Feeling pressured to step up as the expert or authority . . .
. . . no desire to be the “guru? That may bring more success.
At the beginning of my physical therapy career, I remember learning from mentors who claimed to have the answer to everything.
Nobody has the answer for everyone. No one modality works for every person.
That belief made me more of an expert than anyone claiming to be one.
As I trained over three decades with expert after expert, learning their modalities and being sold that their particular method was the answer to everyone’s problem, I created my own strategy.
I created my magical toolkit by taking all the golden nuggets I learned that worked, putting them into my bag of tricks, and then customizing a plan for each client based on what worked, not what someone told me should work, but what actually worked.
I flipped open the trade magazines, or hopped onto social media and spied the ads, and there it would be in flashing neon: This is the answer to your problem. We are the experts. Come learn this technique. We’ll fix you.
I had a deep desire to be good at what I did. And I was. But it wasn’t because I claimed to be an expert in any one modality. It was because I practiced a learner’s mindset, stayed coachable, and stayed open to new ways of looking at chronic issues, incorporating solutions based on my very unique clients’ very unique problems.
The Real Expert
I may have been an expert, but it was because I wasn’t willing to call myself a guru. Instead, I developed a customized approach with several modalities at my disposal, explored what worked, and adjusted accordingly.
What was the most important thing I did? I helped empower my clients by giving them a deeper connection to their own inner power and healer—I helped them understand that they were the guru.
Expert or no, authentic healers honor the fact that every human has insights about their body, mind, and soul that we could never have. That connection to your own inner power is the most important thing we can nurture.
Going with What Works
And no matter what the research says, there’s what works and what doesn’t work.
“We only follow evidence-based practices.”
Throughout my career, this statement has always been a sticking point. What if something that is not evidence-based continues to prove itself with actual results and transformation? Would I throw that away because there is no research behind it?
My answer was always no.
When someone needs help, is in pain, or is declining in function, they don’t care what modality you use; they care about feeling better. What a disservice it would be to my clients to limit my toolkit to try to stay loyal to one modality when something else might work better for them.
Blaze Your Own Trail
There’s a lot of pressure to be the expert and authority.
This peer pressure exists in every industry, including my current one (publishing). In my transition to publishing for holistic professionals, I adopted similar practices, including collaboration, a learner’s mindset, building my toolkit, and serving from a place of awareness and desire to empower my clients, not to be the know-it-all who claims to be able to do everything for them.
The reason Brave Healer Productions is the best book publishing experience on the planet is that we understand the value of every mind coming to the table, every experienced professional, team member, co-author, leader, client, and reader, and our arms are open to each of them. We practice awareness. We’re willing to learn. And we want to empower you to leave your legacy in the world in a bigger way.
What Else is Possible?
In publishing (and many other professions), a collaborative, community-driven approach might just change everything, whether you’re ready to launch your solo-authored book into the world, you’re joining one of the multi-author book projects, or you’re just out there making your purpose-driven contribution and leaving your legacy.
So, what will it be? Are you the guru? Or will you make your mark with a collaborative contribution?
We’re here to discuss building an expert community that empowers your readers and changes the world. Contact our team to share your book idea! Our open projects for contributors can be found HERE.
