Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays I like to share some of the experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant in some way. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
Something I encounter often in practice. When I meet with new patients, they often tell me how high their pain tolerance is but then follow up with how much pain medication (prescription and/or over the counter) they take daily. I bring this up, to point out, that pain is a message that your body gives you that something is amiss. Your body is prompting you to do some investigating, find the issue and figure out what it will take to correct. Masking these signals with medication does not mean that you have a superhuman ability to endure pain, it means you are blocking those signals and the issue remains.
Pain medication certainly has a place, but it is not meant (or designed) as a long-term solution. A body that feels pain is simply transmitting a signal in the same way your car does when the check engine light comes on. What you choose to do with that information is up to you but seeking to fix a problem will always be more effective than covering it up.
A concept I love. There is a Navy SEAL I follow on social media that talked recently about “spot checks” – times when another person will look in on you and make sure you’re living up to your potential. He used an example of a friend texting, saying he was in town and asking if he wanted to go on a long run together. This was a “spot check” of sorts to see if he was still staying in shape.
I love this concept not because I have people showing up at my door and looking to race me, but I like the overall premise which is to always be living my brand. When someone sees me at a restaurant, I will be eating healthy, neighbors will see me leaving my house to go run, my kids will see and hear me working out in my yard or garage, I will always give each individual patient the best treatment I possibly can on each visit, etc. I want to behave as though at any second if someone were to show up and “spot check” my behavior, they would have proof that I am living by example!
A trait I often find that is missing. I notice more and more that the difference in levels of success has far less to with talent or circumstances than intensity. I see this among business owners, athletes, you name it. Let’s use business as our example. Person 1 sends out emails, does mailings, performs the basics of what they think should build business and sees little or no return. They tell anyone who will listen how much they’ve done and cry the blues that nothing has come back to them. These people are usually already on a countdown to quitting.
Person 2 does the same thing but with more intensity. As a result, they adjust, try new things, and refuse to take no for an answer. They spend no time complaining and work until they begin to see results at which point, they gain confidence in addition to their intensity. If you’re not gaining the traction you want in each endeavor, take a hard look at the intensity you are (or are not) bringing forth.
An analogy I think works. Have you ever had a car sit too long in a garage or in your driveway and when you go to start it back up the battery is dead? It’s a bummer and could easily have been avoided by simply starting the car up at least a couple times per week.
Your body is similar in this regard. If it is not used, it will lose power and be much harder to get going when you decide you want to. Rather than allow this to happen, make sure you’re keeping it regularly active. This includes exercise of all types, walking, hiking, biking, and/or countless other options. Choose whatever works best for you but remember that if you don’t use it, you will lose it so keep moving!
Some quotes I love.
“Imagine eating the exact same dinner every day because you only have the same ingredients. The only hope is going out to procure different ingredients. It’s the same with the trajectory of your life. It’s made up of the ingredients you’ve had so far. Want a different life? Go get new ingredients.” – Kevin Miller
“If you run with the lame, you will develop a limp.” – Louie Simmons
“A wise man once said, ‘be careful who you let on your ship, because some people will sink the whole ship just because they can’t be the captain’.” – Tim Kennedy
“Freedom is not free. Freedom comes with responsibility. The responsibility that comes with having free speech and free access to information, you have to do your own research on both sides of any issue if you don’t want to be an idiot.” – Colion Noir
“Lions never forget who poked them through the cage.” – Ray Care
Want more?
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