I hardly ever watch TV, and on the rare times I do, I never get past SBS or ABC to a commercial station, and I most certainly have never, ever even considered watching a “reality” TV program.

Until recently that is, when we tuned in for the last few episodes of Masterchef, and I have to be honest – I’m starting to see what the fuss has been all about!

My wife Fiona and I both love food, cooking and entertaining, so there is an obvious attraction there for us to “see how its really done”. Then of course there is the drama, the personalities and the tension which really make the show compelling.

But the really intriguing element of the show for me was when my “success coach’s” brain kicked in and recognized a universal truth being played out on the program which effectively created the backbone of the drama and excitement of the competition. This concept is called “cumulative advantage”.

Let me explain. It’s a fair assumption that there are tens of thousands of talented aspiring chefs across Australia – but only a small number had the time and opportunity to audition for the program, and only a smaller number of those were selected to be a part of it.

So to be selected in the first place you had to have the means to live up to Woody Allen’s credo of “80% of success in show business is in simply showing up”.

Then of this small number who were a part of the show, those that showed obvious promise and won the early rounds were given additional training, tutoring, experience and mentoring as a reward for winning, thereby leaving those perhaps equally talented competitors at a distinct disadvantage.

As the eliminations continued, those who won the later rounds were given additional advantages, such as recipes in advance, their choice of ingredients, and so on. So the more you won, the more chance you had of continuing to win, and the more you didn’t win, the less chance you had of winning the next round.

This is the concept of cumulative advantage – whereby success in one area of life, or being given an opportunity to get ahead opens up a brand new series of advantages and opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t have been available.

So here is the interesting thing about cumulative advantage – it creates an exponentially better outcome for the recipient. Consider that of all the thousands of aspiring Masterchef applicants, only one guy won the show and now has the prize money, media acclaim and an almost certain future as a “celebrity chef”, while the rest are still doing what they always did for the hourly wage or similar.

So in this case, the winner’s results didn’t come through hard work. They didn’t come because he was exponentially better than the thousands of others, or even because he was remarkably more talented than those he beat in the final rounds. (In fact it could be argued that at best he might have been 5% to 20% better than his competitors – and more likely he would be almost equal).

And no, I’m not trying to take anything away from the guy, because I thought he was a great cook and an outstanding human being, but consider that a large part of his fantastic success has come about simply by intentionally putting himself in the right place at the right time, and by being a recipient of a cumulative series of advantages over his competitors.

This surprising concept holds true in almost any other area of life you care to investigate:

So what has this got to do with you as a health practitioner?

Well, everything. You see, it’s a common misconception amongst practitioners that to be successful you all you need to do is work hard – and this, as we have seen above, simply isn’t true. Often there is also a sense of martyrdom about the health profession – that somehow, somewhere down the track we will be recognized for our skills, our passion, for how much we have given of ourselves to patients with no expectation of reward. My advice in this case is simply not to hold your breath for this to occur!

To be truly successful in our chosen field of health and wellness, we need to create for ourselves cumulative advantage.

We firstly need to “simply show up” – in other words, put ourselves in the firing line by attending workshops, flying to seminars, joining mastermind groups, and mixing with the most successful people in our profession.

Secondly, we need to humbly recognize and acknowledge excellence, talent and integrity in ourselves, and in doing so allow others to recognize it in us too.

Thirdly, we gratefully allow the cumulative advantages that we therefore attract to empower us and propel us forward, keeping in mind Marianne Williamson’s words “as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to the same”.

As health practitioners, healers and community leaders, in my opinion there is no more important success that we could achieve than this.

Yours in health,

Adam

PS. This has been my first post in a while due to some technical hiccups – but stay tuned for more, and please share your thoughts with me on this topic

PPS. Have you booked your place yet for our upcoming seminar “How to Become The Recognised Expert In Your Health Niche, Get Paid More for Your Time, Be Appreciated, and Attract a Waiting List of Eager New Clients”?

This is my newest and most exciting workshop to date – where you will learn:

• How to easily position yourself as the “go-to expert” in your niche, and be able to help more people with your knowledge
• The 11 essential business skills that will instantly catapult you to a higher income as a recognized expert
• Why your current pricing structure has nothing to do with what you are worth – and why your patients would often rather pay you more!
• The 3 fastest ways to make your expertise known to future clients – without advertising!

If you have ever felt you have something significant to offer society, yet lack the skills or resources of how to do it…

If you have healing techniques or skills as a practitioner that a large number of people could benefit from, yet you are stuck treating one patient at a time…

Or if you have simply felt frustrated trying to convince patients to do what is best for them, or not felt listened to…

Then you owe it to yourself, your patients and your community to attend this event and give yourself the “cumulative advantage” that will propel you to your true potential as a health leader!

To book your space, or for more info, go to www.lifestylepractitioneracademy.com

See you there!

Health can be defined as “being sound in body, mind and spirit.” What we call ‘health care’ or the ‘health industry’ in Australia has a very different focus and should probably be called the ‘sickness industry.’ Think about it. Our modern health system only reacts once people get sick or injured. They aim to treat and/or cure the symptom or disease. Whereas the Wellness Industry promotes itself to healthy people before they become sick or injured. It aims to make the client even healthier…to live longer…to feel even better. To help the client avoid injury or illness.

Now we know that the ‘Health/Sickness Industry’ is a multi-billion dollar enterprise. But what about the Wellness Industry. Is it producing the sort of figures that make you sit and and pay attention? You bet it is! What began in obscurity in the 60′s and 70′s as a fledgling industry has grown into one of the boom industries of the next few decades. In fact 10 years ago the Wellness Industry in the USA alone was worth $200 billion. Today in Australia it is worth over $15 billion and over $500 billion in the USA.

Below are some facts and figures from BRW June 2005:
• The Australian wellness industry is worth $12-15 billion in sales a year.
• Economists estimate the wellness industry will expand fivefold over the next seven years.
• 80% of Australians are prepared to pay more for something that gives them a feeling of wellbeing.
• Australians spend more than $800 million a year on vitamins and health supplements and the industry is growing at 8-10% a year.

It was also predicted back in early 2000 that the Wellness Industry would be the next TRILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. Were they right? Absolutely.

So what does this mean for you? Well it certainly represents an enormous economic opportunity. You can either be part of it…and be a great practitioner…..or you can miss out on the financial, life changing rewards….and still be a great practitioner. Just a broke one.

There are literally millions of people spending billions of dollars to improve their health pro-actively. They are eating and living healthier, wanting to live better lives and they are seeking out wellness practitioners who can help them. This is happening on a scale unseen before in human history.

Who are the majority of these people? Mostly Baby Boomers aged 40-60. They are wealthier, have more free time and have a real interest…no more than that…a passion to slow down the ageing process. They are also a POWERFUL economic force. They may only represent around 28% of the population but their spending represents 50% of the economy.

Who are you marketing to? If you haven’t spent some real time and money trying to understand this relatively untapped demographic you are crazy!!!

As Boomers age it is important for marketers to understand that these consumers do not subscribe to a single type of lifestyle. They move in and out of various lifestyles depending upon the occasion (habit, celebration, convenience). Most consumer participation in the health and wellness arena reflects a pragmatic, piecemeal approach, integrating products and services in some sectors of their lives and not others. Boomer-consumers tend to pick and choose what makes sense for them based on their individual filters, experiences and lifestyles.

Boomers are creating a way of living. While this ageing population has a broad array of products from which they choose items that best fit their individual needs, they are also looking for more from companies than just the product or service they are buying. They want the experience of the purchase to satisfy mental, emotional and spiritual needs as well. In this sense, ageing consumers are branding themselves by creating a way of living. They don’t stick to precise industry product categories, but customize personalized regimes from many categories that make them feel empowered.

In the next issue of my LPA Business Success Journal I will explore the Lifestyle Traits and Trends of Boomers that Influence Purchasing. I will also outline the implications and opportunities for you as a business owner

I must admit I went into the weekend feeling a bit skeptical about the whole thing but I can’t thank you enough for waking me up to the untold possibilities in how I can be more efficient in the running of my clinic.
But that is just the start. More importantly it has reinvigorated my passion for what I do in my work as a practitioner. The insights gained from the weekend have also re-defined how I want to work as a practitioner in the future. The depth of Chinese medicine is rarely used in modern clinics these days and I have this vision of how I can integrate the varied aspects and techniques into a workable format which can greatly benefit the people who come to me for assistance and guidance along their path to better health. It has also provided me with a greater understanding as to what I have to offer and that the experience I have gained over the years as a practitioner has been greatly under utilised.
So thank you once again Adam for providing the opportunity for all of this to take place. I am in the process of putting these new ideas into place and I am really excited about this journey of re-discovery.
Warren

The Quarterly Marketing Conference for our Mastermind Group last month on Gold Coast left these practitioners inspired, motivated, and put them on the right track to achieve what they are setting out to do. It was 3 days of “How To” that gave them the confidence to to walk into their practice on Monday morning knowing exactly what their first step is. The next Quarterly Marketing Conference is on 20th – 22nd of March in Melbourne. Saturday the 20th is open to all practitioners Australia Wide. Book now for your early bird tickets on our website.

See what our clients say

As a member of the Lifestyle Practitioner Group, you not only receive the best coaching, mentoring and business guidance, but you also get to share your time, minds and questions with some of the best in the business. This weeks teleconference is with none other than Chen-Tay.

For those of you not yet familiar with the teachings of Chen, you probably soon will be. He, on his own mastered the art or Direct Response Marketing and Social Media, and he now works just 3 hours a week as a Chiropractor and the rest of this time, well quite frankly is worth gold.

The following is a short Bio on Chen and if you would follow him, please feel free to click on the link below.

As a Chiropractic student, Chen was disenchanted with the lack of business education for health professionals that he started a personal mission to learn the best business marketing and strategies to help him when he got into practice. As a result, he was able to study the best experts and had mentors who helped him purchase two practices after graduation and one with no money down. Using direct response marketing, he created successful advertising and direct mail breakthroughs and became the “most ripped off chiropractic marketer” in Australia. Chen currently works three hours a week as a Chiropractor and has built a practice that serves his lifestyle with his family in Ballina.

These days, Chen is a strategic adviser for speakers, coaches and well known industry experts. He is a connector and helps people and businesses reinvent, innovate and leverage their current assets for future growth. While he is best known for his expertise in marketing, his “Conversations With Chen” provides a unique holistic approach to business. You can learn more about Chen and his upcoming events at www.chentay.com

Hi all

Yes, we have finally got there. All systems go. You are invited to view the site right now and order your FREE CD on line and for those of you Health Practitioners out there who have been waiting so patiently for us, you can now also take advantage of our NEW OFFER. Yes, for a limited time only you can order on line your FREE Business Teleconsult valued at $497.00. Please book soon though, as the spaces are booking up fast.

Please feel free to post your comments here on our new site.

Go to   http://www.lifestylepractitioneracademy.com/

We look forward to you feed back.

Adam

A lot of you have heard me say again and again – “collect testimonials from your clients”! Not only are they a fantastic marketing tool, but they are a great pick me up for times when you may be feeling run down or low. Theres nothing like reviewing your successes to remind yourself of your true worth to your clients.

But, I hear you say, how do I go about collecting them in the midst of my busy day? Wont I be bothering people by asking all the time?

The solution is relatively simple and is a great intro into systemising your day to day operations. Have your front desk/reception paperwork and procedures  incorporate a simple little questionairre that you ask people to fill in on their way out after their treatment. Try the following wording:

▪ Sharing your experience with us can encourage other people with similar conditions to seek treatment and feel well again. Please take a few moments to include your comments below:

▪ How did you feel before you came for treatment with us?…………………………………………………………..

▪ How do you feel now after your treatment/series of treatments?………………………………………..……..

▪ How has this affected your life?…………………………………………………………………………………….

▪ If you were to recommend us to a friend or loved one, what would you say to them?……………………….

▪ Are you happy for us to share your name and comments with others? YES/NO

▪ We would love a photograph of you with our therapist to go on our “Successful Clients Wall”

Then have your reception staff use a cheap digital camera to take a quick happy snap of you and your successful client together. When you have a few of them, print them out and arrange the  comments sheet and the photo in a cheap glass A4 frame from Crazy Clarks. Don’t forget to make copies of everything to use on your website too. If you like you can offer clients a small gift or token of your thanks for taking the time to do this too. A “pocket physio” or a $25 voucher off their next massage are suggested ideas.

Then go and hang your success stories and photos on your wall in a prominent position in your waiting area. People love to look at people and this will be the best form of internal advertising you could ever ask for. Imagine walking in every day to be reminded of this for yourself too!  Your clients will become excited about the possibility of getting their photo in the hall of fame too!

These photos and stories will also form the basis of your media releases and PR campaign, as well as your online marketing program.

So there you go – its cheap, easy to implement, and everyone gets to feel good about being involved with you as a practitioner.

Have a great day today!

Adam

This quick story might resonate for many of you.

I meet with a client recently who completely amazed me. Karen (not her real name) owns a big practice with a lot of staff, a great reputation and a very high turnover. When I first took her on as a client about at the beginning of last year, she told me she was working over 100 hours per week, completely stressed out, extremely worried about her health, sick of micromanaging everything, and her relationship was under a lot of stress to go with it all.

Bottom line, she felt she was “spinning plates” and it was clear to me that either something had to change for her, or else…

You see, Karen knew herself as a high achiever – she demanded huge things of herself and others, and she showed up clearly in her personality profile as a perfectionist and controller. This had resulted in her being extremely successful, but not in a way that was realisticaly sustainable or particularly joyful.

When I met with Karen 5 months after joining for a coaching session I got a number of shocks:

Number one: she had lost weight, was looking good, smiling and glowing. She was laughing and relaxed – something I had yet to see in her. She told me her relationship was back on track and she was enjoying being a couple again! Encouraged by this, I asked what else was new.

Shock number two: She had increased her turnover in February and March by over 40%! Don’t forget, this is on top of a very hefty turnover to start with… wow!

Shock number three: Karen and was back to working “normal hours” and has given herself every Friday off!

As you can imagine, I had to quiz her about what she had done differently. How does someone work 20% less and make 40% more? Turns out she gave me a list of strategies she had implemented from our coaching group, but the real essence of it was much less obvious and much more profound.
You see, Karen had created her successful business by playing to her strengths all her life. Being strong, determined, forceful and perfectionist had given her a very good result on one level, but it had also created a prison of constant vigilance and relentless effort from which it felt there was no escape. Her breakthrough came when she decided to let go of this and work to a new paradigm of beliefs about what it means to be strong, successful and happy. Letting go of control and simply trusting, not being attached to perfectionism or a particular outcome, letting things and people work towards a common goal naturally… these are some of the attitudes I can see she has begun to adopt, with incredible results.

Put simply, she realised that old patterns would give her predictable results, and by simply letting go of her old ways of doing things she allowed new results to manifest.

Sound complicated? Too airy for you? I understand that. However, in my experience the concept that your strengths in your personality can also be your greatest barrier to progress is without doubt the most powerful understanding a client can ever have. All the marketing genius or money in the world won’t make a blind bit of difference to your life unless you “allow” on this level.

So my thought for today to share is “in what ways are my strengths holding me back?” If you can answer this and you would like to share your thoughts or insights with me, Id love to hear from you via return email.

And my thanks to “Karen” for being inspirational and for teaching the coach something this week.

If you feel you could do with a “blast” of motivation, proven ideas and strategies or even a dose of unreasonableness and possibility, I will be running a series of Lifestyle Practitioner Academy introductory evenings in Sydney during February 2010.

This three hour interactive presentation will be your chance to meet me in person and perhaps “sound us out” to see whether or not you being part of a Mastermind Inner Circle coaching group may be just the edge you need to make 2010 your most successful year ever! Stay tuned for more info.

Our website is currently undergoing some major and exciting changes. If you are not able to find what you are looking for on our site whilst these changes are occurring, please ring Gemma on 07 5657 9352.