THE HIGHER THE CONFRONT – THE HIGHER THE YIELD

By Desiree Reader

Compliments of S.G. Reader & Associates, Inc.

Q:  Does higher confront push one out of his/her comfort zone?

A:  Absolutely!

A full field of soccer players covers many positions.  Players are categorized under two groups – defense and offense.  I have played both positions and always knew that the forwards had it rough – and rightfully so.  It was a glory position.  They did all the running and had all the responsibility of scoring goals.  I would often daydream – visualizing myself receiving all the rewards of playing such a position.  As defense, I recall standing on the white chalked defense line waiting for the rare occasion of the ball coming my way.  This was not the glory position as that of a forward.  Of course at 8 years old, the solution was easy.  “When the ball comes your way, boot it out!”  That seemed to be the case when I was young.  As I grew up, the game was a bit more complex and confrontational.

Opponents were quite the challenge on the high school level; and although offense was good, the opponent was as good – if not better.  I wasn’t prepared for this intensity of confront and skill.  Each time the opponents would have the ball, they would come closer and closer into our defense zone.  Sometimes I was overcome with anxiousness and terror.  At age 8, this game did not appear to be so life and death like it was in high school.  Many times I would say to myself, “I am not prepared for this.  What am I doing?  I’ve got to get out of here.”

My window of opportunity for the glory position had finally arrived.  I would now have a chance at the coveted position of forward.  Playing forward is a whole different world than any position of defense.  It is a very difficult position with great responsibility.  I didn’t feel prepared to run like a forward, nor was I rehearsed in scoring goals.  Therefore, I had become very uncomfortable.  I learned later that it wasn’t as if I couldn’t run or score – I was just being lazy and didn’t want to push myself, nor did I want the responsibility that came with that position.  The coach decided to place me in mid-field.  This, of course, was low risk – low reward.  I was comfortable.  In other words, I had always dreamed about the glory, but I didn’t want the failure that came with the risks of such a position.  There were many failures from some of the finest forwards.  I never realized that it came with the position.  I relinquished my window of opportunity because I was not willing to endure until I had become comfortable in the glory position.

I grew up in a family that did not believe in luck.  My parents taught that there is a cause and effect outcome with everything we do.  In other words, if we choose to be lazy – if we choose not to apply ourselves – then the reward would be equal to our efforts.

Over the years I have had the privilege of knowing many clients coming to our home.  Many of them became close family friends.  As I got older and more acquainted with the business, it didn’t take long to discern those who were happy, successful and fulfilled versus those who were unhappy, frustrated and unfulfilled.  There truly is a common denominator between what my father called “The Haves” and the “Have-Nots”.  And it is so simple.  Although the “Haves” may have felt fear when promoting and building their practice, fear never had a paralyzing effect on them.  They did not allow the fear to keep them from communicating with staff, patients, and the potential new patient.  Much like the soccer field, their yield was equal to their level of risk and/or confront.  The “Have-Nots”, on the other hand, allowed fear to overcome them.  Fear truly had a paralyzing impact upon their ability to build and grow a practice.  Like my soccer moments, there were many missed windows of opportunity to the take the good risks – confront the moment – and score!

There were many life changing lessons learned on the soccer field.

  1. Not to give up windows of opportunity so quickly.
  2. To confront fear fearlessly.
  3. Endure until it becomes a part of the comfort zone.

I learned that no matter the position, give it your best – and if you do not give it your best in the no glory position, odds are against giving it your best when invited to play the glory position.

Getting sick people well is a “glory position”.  Give it your best!