Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays I like to share experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
A recent interaction. I talked to a young chiropractor friend of mine this week about his practice. He explained that he has days/weeks that are great and then others that are slow. Unfortunately, this rattles his confidence and then he begins to doubt himself. What I told him is that this can and does happen to anyone in business regardless of what field, industry, or type of business. I gave him some advice that has helped me in my own endeavors.
First, you must put forth energy in everything you do and not get distracted by social media, trivial things, etc. No business builds if the person who runs it has no passion or time to commit to it. Second, analyze all the data you have. Double down on whatever works and adjust things that do not (I prefer one at a time). This helps you see your strengths and weaknesses better. Finally, remove ego from the equation. Any business can get slow, so you cannot view it as a personal attack on yourself. Simply focus on the processes and understand there will be ebbs and flows, especially at the beginning.
A great reminder. Over the long weekend I took my 4- and 6-year-old kiddos on a 90-minute hike up and down a large hill near our home. We had done that trek previously and both complained a lot and it was not the most enjoyable time. This time, however, was a different story. What struck me as the difference between both hikes is quite simple but important.
On our first hike up that hill, I just let them follow me and as a result, all they did was ask how much further we had to go. I would get annoyed, tell them, and then they would lose their mojo. On the hike last weekend, I simply engaged them in fun conversations about things they liked. Not only did we complete the hike far faster, but they both kept talking about how fun it was and when we might go back. The lesson is that when you focus your mind on how difficult something is, how much further there is, or why you’d rather not do it; you tend to fail. However, if you operate in the moment, focus on something you do like, and just keep going; it’s always a success. Your thoughts and mindset can either propel you to greatness or make you miserable, trust me on this.
Something that helps me. Like everyone else, I have times where I’m annoyed, overwhelmed, angry, or feeling anxious. My goal in these instances is to minimize how long this goes on. For example, I’d rather only feel this way for one hour not two, or one day as opposed to multiple. I have various methods and strategies for dealing with such times, but one thing I call on regularly is a short burst of exercise.
My go-to when I’ve had an exhausting or trying day is to simply perform one hundred burpees (even if I’ve already worked out that day). This will take me 8-10 minutes and is exertional enough where it resets my physiology to a place where I feel like I’ve gotten rid of mental baggage. From that point forward, I tend to be more relaxed and reasonable, and things begin to improve. You may not want to do burpees yourself, but I do recommend adopting some type of brief, physical exercise to perform whenever you feel your stress level rising. Even 5-minutes can be enough to alleviate significant amounts of stress and worry, believe me.
Something I believe. Most people would tell you that I am a nice guy but that I can be extremely intense at times. This week I was having my sunroof repaired and after 8 hours was told there was a problem with a part, and it would be days before they could get a new one in and fix it. Furthermore, they explained that my vehicle had been taken apart, I could not pick it up, and there was nothing they could do. I was extremely understanding and nice until that point at which time I became extremely direct and firm with them. Though I was never disrespectful or raised my voice, I let them know that I would be by soon and that I was driving away either in my own car or one they provided free of charge (they had told me initially that was not an option). When I arrived 30 minutes later, they had a nice, loaner truck for me and went through in detail how the rest of the issues would be rectified.
My belief is that it is best to be kind and empathetic. However, there are times when you absolutely must confront people. When I was younger, I used to struggle with this premise. I thought if I were genuinely nice, I would never need to get in someone’s face, and if I were strong, I wouldn’t need to be so nice. Now, I see that these things can live harmoniously. Most of the time I am calm and fair, but certain situations call for increased aggressiveness. When it comes to how I deal with the people and situations around me, I love this quote from the movie Roadhouse, “Be nice, until it is time to not be nice.”
Some quotes I Love.
“A champion shows who he is by what he does.” – Evander Holyfield
“People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves.” – John C. Maxwell
“It’s not enough to get things done; they must be done right.” – Arthur Twining Hadley