This article is one of mankind’s mistakes proposed by Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 BC-43BC) entitled “The Six Mistakes of Man”.
I believe that these ‘mistakes’ are as common today as they were over 2000 years ago and I am sure that you will notice parts of you that participate in these mistakes.
Mankind’s Mistake #6 is “Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do”.
This mistake is a universal challenge amongst chiropractors who are passionate about the chiropractic lifestyle.
Isn’t it an abrogation of duty not to have others see the world from our eyes? Shouldn’t everyone ‘get it’ so the world can be a happy and healthy place?
This opens a huge paradox. This is the difference between a being a leader and a wayshower. Now before you go scurrying to your dictionary to look up wayshower – you wont find it. Way-Show-Er is a word that I have proposed for the purpose of making this distinction.
When you come from a position of being the leader you have a cause that you are captaining. You are charged with taking those of similar faith (or opposing faith) to the ‘right’ place. History (and present time) is full of leaders who compelled others to take on the leader’s beliefs, often with tragic consequences. I would assert that any time you take a position of leadership you attempt to make others comply with your vision.
Wayshowership on the other hand is a process where you share your vision, values, beliefs, skills and services with others without attachment to the outcome. Whether people live as you do or not doesn’t matter to you. Your life is the message and there is no intention to convert others to your life. You know that your life is right for you and it may not be the life that is right for others.
Consider this thought when it comes to guiding your practice members along their chiropractic journey. It makes it a lot less irritating for them and a lot more fun for you.
Oh, and by the way people change a lot more too.
