Your Podiatry Business Is What You Own. It’s Not Who You Are.

When Your Identity Gets Wrapped Around Your Business

I recently interviewed executive behaviour and leadership coach Wilson Lawrence on the Podiatry Legends Podcast, and he introduced the concept of becoming “identity locked.”

It’s when we become so attached to a particular role that we struggle to see ourselves outside it.

And I immediately thought about podiatry business owners.

If I asked, “Who are you?” would your first response involve being a podiatrist, clinic owner or business owner?

There’s nothing wrong with being proud of those things, but they’re things you do. They’re not the entirety of who you are.

Why This Matters in Business

When your identity becomes too closely attached to your business, every business problem can start feeling personal.

• A patient complains, and you feel attacked.
• An employee resigns, and you wonder what you’ve done wrong.
• Revenue drops and suddenly you’re questioning your abilities.
• Another clinic opens nearby, and you feel threatened.

But these are business events. They are not assessments of your worth as a person. Separating the two allows you to look at problems more objectively.

Instead of thinking, “I’m failing,” you can ask, “What’s not working?”

Those are two very different questions.

You Cannot Argue With Evidence

One of my favourite lines from my conversation with Wilson was:

“You cannot argue with evidence.”

Business owners are incredibly good at creating stories in their heads.

• I’m not good at marketing.
• I’m a terrible leader.
• Everyone else seems to know what they’re doing.

Before accepting any of those statements, look for evidence. Maybe your marketing isn’t perfect, but your appointment book is full.

Maybe you’ve made leadership mistakes, but you’ve retained some great employees for years.

Maybe you don’t have every answer, but you’ve run a business through challenging times. Don’t let an emotion masquerade as a fact.

Build a Business That Supports Your Identity

I’ve always believed your business should support the life you want, not consume it.

You should have interests outside podiatry. You should be able to switch off, take holidays and spend time with people you enjoy being around. You should learn completely unrelated skills and have hobbies that don’t generate revenue.

The happiest podiatrists I know all have an interest or hobby outside of podiatry, and sometimes you should be able to introduce yourself without mentioning podiatry at all.

Because one day you’ll eventually sell, close or walk away from your business. And when that day arrives, there should still be a very interesting person standing there.

Your podiatry business is something you’ve built

Don’t let it become everything you are.

If you’re building a successful podiatry business but it’s taking up far too much of your life, perhaps it’s time to rethink how you’re running it. That’s exactly the type of conversation I have with my coaching clients.

Sometimes making more money and working fewer hours starts with realising that your business is supposed to work for you, not the other way around.

If you’d like help creating a podiatry business that’s more profitable, less dependent on you and gives you more freedom so you can enjoy life, let’s talk. 

You can reach out to me at tf@tysonfranklin.com, and I will help you where I can. 

Or, if you want to make more money in podiatry, we can talk about that too.