I read an interesting article the other day by Shaun Bonett, who described why and how we should adopt the mindset of sustained stamina.  Which is very hard to do in today’s fast paced world where everything is instant.

 

At LA, we have a consultancy arm that helps and prepares private practice for the immediate and future challenges.  We can also aid new specialist practitioners commencing in private practice and who are in need assistance with set up of their private practice.

 

A common question we get asked is how long does it take to get my practice going?  Or, how do I keep my practice current with the competition in a business where it feels like competitors are sprinting off in different directions?  How do we manage when social media creates fake and false impressions to cure the insecure or those who constantly feel like the grass is greener?  Well, the answer is simple.  Adopt the tortoise mindset.

 

With the tortoise mindset, when your environment changes, you can understand the nature of change and adapt your behaviour and trajectory accordingly.  If you sprint at breakneck speed, you won’t understand your surrounding environment.

 

In the story of the Hare and the Tortoise, the tortoise was viewed as a sleepy, slow, daydreaming competitor.  When in actual fact, he was intensely focussed on dealing with the task ahead. The tortoise quietly went about his task, able to adapt and make subtle changes to ensure that he won the race at the end.

 

The tortoise with his rock-hard shell and incredibly thick skin, is used to daily beating that come about.  The tortoise also knows when to retreat into it’s shell and sometimes wait for conditions to change in its environment.  When travelling slow and steady, you can see those challenges coming and it is possible sometimes to pick your battles!  Conversely, when travelling at full speed you will never know what has hit you until it is usually too late.

 

Every practice is different and adopting the tortoise approach or variation of it, is something that each of us needs to experiment with in order to make the most of our own situation.

 

Approaching private practice with a quiet, strong and confident mind and always “starting as you intend to finish” is a winning formula – just like the tortoise winning his race.