The Tao of Success Lesson I

By Lori-linell Hall

Finding Your "Way" and Staying on the Path of Success

In my experience as an executive and career coach for physicians, physician dissatisfaction and burnout often stems from physicians attempting to fit themselves into careers, practice environments, or lifestyles that don't match their unique gifts, abilities, strengths or values. These physicians, and believe me I know because I was one of them, are like the ugly duckling that tried to fit in but after much grief finally realizes he is a swan. Chuang Tzu one of the greatest of the Taoist writers offers some sage advice on why it is important for you as a physician to find what fits your nature and to understand what fits you may not fit another.

In order to achieve and stay on the path of success as a physician you must find your "Way" or Tao. And this "Way" is not the same for everyone. Tao can be loosely translated as "the Way," or also the Absolute or Ultimate Principle.

In Symphony of A Seabird from The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton, Chuang Tzu brilliantly illustrates this point. A seabird was blown ashore and landed in the capital of Lu. The prince of the city ordered a reception for the bird. The seabird was offered wine. Musicians played it a symphony. They slaughtered animals to feed it. Dazed by the symphony the unhappy seabird dies of despair.

Chuang Tzu asks "How should you treat a bird?/As yourself/ Or as a bird?" Shouldn't a bird fly over woods and ponds? Shouldn't a bird feed on fish and fly in formation with other seabirds and rest in the reeds? Are you the seabird that likes forming long term patient relationships but are practicing in an emergency department? Dr. H a family practitioner and one of my clients liked working in the office but became very stressed when she had to cover sick patients in the hospital and intensive care unit. First she was able to get out of the call arrangement and only cover office patients. And now she is working with her hospital to start a hospitalist program. Another one of my clients Dr. L accepted an ob job in rural Georgia primarily because of salary. He had always lived in a large metropolitan city. Twelve months after his move both he and his family were unhappy with small town life. Now he is looking less at salary and more at lifestyle. And is willing to accept a smaller salary to be closer to the big city amenities he and his family enjoy. You may be experiencing similar disconnects in your professional and personal life. And these disconnects may be causing you to burn out or figuratively die inside.

Don't be the seabird that was killed by music. Chuang Tzu says "Water is for fish/ And air for men." The key to getting unstuck and back on the path of success as a physician is to recognize that you are a seabird and need to fly with your flock. Some of you may not need to make drastic changes to get unstuck. Simple changes like giving up hospital on call like Dr. H may suffice. Others of you may need to make radical changes like moving to a new city and practice. For all of you it means examining your likes and dislikes and discovering or rediscovering your unique gifts, strengths, and values. It means accepting your self for who you are both professionally and personally without guilt. It means following Chuang Tzu's advice that "Natures differ, and needs with them." And finally when you follow you own "Way" or "Tao" you will be back on the path of satisfaction and success.

Lori-Linell Hall, M.D, P.C.C., is an executive, career, and life coach to physicians and health care workers who want more satisfaction, joy, and meaning in their lives. Dr. Hall helps physicians answer "The Call" to transform and climb the next great hill on the path of success. Contact Dr. Hall at lori@physiciansuccessunlimited.com

The Biggest Common Myth and Misconception of Success

By Barry Share

The number one common myth and misconception of how a person becomes wealthy and successful is that, somehow luck played some part in the process.

I am here to tell you right now, do not wait for lady luck to sprinkle her magic dust across your curly locks, or before you, on the hallowed ground you walk.

I'm sorry it won't happen; you will wait until the end of time. The phrase "can the last man out, switch the light off" springs to mind. Don't rely on luck, it's a known fact that people who perceive themselves as lucky are lucky, but research has shown that the only edge they have over unlucky people is they are more observant and are constantly looking and finding opportunities.

If you are constantly scanning the ground you will be lucky enough to find a penny. Luck is determined by your own efforts what you put into life you will receive back three fold. I think it was Warren Buffet, when asked how much luck played in his very successful trading career answered "It's funny the harder I work the luckier I become" and this holds true for all of us.

Winning the lottery...

What about winning the lottery I hear you ask? O.K. that would be lucky, extremely lucky, as the chances of you winning the lottery are something like 14 million to 1, and the only thing is, you will spend a lot of time and money waiting for lady luck to smile on you.

If you must play the lottery there is only one lottery you want to be in and that is the one lottery you can have a chance of winning one million pounds every month and still get your stake money back, and that's Premium Bonds. Yes Premium Bonds you get the chance to win every month the odds are extremely better and you can take your money out when ever you want.

Another misconception is somehow a wonderful opportunity was placed at the feet of this so call successful person. Well opportunities are there for each and every one of us. I dare say like me you have had and missed many opportunities as you have trudged the road to happiness and contentment. The problem with opportunity is it is like the penny on the ground if we are not aware of it we miss it and somebody else picks it up. Rather than wait for opportunity to find you, you need to find opportunities. This might be watching for business opportunities in the paper regarding small businesses being sold, great real estate opportunities, and investments with stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, taking a talent and turning it into an entrepreneurial adventure.

People that have reached financial status will tell you that they look for ways to seize opportunities, not wait for opportunities or lady luck to come knocking on their door. Most people expect opportunity to knock on their door, it doesn't, and if it did 99% of people will miss it, because they are glued to their TV sets or out at the pub pulling down there local entrepreneur because he has just acquired a contract to supply a Chinese catering company with thousands of chop sticks he manufactures in his garage from the wooden pallets he gets paid to take away from a local canning company. I can hear them now "that guy is so lucky" So your future success, your wealth and happiness cannot rely on luck and you must be ready to see and take any opportunity that is presented to you.

Barry Share is the Founder and editorial director of "The New Lifestyle Programme" Where you can get your copy of the amazing..."Design for your Success" a 7 step plan to achieving wealth health and happiness => http://newlifestylepro.com/dfs-s.html

Get Rid of Your Goals!

By Patrick Lowe

Get Rid of Your Goals! That's right, I said "Get rid of your goals." The first of every year people assess their progress in life. We then make resolutions and goals. I have done this for years, setting daily, weekly and monthly goals, along with long term goals.

A couple of years ago I had a goal to run the mini-marathon in our town. I accomplished my goal and finished faster than I did the previous year. After the race was over I suffered from the "Now Whats?" I've finished that goal, now what? I took some time off from running because I was sore and tired. It took me several months to realize that I had quit running!

Highly successful runners don't set a goal to run this race or that race; they see themselves running 3 - 6 times a week, every week, all of their lives. They have a vision for their lives which includes running. They run the races using them as progress check points, adapting their weekly runs to keep on track.

Vision

With normal eyesight, you can read letters from 20 feet away; you can see large objects for hundreds sometimes thousands of yards. Every step you take toward a large object the clearer it becomes and the more details you can see around it. As you get closer to your vision, you can also see further past it to your next vision or big check point.

There are times in our lives when we can't see very far. We are heading up hill. We are facing some challenges. That's OK, go as far as you can see and more will come into view. "If you can see there you can be there."

Visions change and grow with you. Goals, on the other hand, are often seen as a stopping point. The term "goal" is most commonly used in sports. In sports, as soon as you reach a goal, you turn around and go on defense. When on defense, you are not heading toward your goals at all!

When I don't reach a goal, it is easy to lose focus on the big picture and feel like a failure. A vision with check points keeps us focused on the big picture. It allows us to develop as we make progress and other opportunities come into view. Finally, it prevents us from turning around and heading in the wrong direction.

Planning is a huge part of your success experiences. Stop looking for goals and focus on the big picture with a vision. Get together your vision for 2008 and add check points along the way. What is your vision for the end of 2008? What checkpoints will you have hit toward your life vision?

copyright 2008 Patrick R. Lowe D.C., http://www.patricklowe.com

Dr. Patrick Lowe is an award winning speaker and his first book is listed on the GMC Success Academy Best Seller list. For over 20 years Pat has been helping people achieve their Success Experiences. Do you want more success with less stress? Find and celebrate the success you already have, while preparing for your next big Success Experience. Subscribe for your FREE "Your Success Experience E-Zine" at http://www.patricklowe.com

Think And Grow Rich - How To Change Your Thinking To Change Your Financial Success

By Connie Ragen Green

The idea of thinking and growing rich sounds like it is too good to be true. But how you think about wealth and other areas of your life do have a great deal to do with how financially successful you can be. Here are some ways that you can become the financial success you know you can be.

For example, your income will most likely be the average of the incomes of the five people you spend the most time with. This is because you will all have a similar mindset and belief system about how wealth works. Instead of dropping your friendships with the people you know currently, add new friendships of people who are doing as well financially as you would like to do. By spending time with these new friends you will learn some of the ways they do things that you may never have thought of before.

Never give up. Most people will try something for a short period of time, but when it doesn't pay off they give up very quickly. Be persistent and promise yourself you will never give up. Most highly successful people have failed many times during their lives. The difference is that they fail forward and learn from their mistakes instead of giving up and dwelling on what went wrong.

The truth is that you really can think and grow rich. You just need to know some of the secrets that will make the difference in your own life. I encourage you to learn more and change your financial life forever.

And now I invite you to learn more about the secrets of thinking and growing rich by visiting http://www.SuccessAndYourLife.com to see what you have been missing in your own financial success.