Man, I hate adversity! It makes me feel uncomfortable, sometimes, it is insecure and vulnerable; sometimes even painful. I have at times been very embarrassed by adversity. Adversity forces me to get out of my comfort zone; to get out of my "normal" way of thinking.
Adversity! I love adversity! Adversity is my friend. A good example of adversity and the purpose and intended result of adversity is a grinding rock and a piece of metal. A grinding rock's purpose is to sharpen whatever comes against it. That is the whole point of its creation. Years ago, when someone put an electrical motor on a grinding rock, it was never his or her intention or purpose to dull and produce blunt instruments. I think we would all agree that the intended purpose was to sharpen iron, steel or any other type of metal. When a grinding rock and metal meet, sparks fly! If the metal is held at the correct angle, the end result will be a sharper piece of metal. That sharper piece of metal will cut deeper, longer and faster, which is the intended result of the grinding in the first place.
Adversity to you and me may be trying to get a patient to follow his or her care plan. Or come to the new patient orientation. Or bring in his or her spouse. The purpose of adversity is to make us better. If we shrink back, we will never be sharper; we will always remain dull and indeed get duller as we get older. By forcing ourselves into adversity, we become sharper, clearer, and more successful.
So, every time you want to shrink back from confronting that next patient about keeping their appointments, following their care plan, coming to the NPO, bringing their spouse to the ROF, or paying their copay, you must remember that adversity is your friend. This is also true if you are doing outside speaking engagements or trying to introduce yourself to someone in the grocery store, gas station, etc., by attempting to give them your card. This also applies to dealing with your staff. You absolutely must be willing to face adversity with your staff in order to crystallize your purpose and make sure everyone is doing his or her part. It's the same for the third-party reimbursement field. There will always be adversity for anyone who is trying to grow and become more of who their Creator intended them to be. The eagle knows instinctively when to kick the little eaglet out of the nest. Of course, the eaglet is forced to fly. I read a study once wherein baby chicks were not required to hatch out of their own eggshells, but instead, some scientist or researcher broke the shells open for them. Invariably, the majority of those chicks who had the hard work done for them were either sick all of their lives or died prematurely. You see, it's just a part of growing stronger. Adversity is placed in all of our lives to make us stronger, so that we will be sharper and more suitable for future tasks.
Once, while giving a talk on Backpack Safety America to a second-grade class, I asked the students about the key to success. Many of the children raised their hands; the first three answers were as follows:
- Work hard.
- Believe in yourself.
- Never give up.
As B.J. would say, "Enuff said."
John A. Webster, DC, FICC
Whiteville, North Carolina