about it for a second...we do so much complaining and griping about the most trivial things. Things that really don't matter in the scope of it all..and what's even worse, some of us just can't let them go. We cast blame on others for our misgivings, we point fingers at people and situations that "aren't our fault", failing to objectively look at the person or situation for what it is.
Yup, I'm guilty too...
And I guess the venting needs to happen every once in awhile, it's cathartic to get something off your chest, but failing to take action to resolve the situation always leads to more complaining, future regrets and resents, and more negativity. And man, I just don't want to live that way...don't want to surround myself with that kind of energy.
Bowen will be at Lyceum in April sharing his message of creating a complaint free world...I'd love you to join us to hear it and change some of the ways you do things, or maybe you can find another way to mitigate the complaints and enhance your energy.
Either way, it's time to stop complaining and start being grateful for what you have. Whether its a great practice, an amazing school, a wonderful family, meaningful relationships, or something as trivial as just being alive!!
Now that's something to be thankful for!
Live out loud my friends!!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Rinsing Your Cottage Cheese...
Jim Collins tells a great story about ultra-disciplined triathlete Dave Scott in his book Good to Great.
"In training, Scott would ride his bike 75 miles, swim 20,000 meters, and run 17 miles - on average, every single day. dave Scott did not have a weight problem! Yet he believed that a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet would give him an extra edge. So, Dave Scott - a man who burned at least 5,000 calories a day in training - would literally rinse his cottage cheese to get the extra fat off."
Are you that disciplined? Are you doing rituals every morning as you start your day? Before every shift? Saying your affirmations, every single day? Putting your body and mind in a state to live extraordinarily?
Or do you just kind of go through your day letting life happen to you?
Being disciplined like this gets you to a new level, and even though rinsing his cottage cheese was a very small thing in the scope of winning 6 Hawaii Ironman's, it was a culmination of all those small things that he did every day that made him a champion.
Your choice.
"In training, Scott would ride his bike 75 miles, swim 20,000 meters, and run 17 miles - on average, every single day. dave Scott did not have a weight problem! Yet he believed that a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet would give him an extra edge. So, Dave Scott - a man who burned at least 5,000 calories a day in training - would literally rinse his cottage cheese to get the extra fat off."
Are you that disciplined? Are you doing rituals every morning as you start your day? Before every shift? Saying your affirmations, every single day? Putting your body and mind in a state to live extraordinarily?
Or do you just kind of go through your day letting life happen to you?
Being disciplined like this gets you to a new level, and even though rinsing his cottage cheese was a very small thing in the scope of winning 6 Hawaii Ironman's, it was a culmination of all those small things that he did every day that made him a champion.
Your choice.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
AGAIN!!
One of my all-time favorite movies, Miracle, tells the story of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team and their stunning upset of the Soviet Union and eventual gold medal win.
One particular scene is extremely powerful for me, because it shows a pivotal moment in the teams effort to come together. After finishing with a tie in an exhibition game against Norway, which should have been an easy win, Coach Herb Brooks found his team unmotivated, undisciplined and downright lazy.
After the game, he made the team skate gassers until they vomited, forcing them to come together as a team and unite for the common goal.
You see, the test that is your life is the pain and struggle you have to endure to grow. The bumps and bruises we gather along the way...the issues and questions that come along, are answered based on our experiences, wisdom and awareness. We may get the answers right or wrong. Getting them wrong is okay, because growth comes from failure, but getting the same question(s) wrong over and over brings regrets and resents that invade your life.
Brooks states in the clip that his team can't be common men, because common men go nowhere, pleading with them to be uncommon.
Uncommon men and women like you live extraordinary lives. You choose to get out of bed every morning with Lasting Purpose. You work tirelessly for the principle. You make it happen despite all the obstacles that say it shouldn't be done. Uncommon men and women like you make a difference in your communities and in the world by the things you say and the actions you take.
Be uncommon today.
One particular scene is extremely powerful for me, because it shows a pivotal moment in the teams effort to come together. After finishing with a tie in an exhibition game against Norway, which should have been an easy win, Coach Herb Brooks found his team unmotivated, undisciplined and downright lazy.
After the game, he made the team skate gassers until they vomited, forcing them to come together as a team and unite for the common goal.
You see, the test that is your life is the pain and struggle you have to endure to grow. The bumps and bruises we gather along the way...the issues and questions that come along, are answered based on our experiences, wisdom and awareness. We may get the answers right or wrong. Getting them wrong is okay, because growth comes from failure, but getting the same question(s) wrong over and over brings regrets and resents that invade your life.
Brooks states in the clip that his team can't be common men, because common men go nowhere, pleading with them to be uncommon.
Uncommon men and women like you live extraordinary lives. You choose to get out of bed every morning with Lasting Purpose. You work tirelessly for the principle. You make it happen despite all the obstacles that say it shouldn't be done. Uncommon men and women like you make a difference in your communities and in the world by the things you say and the actions you take.
Be uncommon today.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Carrying the Torch...
I was having an exchange on facebook yesterday with a Chiropractor I really admire...totally switched on, constantly promoting TIC as it should be, a spirit and energy that is contagious...a practice based on pregnant moms and kids.
She was saying that she had not been feeling well and in fact had slept over 30 hours over the weekend.
When was the last time you gave so much and played full out for the principle? When you played so hard that Innate just shut you down to recover so that you could go out and serve more?
George Bernard Shaw said "This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as I live it is my privilege - my *privilege* to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got a hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."
Let me tell you...when you get there, when you use yourself up for the principle, you get to be at a place closer to Innate...and if you listen very carefully, that wee sma' voice deep inside will guide you to greater things.
Thanks Cynthia for all you do, thanks to ALL Chiropractors who are out there giving, loving and serving out of abundance for a better world. Lasting Purpose is that splendid torch you carry for our profession and humanity will benefit from it by being cared for and inspired by you.
Keep on keeping on...
She was saying that she had not been feeling well and in fact had slept over 30 hours over the weekend.
When was the last time you gave so much and played full out for the principle? When you played so hard that Innate just shut you down to recover so that you could go out and serve more?
George Bernard Shaw said "This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as I live it is my privilege - my *privilege* to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I love. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I've got a hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."
Let me tell you...when you get there, when you use yourself up for the principle, you get to be at a place closer to Innate...and if you listen very carefully, that wee sma' voice deep inside will guide you to greater things.
Thanks Cynthia for all you do, thanks to ALL Chiropractors who are out there giving, loving and serving out of abundance for a better world. Lasting Purpose is that splendid torch you carry for our profession and humanity will benefit from it by being cared for and inspired by you.
Keep on keeping on...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Empty the Tank...
To my friends, it's probably monumental to them that I haven't mentioned Bruce Springsteen in one of my posts yet. It would be modest to say that I'm a big fan...and it's only a recently developed fanaticism (a few years), at least for Bruce fans. I've traveled all over the southeast in recent years attending as many concerts as I could (4 on the last tour), meeting people who were attending their 45th show, and sharing the front row with three generations of fans.
My adoration for The Boss prompts many questions: mostly, why so much attention? What is it about him, the E Street Band, and the music that is so special?
Like Chiropractic, the music speaks to my heart, it's about struggle and hope, it's about overcoming fears and rising to greatness, it's about tapping into the genius in all and empowering others to become extraordinary. It's about removing the interference and becoming 100% of who you are.
It's "that special something."
As a performer (if you've had the privilege to see The Boss you completely understand), there is no better concert experience. I can see the eyes rolling and hear the guffaws now...and I get it, you have your favorites as well, but I've never seen energy like this coming off the stage...and it's always a marathon show.,.we're talking 3+ hours every show.
John Stewart summed it best when he introduced Bruce for his induction at The Kennedy Center Honors last year..."whenever I see Bruce Springsteen do anything, he empties the tank...every time..." That's the power he creates on stage, in his music, for me.
So I gotta ask, when was the last time you emptied your tank?
When was the last time you gave everything out of love and ambition and pride and service and humility?
Can you do it today? Please? The power you will create for yourself and those around you will be magnificent. The attraction into your life of the things you want will be effortless.
Go out and empty the tank today, and tomorrow and every day you have after that and watch your life be magical.
My adoration for The Boss prompts many questions: mostly, why so much attention? What is it about him, the E Street Band, and the music that is so special?
Like Chiropractic, the music speaks to my heart, it's about struggle and hope, it's about overcoming fears and rising to greatness, it's about tapping into the genius in all and empowering others to become extraordinary. It's about removing the interference and becoming 100% of who you are.
It's "that special something."
As a performer (if you've had the privilege to see The Boss you completely understand), there is no better concert experience. I can see the eyes rolling and hear the guffaws now...and I get it, you have your favorites as well, but I've never seen energy like this coming off the stage...and it's always a marathon show.,.we're talking 3+ hours every show.
John Stewart summed it best when he introduced Bruce for his induction at The Kennedy Center Honors last year..."whenever I see Bruce Springsteen do anything, he empties the tank...every time..." That's the power he creates on stage, in his music, for me.
So I gotta ask, when was the last time you emptied your tank?
When was the last time you gave everything out of love and ambition and pride and service and humility?
Can you do it today? Please? The power you will create for yourself and those around you will be magnificent. The attraction into your life of the things you want will be effortless.
Go out and empty the tank today, and tomorrow and every day you have after that and watch your life be magical.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Curse of Competence...
"Good is the enemy of great," reads the first line of Jim Collins' book Good to Great (a classic in the business community).
Great is understanding what you can be the very best in the world at while also understanding what you cannot be the best in the world at.
Good shows up in a variety of ways: lacking conviction, turning to outside-in approaches, doing the minimal necessary to skate by, being comfortable, etc...
Here's how it can unfold in an office? In an effort to create additional revenue sources and be "good", you think "maybe I'll start selling some vitamins, and pillows, and begin some therapies, and join this program and do this and that...even to the point of some incorporating laser hair removal and cellulite therapy in their practice," during which the essence of your practice gets diluted, causing you to lose focus and intent on why you're there and what services you provide.
Don't you see external damage this does? That the mindset of the public is already so outside-in?? Their paradigm of achieving health is that something must come from outside of them to "cure" them...and when you bring all that outside stuff into your practice, the message gets garbled...and it's no wonder the public is so confused about what we do...it's no wonder billboards and buses in Connecticut can have ads on them "warning" the public of how dangerous we are...
And I can hear some now say, "well they need this stuff, it makes them feel better and I'm achieving success in my business by doing it, and the patients are happy...and and and...
Collins sums it up perfectly "to go from good to great requires transcending the curse of competence. It requires the discipline to say, 'just because we are good at it - just because we are making money and generating growth - doesn't necessarily mean we can become the best at it.' The good to great companies understood that doing what you are good at will only make you good; focusing solely on what you can potentially do better than any other organization is the only path to greatness."
I'll throw it out to you...and I expect answers back!!
No more distractions for you, okay? Keep it simple, pure and unadulterated, then watch your practice explode!
Great is understanding what you can be the very best in the world at while also understanding what you cannot be the best in the world at.
Good shows up in a variety of ways: lacking conviction, turning to outside-in approaches, doing the minimal necessary to skate by, being comfortable, etc...
Here's how it can unfold in an office? In an effort to create additional revenue sources and be "good", you think "maybe I'll start selling some vitamins, and pillows, and begin some therapies, and join this program and do this and that...even to the point of some incorporating laser hair removal and cellulite therapy in their practice," during which the essence of your practice gets diluted, causing you to lose focus and intent on why you're there and what services you provide.
Don't you see external damage this does? That the mindset of the public is already so outside-in?? Their paradigm of achieving health is that something must come from outside of them to "cure" them...and when you bring all that outside stuff into your practice, the message gets garbled...and it's no wonder the public is so confused about what we do...it's no wonder billboards and buses in Connecticut can have ads on them "warning" the public of how dangerous we are...
And I can hear some now say, "well they need this stuff, it makes them feel better and I'm achieving success in my business by doing it, and the patients are happy...and and and...
Collins sums it up perfectly "to go from good to great requires transcending the curse of competence. It requires the discipline to say, 'just because we are good at it - just because we are making money and generating growth - doesn't necessarily mean we can become the best at it.' The good to great companies understood that doing what you are good at will only make you good; focusing solely on what you can potentially do better than any other organization is the only path to greatness."
I'll throw it out to you...and I expect answers back!!
- What are Chiropractors the best in the world at??
- And of equal import, what can we never be the best in the world at?
No more distractions for you, okay? Keep it simple, pure and unadulterated, then watch your practice explode!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Seeing and Believing...
The old statement goes, "I'll believe it when I see it!" And in this life of ours we too often take this jaded, outside-in point of view.
Don't you see how wrong that is?
Our belief systems and how we view the world is what manifests as our lives. It's becoming more and more accepted that researchers have a profound tangible impact on the studies they're performing because they simply desire that specific outcome.
Here's a real life example. The patient that has been inactive for months flashes through your mind and you spend a few moments thinking about their health and life...what happens??
They "magically" end up on your books that afternoon...how many times has that happened to you??
I suggest taking your appointment book and filling in all the blank spaces with the names of the family members who aren't under your care, all the inactive files you have and the people you've met at events and visual them coming to see you. Don't you believe that they need to be checked for vertebral subluxation?
If you do, watch those people begin calling. Watch your books start to fill up. Watch your practice explode. See your town get to new levels of health. See yourself creating a life of success and significance.
But to see it...first, you gotta believe.
Don't you see how wrong that is?
Our belief systems and how we view the world is what manifests as our lives. It's becoming more and more accepted that researchers have a profound tangible impact on the studies they're performing because they simply desire that specific outcome.
Here's a real life example. The patient that has been inactive for months flashes through your mind and you spend a few moments thinking about their health and life...what happens??
They "magically" end up on your books that afternoon...how many times has that happened to you??
I suggest taking your appointment book and filling in all the blank spaces with the names of the family members who aren't under your care, all the inactive files you have and the people you've met at events and visual them coming to see you. Don't you believe that they need to be checked for vertebral subluxation?
If you do, watch those people begin calling. Watch your books start to fill up. Watch your practice explode. See your town get to new levels of health. See yourself creating a life of success and significance.
But to see it...first, you gotta believe.
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