Nell Smircina, DAOM, LAc, Dipl. O.M.
My last article [April issue] We looked at not only our journey to becoming an accredited provider, but also what it took to get there. We dug into our “why,” our brand, and our genius space. It’s a mindset of understanding why you chose this career and recognizing that it’s important to see this as a career choice, not just a practice or a way to help people.
This shift in thinking often seems to meet with some resistance, as if becoming “career-focused” means being less patient-centered or less focused on good outcomes. I couldn’t agree more. Understanding this as a career choice gives us a vested interest. We are not working selflessly or sacrificially for others, but rather, good outcomes have intrinsic value to us.
Viewing this choice as a career also allows for greater support and resources for those who have had successful careers and accomplishments, and best practices can be referenced for careers as well as clinical protocols and techniques.
The most influential people I know have five characteristics (substitute whatever words resonate with you): success, Fulfilledetc.) regularly or commonly (regardless of industry):
Reading/Continuing Learning
I have never met anyone I respect who said, “I don’t really like reading.” This is also called continuing education, but the theme here is continuous learning and learning from others. This doesn’t mean just doing what others have done, but broadening your horizons of experience.
I tried to structure this (usually one book per month) and found that the more I did it, the more motivated I became. There were months when I felt like finishing a book was a struggle, but in the past month while finishing my MBA program, I finished three books because they were on subjects I am very interested in (the content felt meaningful and urgent).
Industry Engagement
Anyone who knows me knows I have been heavily involved in the industry for the last few years. I believe supporting national and state organizations and understanding the complexities of the industry are important to our survival. Our profession is sustained by our vendors, and this is true across many industries. While not everyone sits on boards or committees, understanding how the industry works and the key players that support our profession gives us a more holistic and comprehensive view of not only the present, but also future possibilities.
Know the numbers
I’m not shy about the impact money consciousness has had on me and my trajectory, or how it remains a challenge for me and our profession. But knowing the numbers for my practice, my personal finances, and my goals (which are good to quantify) helps me stay focused on progress. It allows me to track what’s working, which actually means what’s providing value. We need to make sure we’re consistently providing value to ourselves and our patients, or we can’t justify what we’re doing on a regular basis.
Solid Inner Circle
Have you ever heard that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with? It used to be a scary thought for me, and I encourage you to take it for what it is. But anyone living their best life will repeat this idea over and over again. It’s about having to move away from some people and learning to trust others to keep them close. This doesn’t mean you have to juggle the same five people for your entire life. It does mean you need to be mindful of who you spend your time with.
Embrace the growing pains
This is about a growth mindset. Thoughts lead to actions, which lead to actions, which lead to what you focus on. Our mindset towards what’s going on matters. One thing I’ve done that has dramatically changed things is that when I feel like I’m having a day where I want to complain or get down, I call it “growing pains.” This feels more manageable (and more exciting), because I know that every difficulty will lead to the next level of growth on the other side.
I encourage you to pick one of these five to work on for the next month. You don’t have to do them all at once, but there’s bound to be one that resonates with you more than the others. Start there.
