It’s 72 degrees and the sun is shining in North Texas! Starting to finally feel like baseball season.
In fact my tee ball team – the Rockies – had our first scrimmage last night, a big win against the Pirates. (I’m coaching my 6 y/o son and my 4.5 y/o daughter on the same team. Never a dull moment on the tee ball field!)
In perhaps even bigger news than the Rockies’ scrimmage win…
Governor Abbott announced earlier this week that he’s ending the mask mandate in Texas.
Some people cheered. Others booed.
My personal reaction? Complete indifference. I’ll explain this.
What can I control now that’s different than what I could control during the mask mandate? Nothing. I can control the exact same things.
So what am I doing differently now vs during the mask mandate? Nothing. Because it’s based on the things I can actually control, which hasn’t changed.
Why is this important?
Because I see too many of us adjusting our cares and feelings and behaviors based on distractions we have zero control over.
Presidential runs, cancel culture, mask mandates, what’s happening in the public school curriculum 3 states away. Can’t control that.
I’m not saying these things are unimportant. But we have zero control over them. Yet we think and post and comment and opine about them like we’re getting paid to do it.
Same thing with the competing surgeon down the street – what they are advertising, why they got the new laser, the interview they had on TV last week. Can’t control that.
If you can’t control it, don’t grant it your valuable time and attention.
Focus on what you can control.
And what can you control? Well you can control the energy you put into your team and your patients. Your inputs into your community. The time and attention you give your family.
You can control your team’s ability to book more surgeries – by empowering them with communications training. That way they can convert more leads into consultations, who you can actually help through vision correction.
You can control the ways prospects engage with you, and make it easier for them – by offering online schedulers, web chat, 2-way texting and virtual consultations, for example.
You can control your prices. You can raise them so you’re getting paid what you’re worth and can devote ideal time and attention to each patient. Rather than offering deep discounts and filling your waiting room with a bunch of lookie-loo, tire-kicking cheapskates that drain your energy and run your staff ragged.
Focus on what you can control. Which means you have to stop devoting so much time, attention and energy on the things you can’t.
If we all do this, we will see lives changed. And you’re in the life-change business. So let’s go.
- Troy “Control Freak” Cole