A common topic amongst my wellness coaching clients is control, how to get more of it or let some of it go. How to manage what control they think they have better.
We all have our own way of defining control. One things that’s become very clear to me working with many allied health practice owners, is this.
The way you define control directly and indirectly determines the success of their practices!
So, what does this mean?
The way you manage your beliefs around control manifests in the way you are ‘being’ in your life and practice.
Think about that for a moment.
If your version of control is all about holding on, maintaining the tightest grip possible, being hyper-vigilant, avoiding mistakes at all costs, no matter how small, pre-empting, correcting even before something needs correcting…then chances are you are not the most relaxed person to be around.
Am I right?
If this is you is that working for you?
Be honest
I’m thinking it’s not!
What’s the cost to you? This ‘type’ of control will negatively impact your health, your family, your team and everyone else you connect and relate to both directly and indirectly.
It generates Anxiety, constant anxiety.
Apprehension, stress and conversely ….less control.
Then your kids stop wanting to spend time with you; your partner detaches from you emotionally, then physically, then all together. Your practice patient numbers start to decline; practitioners leave; your staff turn-over increases…and you’re wondering what the hell is going on.
Because your goal has always been to take care of things. Handling everything so that others including your family and team are all OK. But by this stage they’re not Ok and neither are you.
What’s really happening is the creation of an energy that pushes those around you away. Whilst your control issues may be uncomfortable for you, it’s even more uncomfortable for those around you. Basically, you not allowing the fundamental universal law: Attraction.
So why don’t we redefine control and create a new version of reality.
CONTROL RE-DEFINED:
- Control is letting go whilst staying accountable, responsible.
- Control is allowing flow, creativity, input, inspiration and contribution.
- Control is about trust, faith, confidence, and belief in yourself and those around you.
- Control is about holding the space not necessarily the content.
- Control is about clarity and excitement around your destination, and then referring to that feeling regularly.
- Control is energetically economical.
- Control is ease and joy.
- Control is about being truthful 100% of the time.
How does that sound?
It’s some ways it may seem counter-intuitive, certainly foreign. It’s natural to resist this version of control however with practice this can become your new way of being. From this space everything can transform.
The first you will notice is an ease in your life. The Universal law of attraction engages and there is flow.
When I realised something needed to change in this area of my life I decided to practice the art of ‘Letting it go’. It was hard. It was counter intuitive and so difficult to trust but this is what happened.
I almost immediately noticed changes. My patient numbers increased, my team appeared more responsive, more engaged, happier to be in my space. My practitioners seemed more coachable. My family wanted to spend time with me again. It was worth the struggle tenfold!
So, let’s talk about three key strategies to support you to move towards this new version of control.
- Awareness of your state: Starting with yourself is the only place to start. Be intentional about your presence and the energy you are giving off to others. Learn to exercise control over your own emotions, thoughts and responses. Einstein, Dr. Joe Dispenza and Dr. Deepak Chopra all talk about our thoughts creating our reality. Our thoughts create a vibration which ultimately manifests physically around us. In other words, we manifest what we focus on. Exerting controlling behaviours suggests to the Universe that things are out of control and this becomes our experience. This is quantum physics. Establish a series of habits that help you stay on track… in flow. You could try meditation, tapping, or simply listening to calming music whilst focusing on how you need to ‘be’ to achieve your goals. It is ‘being’ that creates positive manifestation not ‘wanting’.
- Craft your Message: Oftentimes, lack of flow and exerting control stem from our lack of authentically delivering our communication. Being rock solid on who we are and what we want to create is central to being able to let go of control. In our ‘controlling’ state we are so anxious and busy micro-managing we don’t allow time to develop and craft our authentic message. The lack of clarity and authenticity of our message and our ‘being it’ means we deliver something that not only doesn’t really express who we are but is also confusing to others. When you decide who you are and you deliver this in what you say and do there can be no confusion. When you exude this your ‘presence’ is doing a lot of the work for you. It saves A LOT of energy. You can begin with crafting a message like my example below. It must resonate with you and your goals on every level. To do this go into your feelings around who you are and what you want to create, once you have this clear and know you can live it with excitement and enthusiasm write it down. You may have different messages for different areas of your life. Here is an example of my message as a Practice Leverage expert. I am it and I believe it and so do those around me.
I help Allied Health practice owners:
- Attract, Manage and Retain Clients
- Recruit, Motivate and Train Teams
- Design and Implement Systems
- And provide consistent service excellence.
But what I’m really passionate about is helping create their exit strategy so they can have more time, location and financial freedom.
Crafting your message will give you more flow, more freedom, and allow you to be far more creative.
- Create your dream: Do you know your Endgame? Think about this scenario if you were to get in your car, start the engine and drive but had no idea where you needed to get to what are the chances you wont actually arrive? Pretty high I would say.
I have had many conversations with allied health practice owners and one thing that stands out is a lack of clarity around what I call ‘the endgame’. Essentially, it’s about knowing now, where you want to be at some designated point in the future, and then and then every decision you make is with your Endgame in mind NOW.
Knowing your destination is like setting the SATNAV before you leave.
Interestingly those of us who are control freaks are often only focused on what’s directly in front of us, taking their practice from one week to the next instead of from now to where we want to end up. We loose the vision, the excitement, the enthusiasm. No wonder we are exhausted, disillusioned and controlling.
Today, more than ever, practice owners need to move to the new version of control, if their practices and relationships are to survive. Mastering the art of ‘letting go’ is going to be a necessary challenge. Taking on this new version of ‘control’ is no different to learning any other new skill. It takes commitment and patience. It is worth it.
You can learn much more about control and many other aspects of running a successful practice at The Practice Leverage Revolution.
It’s never been a more important time to develop a wellness practice that runs itself so you can have both time and financial freedom…and you need the right team that’s going to get you there! Ultimately, it’s about getting your practice scalable and saleable.
The Practice Leverage Revolution does not focus on any single modality but rather, on the creation of wellness teams working together to grown exponentially and leverage results for practitioners, support staff, clients and you the owner.
It’s not just about creating an office procedure manual but rather, helps you develop and implement robust systems, inspired team and empowered marketing practices so that you can help move the world to wellness.
The Practice Leverage Revolution is founded on 30 years of clinical experience in all areas of private, allied health practice. Our models empower you to develop a business that works for you.
This is what we are going to do at our 1 day training for wellness practice owners.
We’re going to break down the myths, complexities and the language so you can build a clinic that not only serves you, your clients, but your entire community.
It’s time for change! The question is being you going to be the driving force or be dragged under and lose your dream?
I would love to help empower you to grow your thriving practice, actualize your practice dreams and create a business that’s both scalable and saleable.
Regards
Andrew
P.S: Remember when you book your ticket you get one ticket on me. I recommend bringing your manager, a practitioner or someone from your reception.
P.P.S: If you have been before we invite you to come back as we’re always updating our content and you will learn it at a whole new level.
About the Author:
Dr. Andrew Arnold (Chiropractor) is Founder of the Practice Leverage Revolution, Principal Chiropractor and owner, Cranbourne Family Chiropractic and Wellness Centre; Wellness Coach and Founder of Million Dollar Wellness Practice. Andrew is married to Dr. Linda Wilson, the Stress Specialist and has two children, Isaac and Bella. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.