Tag: personal

Reflections on “The Alchemist” Part XIV

“There was nothing to hold him back except himself.”

Self-limiting beliefs.

I am a ….

I do …

I can’t do….

Why bother?

Once a person labels themselves as something, that label becomes restrictive.

For a long time, I was an employee. I clocked and and clocked out. I went home and read more about the profession to educate myself. I worked at work and avoided work at home.

As a business manager, I work at work and work at home. I am in more control of my destiny than when I was only an employee.

Although I am a business owner, it is a one-man show. In order to make money, I have to leave the cave…kill it and bring it home.

It’s a different perspective than that of an employee. When times are lean, it’s the owner that takes the hit. The employee still gets a paycheck. When times are bountiful, the owner has to put away retained earnings to save for the lean times. Unfortunately, many employees see the bountiful times as a period to ask for more money.

I had to change my mindset, because I was that employee. Now as the business manager and owner, my perspective is changed. I hope that it doesn’t take me another 12 years to become the investor mindset.

I am the limiting factor though and I realize this. The spending that I did in my twenties and thirties affects the savings in my thirties and forties. I know better now, but still make mistakes.

In the end, I think that as long as we own our decisions, successes and failures…learn from them for future decisions…we are on the right path.

Reflections on “The Alchemist” Part IV

“The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.”

The back story on this was to fill a spoon with oil. While walking through a castle the person was to make the best effort to avoid spilling the oils from the spoon. In the process, the beauty of the castle was missed.

I think many of us do this, me included. I have an obsessive personality. I know this about myself. It’s a major strength for my profession, but a liability in life.

Going back to the story of my middle child. I was so focused on the diagnosis and trying to be prepared, that I was in a fog for a while. Everything I did was to learn more about Down Syndrome. I listened to podcasts, I read research, I watched videos, I read books. It was exhausting. In the meantime, when I see pictures of my daughter during her first few weeks, it’s hard for me to recognize her. I was so focused on getting prepared (not spilling the oil) that I missed the beauty of the castle (my daughter in front of me).

Again, this is one of my major regrets in life.

It’s a balancing act for sure. Trying to perform responsibilities that need to be done on a daily, while still feeling awe at the sight of a rainbow, sunset, caterpillar, etc.

It takes structuring priorities to make it to my daughters kindergarten graduation. She may never care or remember that Ania and I were there, but seeing her hold up the “I want to be a dentist” sign waving to us when she saw us, is one way for me to stay focused on the oil and still see the important things in life.

Reflections from “The Alchemist” Part II

“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”

Are you happy?

Do you love your profession?

Are you satisfied with the time you spend with your family?

Matthew 7:5

You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

This is the first passage that comes to mind when I think of the above quote.

I’ve met many people in my life say I should’ve been a lawyer, I should’ve gone to medical school, I should’ve done this or that. A wise dumpster diver, turned scholar, turned flight attendant by the name of John Patrick Luby III used to say “Never should (shit) on yourself!”

All that really matters is that I’m happy in life and content with where I’m at as a professional. When I introduce myself and people say what do you do you I said I do physical therapy. I rarely say that I’m a physical therapist.

As much as I do for the profession and within the profession, I never want the profession to define me. I am a father. I am a husband. I am a son. I am my own person.

Lately, I have been spending time counseling others on clear pass. I try my best to stay unbiased and to not give my opinion as much as I try to receive answers and ask questions to those that are looking for their careers. I do my best to give an objective opinion regarding finances, regarding passions, regarding job stability, job, but most importantly happiness.

It’s not my job, nor my want, to try to push someone into a direction. I personally feel it’s my responsibility to help those that are seeking assistance in finding their own career path I never do this by pushing them in a direction, but instead help them to see where their passions may lie.

I’ve met many people that are dissatisfied with how their life is playing out, but what they fail to see is that it’s now until they’re no longer living, they are free to make choices to affect the outcome going to change their future is the president. Their past Cano want to change it, but the choices they make today will affect the outcome as of tonight and tomorrow. I making different choices they can choose to take a different path in life, but many have difficulties making those decisions. There are outside forces that may hold people in certain positions in life, such as golden handcuffs, family responsibilities, stature and such.

Ultimately, it is not my job to direct others, not other’s job to direct me.

Reflections from “The Alchemist” Part III

“… for her, every day was the same, and when each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.”

This is so true. There are few regrets that I have in life. One regret that I have is how I responded when my daughter Natalia was born. It was a very stressful situation for us at the time.

She was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. We had no forewarnings or time to prepare.

To make matters worse, my wife was alone when she received the news. This is a major failure of that particular healthcare provider.

I was home with my two year old at the time, so that she could sleep in her own bed for a couple of hours and I could take a shower.

When I got the call from my wife, she didn’t say what was happening, only that there was a problem. (Every time I tell this part of the story, I can’t help but get choked up and tear up).

I grabbed my daughter and ran down the stairs to leave. In the process, I tore my Achilles’ tendon.

I spent the first two weeks learning everything that I could about Down Syndrome. In the meantime, I was missing out on the first weeks of my daughter’s life.

There is not much that I feel guilty about, but this is one of those times.

Be grateful for the blessings in life. There will always be things to complain about. There will always be hardships. Once you can look past the hardships to see the blessings, life is much easier to navigate.

Reflections from “The Alchemist” Part I

“That was what made traveling appeal to him that he always made new friends, and he didn’t need to spend all of his time with them. When someone sees the same people every day, as had happened with him at the seminary, they wind up becoming part of that person’s life. And then they want the person to change.”

This is a very pessimistic view of society. At one time I used to believe this is true. But when you love someone, you love someone for the reasons that they are that person. Should you change that person, you may not love that person again.

I think it’s a very dangerous path way to try to change someone into something that you believe to be a better person, when you truly love that person as they are. I think there is a difference between trying to help someone become a better version of themselves, versus trying to help someone become the better version YOU believe they should be for YOUR own sake.

Good or bad, I believe that I was parented very well. My dad could give two shits about what I do for a living. All that mattered to him was that I was happy. When I told him that I was going to college, he didn’t care as long as that’s what I wanted to do. Because when that’s the case, that’s what he wanted me to do. When I quit jobs and started new ones, he didn’t care as long as I was happy. When I got married, and then divorced, he only cared that I was doing what I thought was right for me. That’s love. That’s not trying to change someone.

My mom is the opposite. She will try to interject herself into what she feels is best for me because she wants me to be happy and believes that by interjecting herself that it will hall me become happy.

I have always been my own person, so I usually brush off anyone or thing that starts to take control away from my decisions…u less it is something that is prioritized over the decisions that I make.

For instance, I had a good job, not a job I loved because it wasn’t challenging for me, but a good job. Great pay, great benefits, tons of vacation time, but I wanted more. My family is a priority, but so is happiness. I wouldn’t have been happy had I stated because it became the same thing day in and day out. I needed to change.

I made that change and it was a poor decision in hindsight. The change was right, but the way it happened and the preparedness that I had for the cha he was poor. I don’t regret making the decision, even though my wife cautioned me at the time, because I would’ve been in a great job for the wrong reasons.

I am really happy now.

It’s easy to not to want to change someone when there is nothing but love for that someone. Once there is anything other than love for the person in front of you, the thoughts of “I wish you would…” start to rise in your head. These thoughts can become powerful and take the place of the love that was once there. Unchallenged, resent sets in and love is but memory.

All I want is for people to be happy. It’s a byproduct of my parenting and my experiences.

These passages can be found in this book, which I highly recommend.

“That was what made traveling appeal to him that he always made new friends, and he didn’t need to spend all of his time with them. When someone sees the same people every day, as had happened with him at the seminary, they wind up becoming part of that person’s life. And then they want the person to change.”

This is a very pessimistic view of society. At one time I used to believe this is true. But when you love someone, you love someone for the reasons that they are that person. Should you change that person, you may not love that person again.

I think it’s a very dangerous path way to try to change someone into something that you believe to be a better person, when you truly love that person as they are. I think there is a difference between trying to help someone become a better version of themselves, versus trying to help someone become the better version YOU believe they should be for YOUR own sake.

Good or bad, I believe that I was parented very well. My dad could give two shits about what I do for a living. All that mattered to him was that I was happy. When I told him that I was going to college, he didn’t care as long as that’s what I wanted to do. Because when that’s the case, that’s what he wanted me to do. When I quit jobs and started new ones, he didn’t care as long as I was happy. When I got married, and then divorced, he only cared that I was doing what I thought was right for me. That’s love. That’s not trying to change someone.

My mom is the opposite. She will try to interject herself into what she feels is best for me because she wants me to be happy and believes that by interjecting herself that it will hall me become happy.

I have always been my own person, so I usually brush off anyone or thing that starts to take control away from my decisions…u less it is something that is prioritized over the decisions that I make.

For instance, I had a good job, not a job I loved because it wasn’t challenging for me, but a good job. Great pay, great benefits, tons of vacation time, but I wanted more. My family is a priority, but so is happiness. I wouldn’t have been happy had I stated because it became the same thing day in and day out. I needed to change.

I made that change and it was a poor decision in hindsight. The change was right, but the way it happened and the preparedness that I had for the cha he was poor. I don’t regret making the decision, even though my wife cautioned me at the time, because I would’ve been in a great job for the wrong reasons.

I am really happy now.

It’s easy to not to want to change someone when there is nothing but love for that someone. Once there is anything other than love for the person in front of you, the thoughts of “I wish you would…” start to rise in your head. These thoughts can become powerful and take the place of the love that was once there. Unchallenged, resent sets in and love is but memory.

All I want is for people to be happy. It’s a byproduct of my parenting and my experiences.

Link to book

Vince Gutierrez, PT, DPT, cert.MDT
Movementthinker.org
815-210-4869

Life purpose and changes

“If you want to change the world, you have to enroll others in your plans and vision.”

Adam Robinson

About 2 years ago I started a blog. It was just for fun and the premise behind the blog is this “the only knowledge wasted is the knowledge not shared”. I saw this quote on a t-shirt; a blog was born.

My goal is to provide high quality content to readers through this blog in order to assist them with making decisions regarding choosing a health care practitioner. The secondary goal is to educate physical therapists at least up to the point of at patients. It sounds cynical that I believe that some patients have more knowledge than the PT, but I also believe that the patient has more to lose and more at stake than the PT.

The PT only has a paycheck at stake, maybe a reputation. The patient has life limitations and issues that may prevent them from truly experiencing life. That way more at stake than the PT has on the line. In this fashion, I have seen patients becoming smarter over the years through forums, FB groups, reading blogs and watching videos.

The reason why I say high quality content is because there are a lot of lies and misinformation on the World Wide Web (internet). Healthcare professionals prey on the weak and ignorant to take their money using scare tactics and unrealistic hype.

I ain’t got nothing to sell you other than making you a better human through work. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I have increasing demands on my time with a family, managing multiple clinics, treating patients and community involvement.

My posts will become fewer and fewer as I try to fit them into my life instead of fitting my life around my work.

Love your life or change it

Dr. Vince Gutierrez, PT

It’s like the Gamler by Kenny Rogers

“If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.”

Chinese proverb.

This is a lesson that learned later in life. I entered into an agreement under one pretense (set of rules) and after entering the agreement and quitting my job, the rules changed. At that point, I had to ride out the decision that I had made to quit and try to make the best of it.

I wasn’t fully aware of the rules; they changed during the game.

After making the decision to leave my current job, in order to open a clinic with a friend near where I created my following, it was decided that the clinic would be 35 miles away! This was a major blow because now I was starting completely fresh and had no following (although a few patients chose to make that drive). I was able to get in front of over 1,000 pairs of eyes in person and 160,000 pairs of eyes through social media and newspapers.

Unfortunately, I still didn’t know all of the rules until well into the game and at that point my wife and I realized that I couldn’t win the game and we started to discuss quitting time.

Luckily for me, I busted my ass to build my following in this new area. A local business wanted both my skills and my work ethic. The fact that I was able to bring new faces to the clinic was a bonus.

The clinic needed another PT within a few months and through hustle and blessings, I was also able to build a following among PTs, so finding another PT that wanted to work with me wasn’t difficult.

I am now making more money working fewer hours and learning more about the business of health care than I had during the previous 12 years of my career.

I had to learn the lesson the hard way.

Whenever you are entering into an agreement, both sides need to understand the rules of the game, the risks and rewards and when to call it quits.

“You got to know when hold em; know when to fold em; know when to walk away; know when to run.”

Self reflection

“Happiness is about understanding that the gift of life should be honored everyday by offering your gifts to the world”

We all have talents, skills, and/or practices that we have developed over time. In living our lives trying to foster these skills and talents, then providing these to others, life is lived. Many people that I come in contact with are taking from others, but not taking the time to understand how they can give. They have never spent time in self-reflection in order to understand how their experiences

Could help others, but instead looks at the experiences and grows disdain for those that didn’t have the same experiences.

In order to give to others, we have to first understand our gifts.

“Everyone has their own journey. People who offer great advice understand that their goal is to help someone on their unique journey. People who offer bad advice are trying to relive their old glories”

This is a great quote! Many other PTs throughout the country ask me my advice about the courses they should take and the way to treat patients with back pain or chronic pain.

I never tell students what to do with their careers. I never tell other therapists what courses to take. I give them my experience and the rationale for WHY I made the decisions I MADE in MY CAREER. This, at no point in time, is telling others what to do with his/her career.

Self reflection is a quality that we need to improve. In order to understand how to proceed in one’s career, the person has to first understand his/her own interests, personality (introvert, extrovert, ambivert), experience and wants. Some want to play the hero and will drift to manual therapy because they may be able to cowboy up one hands on technique that can turn off pain temporarily. The person may turn towards a method of exercise because they like to play the role of coach and teacher. Understanding the selfish wants of a career also helps one to determine what classes to take throughout the career.

Quotes by Mike Maples Jr.