Author's Note: In celebration of 40 years of Dynamic Chiropractic, I've asked some of the great leaders who have impacted the success of our profession over that time to write their own "Report of My Findings." This month's guest author, Kent Greenawalt, has contributed more financially to the chiropractic profession than anyone I'm aware of, setting an example for all of us with his support of chiropractic and passion for giving back.
The 40th anniversary of Dynamic Chiropractic is a milestone for our profession. As I think back over time, I smile reflecting on the wonderful progress Don Petersen and his team have made in these four decades. What an accomplishment!
Despite this success, Don and the DC team understand there is always more work to be done. I suggest this is the same attitude each of us must embrace as we continually invest in the chiropractic profession we love.
Unity
Several years back, I wrote a column for Dynamic Chiropractic called "Unity." A constant theme in the unity column was to suggest that we work together so we can grow and thrive to be stronger. This is something we've been doing and will continue to do.
Giving
At a very young age, I learned the value of giving back to the profession from my father, Dr. Monte Greenawalt, a doctor of chiropractic who practiced throughout his life. He instilled in me the importance of giving back to the profession and led by example. Supporting the chiropractic profession is part of my DNA, and in many ways, it continues to feed my enthusiasm for giving back.
Something I am most proud of that continues to help the profession is founding and supporting the growth of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. Through love, hard work and extreme dedication, that idea has grown into a major force for our profession.
Walt Disney said, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them," and they indeed do. Frankly, the F4CP is one of the high points of my life and exemplifies the opportunities for every doctor of chiropractic to support this remarkable profession.
Leading this organization gives me the gratification of impacting the lives of so many DCs and building a team that lifts the profession daily. Helping them reach their professional goals and flourish is incredibly rewarding.
Today, due to hard work, love and financial support, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress now has more than 32,000 members, colleges, associations, and corporate sponsors. With this level of support, the F4CP has been able to reach millions of people across the country, spreading positive press regarding the value of chiropractic care.
Imagine
As I think about how dreams become reality, a great quote from Albert Einstein comes to mind: "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world." Isn't this relevant to all of us? Think how Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs imagined and brought their visions to life.
We all imagine different scenarios for ourselves. When you entered chiropractic college, you must have imagined you would be a chiropractor. Then, that thought became truth. You may have imagined owning your own practice. Then, that became reality.
As I have approached different times in my life, there were certainly moments when things didn't seem possible. The power of imagination helped navigate me through those moments. Imagination became reality. Hard work, passion and awareness for chiropractic all fueled that dream to help it become reality.
I ask each of you to imagine the opportunities that lie ahead for the future of chiropractic. We are only as limited as we allow ourselves to be. Together, we can achieve the impossible for the greater good.
Imagine if more patients turned to chiropractic as their first choice for treatment? Imagine the power we would have if every chiropractor gave $10 per month to promote our great profession. Imagine if that investment was put into an entity that had proven performance and a track record of accomplishment.
Imagine the notoriety and recognition that would be achieved if the world truly understood the wonders of chiropractic. Imagine how your practice would benefit from such an effort. Imagine the rewarding feeling you would have from helping more people in the community.
My father said, "It's impossible to give yourself into poverty," and that's true. All of us can give something; and we know that when you give, you also receive.
Get Involved
The Law of Inspired Action states that you must take action in order to bring what you want to fruition. Take the next step toward being more active. Mother Teresa is known for saying, "It's not how much we give, but how much we put into giving." Look at your own level of contributing. How much are you putting into giving? I believe we can all do more. For example:
Contribute financially to promote chiropractic. Every dollar makes a difference. Financial support helps our great profession gain momentum and remain relevant to the public. I ask each of you to contribute any amount you can to support chiropractic efforts on your state and national levels. Without financial support, we cannot move forward.
Unfortunately, this is a necessity. We must continue to make people aware of all the great benefits of chiropractic. If you are already giving, I ask you to increase your contribution. If you haven't been giving, I ask you to start now. There is no better time.
Join your state and national associations. If you are currently a member of these organizations, how can you do more to support them? You would be hard pressed to find one of these groups that doesn't need more support.
Give financially to these organizations. Volunteer your time to help them achieve their goals. Assist with local events and conventions. Help brainstorm more ideas for them to gain more members and do more within the community. Reach out to these groups to offer your support.
Donate your time to worthwhile local organizations. Volunteerism is equally as important as financial contributions. How can you give more of your time to benefit people who need your help the most? There are many people in the world who don't understand the benefits of chiropractic care. Many of these people also cannot afford care. Why should we limit ourselves to only the patients who walk into our practices? Reach out to local organizations within your community to ask how you can help.
Let's get more people to realize the benefits of chiropractic. We can help more people live a better life. Let's show them how.
Everyone Should Try
John F. Kennedy once said, "One person can make a difference, and everyone should try." This wisdom is still applicable today. I challenge each of you to find a way to give back to the profession that has been so good to you.
Remember what I said about "imagining"? It's all possible. It takes love, hard work and financial support to make it happen; but together, unified, we can do it.
Read more findings on my blog: http://blog.toyourhealth.com/ wrblog. You can also visit me on Facebook and Twitter (donpetersenjr, @donaldpetersen).
Click here for more information about Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher.