The Contented Practitioner

Ok so like me you are probably thinking straight off the bat that the title suggests someone who is sitting back sipping pina coladas, alcohol free of course, while their practice just continues to support them with not a lot of effort. Well that’s quite a nice image but not the one I am thinking of.

Regardless of how long you have been practicing it is likely that you have experienced something like this. Going into your practice with maybe a couple of bookings and waiting. You can feel the silent scream inside you trying to get out. This is not what you had in mind was it? You were expecting to turn up at work for your first client of the day, work through until lunch then on again until close. You are so disappointed, this plan of yours hasn’t worked and you feel a failure.

But wait a minute didn’t we say you had a couple of clients booked in? Isn’t that an achievement? Yes I know you would like to have more but couldn’t you stop to appreciate what you do have? When we look at any idea we might have we always have the end in mind and the problem here is we don’t consider the stepping-stones we will likely have to take to get there. One client is better than none, two better than one and one and so on. There was a time where you had none.

I know this sounds all glass half full and silver lined cumulus and that sometimes you really just want to throttle the bearer of those analogies as have I over the years. But there is something to be said for contentment. I cannot change my situation right now so there are two ways I can view it as a great point to take off from or not.

I was reading the Dalai Lamas book recently ‘The art of happiness at work’ and there was something that was said that I had never even thought of before. The Dalai Lama was talking about contentment. The author suggested that the western ideal is to move forward, to grow and to achieve so how could contentment lead to that. The Dalai Lama responded by saying that contentment does not mean complacency. It was like a bomb went off inside me. All of my life I have strived to be more, to be better and my tendency is to not celebrate the achievements and be content with the amazing things I have in my life. Which when you think about it makes for a pretty hollow and unsatisfied existence.

So rather than constantly looking for what you want in your life why not stop and look at the gifts you already have. Appreciate that one client you might have today. Take a moment, an hour or revel all day in the opportunity you have to help them because what a gift that truly is. Won’t you be able to offer so much more the greater you value them? It doesn’t mean you still can’t improve and grow, in fact it will likely ensure that you do.

Jeff Shearer is a practitioner of over 18 years who now runs a training business called Ethical Practice designed to help practitioners manage the hurdles of running a practice without selling their soul.