No 'Tu Fu Nu' for you
The story line’s as old as time. A starry eyed kid gets the crazy idea to really make a difference for good and while battling the odds and pursuing the dream, finally has to face THE BULLY in a fight where everything’s at stake.
The struggle causes the kid to wonder whether he or she has what it takes for success. Riddled with self-doubt, the question is will the kid let everyone down and fold up like a wet paper bag, spilling everything he or she has worked for onto the street in one big mess?
Then, at just the right moment the kid hears somebody say, “Hey, it’s just your entire life and everything you’ve ever dreamed of and worked for. No pressure.”
Pretty dramatic, right? This might surprise you, but as a practice coach, I run into this on a regular basis. It’s all there: the dreams, desires, struggles, fears, real danger, courage, and triumph. Sometimes it’s the tragedy of broken dreams and loss.
Quite honestly, it’s pretty exciting stuff. In my job I root for the heroes and heroines every day. I get mentally AND emotionally involved in what and who they care about. I tense up when things get scary - and they do get scary.
Insert your favorite movie title here but, since this is real life, it’s better than a movie. Still, let me make my point as if I’m pitching a movie to a film producer in some overpriced snooty restaurant in West Hollywood. Ready? Follow closely now. Here’s the pitch.
“OK, we’ve got a young kid 13-16 years (a young Brad or Angie, Toby or Kristen - doesn’t matter) who has a life-changing experience with chiropractic, courtesy of the old neighborhood DC (Chris Lloyd “Back to the Future” type - God rest him).
“The DC spouts all that philosophy stuff and practices because he loves it and people need him. He’s driven by what he knows about chiropractic. We’ll call him ‘Doc.’
“Doc tells the kid he or she could be a chiropractor too and really help people. The kid’s stunned ‘Me? Really?’ Lays awake nights fantasizing about it.
“The kid goes off to chiro school and into a zillion dollars of debt. Hey! Let’s throw the grandparents in here. They mortgage their house to help the kid. The kid’s smart, studies hard and gets out of school with the national and state board exams.
“The kid gets a break on small modest office that doesn’t need much remodeling. In the script, the kid’s dad helps with the build out. You see it? The whole family’s in on this - everyone’s pulling for the kid. The audience will love it.
“Now the romance AND the tension: If our kid’s a guy, his girlfriend is being pestered by a third- year med student who keeps asking her when she’s going to give up on the ‘loser quack chiropractor’ boyfriend (you really hate this guy).
“If our young DC’s a girl, we’ll give her the same jerk med student guy! It’s perfect! Everyone hates him right away. He wants to know when she’ll give up on that loser quack garbage chiropractic. They’ll be yelling at the screen, ‘Dump that creep!’
“OK, the small open house mom catered (the one before the grand opening) is just clearing out and the dad walks by the appointment book. Looks, sees no new patients except the family. The dad asks the kid where the new patients come from and the kid looks scared. ‘They never taught that in school, dad.’
“Then this evil-looking guy walks in to the kid’s new office and says, ‘You don’t know how to get any new patients, do you? I’m going to close you down, kid. You’ll go broke, loose all your family’s money, and end up cleaning carpets at night for your brother in law!’ Then he says, ‘Allow me to introduce myself,’ and just like a super villain straight out of a Bruce Lee movie offers his name as Tu Fu Nu - too few new patients (evil laugh here).”
Too melodramatic for you? Sorry, but it’s my column and here’s the concept I’ve been playing with for years. More great chiropractors get beaten up by not having enough new patients than anything else I know. That’s why I’ve given this problem a name: “too few new” (Tu Fu Nu).
So, how does the movie end? The kid goes to ‘Doc’ who got him or her interested in chiropractic in the first place. Doc’s advice is good.
“Honestly kid, it’s different today than when I started. You need to do everything from internet to screenings to talks - everything. But you need to learn this stuff, not just wing it.”
The kid decides, then and there, to learn to get the chiropractic message out of heart, head, and office into the community - no matter what it takes! And THAT’s when the excitement starts.
By the way, did I tell you there’s a sequel?
Star in your own movie. Learn to kick Tu Fu Nu’s butt and your reality will be more fun than any fantasy.
(A 1971 Palmer College graduate, at age 22 Dr. Noel Lloyd became the youngest practicing chiropractor in the state of Washington. The founder of Five Star Management - a professional training, coaching, and consulting service based in Seattle - he has 25 years experience helping chiropractors achieve and maintain phenomenal professional, practice and personal success. Visit his site at: www.myfivestar.com.)