2 Truths and a Lie About Growing Your Own Practice
Growing up, did you ever play Two Truths and a Lie? Well if not, we’re going to play that game now… sorta. This time, though, I’m giving you the spoilers upfront. And instead of it being just about you, we’re making it about your practice. So, if you’re ready to get the truth about growing your practice, keep on reading!
Truth or Lie #1: You don’t have to work with every patient.
This, my friends, is 100% true.
As a holistic wellness practitioner, you feel a deep responsibility to help anyone who comes your way. And it can feel super scary to turn someone away.
But part of being a practitioner – and the CEO of your practice – is knowing who your perfect patient is and isn’t. So, when someone reaches out and wants to work with you, ask yourself if they are really your ideal patient. If the thought of working with them lights you up, then go all in. But if you get that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach and you just know it isn’t going to work out well, it’s better to say no sooner than later.
I want you to feel empowered to refer them to another practitioner who is better able to provide the kind of care they need. This accomplishes three things:
- It makes the patient feel like they are valued, understood, and important.
- It keeps your schedule free for the exact type of patients that you love working with.
- It prevents you from having to deal with a relationship-gone-south later on.
This may feel way too hard at first, but it gets easier with practice. The clearer you are on who you want to serve, the better. And by referring out, you’re effectively building out a network of other practitioners that brings its own set of perks and benefits. As you refer patients to other practitioners, they’ll start doing the same for you and you both will start to grow your practices. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Truth or Lie #2: You can hire help, even when you’re first starting out.
If you guessed truuuuuuue….. You’re right!
There seems to be this widespread myth that you have to scale to six figures before bringing in help. This couldn’t be further from the truth!
Hiring someone to help doesn’t mean you have to commit to a full 40 hours per week, or even 15. Finding an outstanding virtual assistant (VA) for just a few hours each week is enough to help you stay caught up and allows you to delegate the things you don’t need to be doing. When you free up those few hours each week, you’ll be able to see a few more patients and generate more than enough revenue to cover the small expense.
It may seem like more work on the front end to get a VA hired and trained, but it’s time well spent. Once your VA knows exactly what needs to be done, you’ll be free to do the things that are in your zone of genius – which is spending more time with your patients or growing your practice!
Truth or Lie #3: It has to look perfect for me to be successful.
Ding, ding, ding. The lie detector is going off on this one!
Did you know that most healthcare practitioners are incredibly hard on themselves? This is often because we have unrealistic expectations about ourselves and our businesses which results in waaaaay more pressure to perform.
These pressure boulders can look like:
- Negative self-talk. “Ugh, that was SO stupid. I can’t believe I did that.”
- Unreasonable deadlines. “If I don’t make six figures in six months, I’m a failure.”
- Creating impossible problems to solve. “I’m the only one who can grow my practice, handle all the marketing, do all the administrative tasks, have hobbies, spend time with the family, get enough sleep, and not be stressed.”
It’s tempting to think that being hard on yourself makes you stronger. But in reality, having all that undue pressure only weighs you down, which means it slows you down and drains your energy.
So, if you’re starting to feel the weight stacking up on your shoulders, here are three ways to change the story in your head:
- Focus on the journey, the experiences and insights you’re learning instead of the outcome.
- Check your mental chatter. Are you thinking like an optimist or a pessimist?
- Celebrate your successes, no matter how large or small.
Being too hard on yourself can sneak up on you without making a sound. It can slowly begin to take over your mental space without you knowing it. So, make it a practice to be very generous with some compassion and grace.
Bonus Truth or Lie: It’s okay to work 80 hours a week for a while.
Alright, this one’s a little tricky. 😄
When it comes to how many hours you work each week, there’s not really a right or wrong answer. Somedays, you’ll have a lighter load and can jet out early. Other times, you may need to burn the midnight oil for a few days to finish a project or meet a deadline. This natural ebb and flow comes with growing your own practice.
So, yes, sometimes working long, crazy hours happen. But if it’s more than just a short period of time or has no end date in sight, you run the risk of burning out, and that doesn’t help at all when you’re growing your practice. Here’s what you can do to avoid burnout:
- Don’t bite off more than you can chew. It’s ok to say no when the timing isn’t right.
- Set healthy boundaries for yourself so you don’t accidentally overdo it.
- Manage expectations with your patients, so they know where the line is.
- Create reasonable goals and celebrate when you achieve them. Build-in ways to celebrate, especially during heavy working seasons. This will help you keep your eye on the prize and give you that extra push to keep going.
Whether you’re powering through a period of heavier workload or have all the time in the world, keep the end goal in mind which is taking care of YOU!
Growing Your Healthcare Practice Is Possible!
There are soooooo many opinions on what it means to build a thriving practice. But I’m here to tell you that it’s possible, and I know you have what it takes to do it.
Part of getting to that next level in your practice means building out the team that will support you – even if it’s hiring a VA to help you out a couple of hours a week. That can be just enough to make a huge difference.
Finally, surround yourself with people who can hold you accountable and keep you moving forward. It’s easy to get stuck in the minutia and lose sight of your big goals and vision. Having a business coach to help you stay on track and build a profitable business is essential. If you’d like to hop on a call to talk through it, I’m here to help. 😊
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