From PT to CEO: Why Thinking Like a Boss Matters

I was interviewing another physical therapist turned entrepreneur this morning, and we got on the subject of the decision-making process, risk, and how it pertains to building a business. 

This topic got me thinking… Is the way we are taught to manage patients preventing great rehab professionals from being great business owners?

Think about it: in grad school, we are taught to constantly analyze risk, avoid failure, and process a million variables at once. This can be great for patient care as our primary goal is to do no harm, but ultimately, if we do not filter this lens, we will end up overly cautious in other areas that require a different approach - and if you bring this into business, it is overwhelming. 

When we enter the business and entrepreneurial world, it can be hard not to get stuck overanalyzing the potential downside of decisions… Yet what ends up happening is we just continue to stay safe - and sometimes, even stuck just accepting “this is the way it is.” 

Being an entrepreneur isn’t an easy feat. It has ups and downs, but to those who have committed to this path, I guarantee most of them will tell you it was absolutely worth it. I know it has been for me.

As an entrepreneur, you have to put aside your clinical decision-making lens. You have to embrace the downside and failure so you can experience upside and success. It’s a classic catch 22 of going against what you’ve been conditioned to believe.

Now, for those who excelled in school, followed traditional rules, became doctors, got jobs… just did what we were supposed to do… it can be hard to break that cycle - especially if those around you don’t understand WHY you need to do something different. This is where the old saying “ A students work for C students” comes from - because the C student knew the traditional path wasn’t for them. They thought outside the box. They took risks. 

The more you understand this, the better you can filter the way you make decisions. You can literally change the way you think by starting to take action in different ways. 

It’s not easy, but neither is the path you’re currently on, which is why you’re here.

The person you want to become is just a series of small actions away.

Are you ready to separate your rehab thought process from your entrepreneurial thought process?

All you need to do is act.