I Own 4 Businesses and Wrote a Book. And You Can Too! Here’s How….

People ask me if I ever sleep.

And the answer is simple.

Yes.

And I take naps.

What they want to know is…. how do I work and do the other stuff too?  Like own 4 businesses, lift weights, train jiu jitsu, keep the website going,  film Youtube videos, write a book, and spend time with my family.

You see, I’m not a master of time management and I don’t have endless energy.  Like I said above….I take naps. But there are some things that have helped me along the way and I want to share them with you.

Because, who knows? Maybe you’ve been wanting to take a leap of faith and this is the kick in the pants you’ve been waiting for.

Now, let’s get started.

And that’s actually the first step.  Just get started.

I focus on the process and not perfection.  Sometimes, you just have to do something.  Don’t worry if it will be successful or if all the stars are lined up just right or if you’re “ready or not”.   Start.  Reflect.  And then adjust.  I’ve failed more times than I care to count.  (You can read about them here)

It’s okay if you aren’t the best.  It’s okay if your competition built a bigger, fancier clinic.  It’s okay if a no count TV doctor has more “followers” than you.  It’s okay if Instagram analytics never recommends your beautiful blue pictures.  It’s okay if people aren’t inspired by your mediocre ability to do pull-ups.

My wife told me the other day “You really are a big picture guy”.  (I think this was an underhanded complement due to the fact I tend to ignore details and let other people work them out, but i’m going to let it slide this time)  She makes a good point, because it’s true.

I like seeing the big picture.  And I like having BIG DREAMS.

But the way I make big dreams a reality is….I focus on small dreams.

Well actually, not dreams, but projects.

I’m talking about small goals that I can get done.  Then it’s just a matter of doing them.  Those small things add up over time and before you know it…..you’re having fun and living a life that you could only have dreamed of a few years back.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer.  I wrote short stories, poems, and songs.  It was all cheesy or cliche.  No earth shaking revelations.

I began to focus more on music and my writing fell by the wayside.  (Although in college, I helped a friend write a screenplay for a movie… but that’s a story for a different day)

In medical school, the students would stand around and discuss various specialties.  What were the hours like, what was taking call like, how long was the residency, what was the job market like?

I’d tell them I was going into family practice and they’d say I was crazy.  “Don’t go back to Mississippi! Don’t see patients. Do procedures!  That’s how you get rich!  You need to be a specialist in a big town.”

When I decided to focus more on addiction and mental health, I hit resistance as well.  “Why would you do that?”  “You can’t help those people.”  “You must be an addict too.”

I’m starting to think that resistance is the key to all good decisions.  All the roads you could go down, some seem easy and some painful.

Not all the resistance comes from others.  Most of it comes from our own brains.  The stories we tell ourselves are the most powerful ones.

When I started writing a book of devotions, I thought “Are you crazy?  You’re a bit more heretic than saint buddy”.  So I wrote a book of devotions for people like me.  Broken down ones.  Folks that have given up on religion but still want to connect with the Great Spirit.

Overcoming self doubt is really the only obstacle there is.  Once we do this, we’re free.

Oh yeah…. I almost forgot…. I was trying to explain how I wrote my book.

I took hospital call for 8 years.  I’d get up early and go to the gym, then I’d go to the hospital, then I’d go to the clinic.  After clinic, I’d go back to the hospital.

My partner and I decided to take a break from the hospital (one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made).  That first week off call, I had so much free time that it felt like I had retired.

I’d get up early just like before but I had another 2 hours to do whatever.  So I used that time to pray, meditate, and write.

I had always wanted to write a book.  So I just decided to do it.  Better to get the thing done than to have it hang over my head forever.

In other words….Better to write a bad book than no book at all!

Here’s something you might not know.  The first book I wrote, I chunked.  Yep, you read that right.  I wrote an entire book and then threw it in the trash.

I was never happy with it.  So after plugging away for a year, I threw it out and started over.

This wasn’t about trying to make it perfect.  It just didn’t have the flow I wanted.  It was too plastic.  Not enough flesh and blood.

The book I published was my second.   (I also have a third book that’s in the editing process)

I only say that, to let you know that you can work hard for something but it might not turn out like you hoped.

You might have to reset.  And that’s okay.

Go with the flow and learn to adapt.

Put down some words.  Even the wrong words.

Rinse and repeat.

So if you ever feel stuck when trying to pursue a goal, try this…..

Make a move.

See what happens.

Have fun.

It’s just that easy.

a pic of me taking on the world  ( one bite at a time)

p.s.

If you read this far, you’re awesome!

I wanted to share one more tip for success.  Probably the most important one.

(So important that I should write an entirely different post about it)

It’s this….

Surround yourself with good people!

You see, all my businesses would collapse if not for my other partners, employees, friends, and family.  (And of course God’s good grace)

My businesses aren’t about me.  They are about the community we create.

p.p.s.

My latest adventure…..Park Medical Clinic is now accepting new patients.

Call 662-499-2802 for an appointment.