My husband, David, and I just got back from vacation. Waiting for us in the gargantuan pile of mail was a letter from David's doctor. We both knew it contained the results of the lab work he'd had pulled just before we left.
Now, we weren't really nervous about it. David is in great health (thankfully). He has excellent fitness habits. He runs several miles almost every day, with long runs of around seven miles on the weekends. His breakfast is the same almost every day -- yogurt with wheat germ, fresh-cut fruit, and a piece of whole grain toast. Mid-morning, almost every day, he peels and eats two fresh oranges. Lunch is usually a half sandwich and an apple. Yes, he really does eat like this! His one vice is ice cream. The man adores his ice cream.
He also has a touch of high blood pressure. Well, he has a "touch" of it now. Once upon a time, it was sky-high, back in the day when he used to catch the commuter train to his office in NYC every day. Since moving to the farm here in Kansas and telecommuting to NYC, his blood pressure has plummeted to well within "normal." His doctors keep an eye on it, though, "just in case."
Hence, the report that arrived with the mass of vacation mail.
Everything checked out beautifully. His cholesterol is an un-surprising 140! (I mean, really, the way the guy eats, wouldn't you expect his cholesterol to be low??)
David is 64 years old. He ran a marathon in Dublin, Ireland when he was 62. He got married (to me) when he was 63. He runs seven miles on Sunday afternoons "for fun." And last week, he danced my socks off during the Jazz Festival in Vail, Colorado (at altitude!).
Yes, he is truly blessed with good health. But don't think for a moment that he is "lucky." He nearly died from kidney failure when he was in his 30s. He has a heart murmur, the same type of murmur that cut his father's life short. And he has a "touch" of high blood pressure.
Despite those challenges, or perhaps because of them, David is a runner. And a healthy eater. And he left his high-stress NYC lifestyle for something more laid-back here on a Kansas horse farm.
Let me see, what is it the doctors keep telling us? As Americans, most of our health problems are lifestyle-related. We need to eat healthier. Get more exercise. Reduce our stress.
You know what? These things really work! They are The Essentials of good health. David has learned to Practice Fitness, and it's paying off!
When we work with clients to build their practice, we stress The Essentials of good business / financial health. Those who embrace these Essentials find rewarding success. They get good "lab results" every month on their P&L statements!
But, all too often, we find clients who will embrace only one or two of The Essentials. They are like the patient who says he will "eat right," except for the irresistible Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Or they promise to "eat right," but just can't find time to exercise. Or -- they try to add "exercise" to their already over-filled work schedule ... somewhere between sleeping, eating and catching the train they will work in some exercise...a vow that only adds more stress to their lives.
If you want to really Practice Fitness in your estate planning or elder law practice, then you will need a SYSTEMATIC approach to your marketing. That approach should incorporate lead generation, qualification, follow-up and conversion. It should help you build quality relationships with allied professionals and with your clients. It should, over time, help you build a practice that virtually runs itself.
A website is not a marketing system.
A newsletter is not a marketing system.
A blog is not a marketing system.
In fact, a website, a newsletter and a blog are not a marketing system. They may be the components of a marketing system, but only if they work together in a cohesive, integrated fashion.
For more Practice Fitness tips, visit the Practice Fitness blog.
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