Can one person really make a difference?

Muhammad Ali was widely known as ‘The Greatest’. He’ll be remembered as one of the most significant and influential sports figures of the 20th century. Ali had an impact on millions of people throughout the world. His death caused me to reflect on his inspiring and somewhat controversial legacy.

How much difference can one person make out of 7 billion people on planet earth?

How about one therapist in the midst of the 200,000 licensed therapists in the United States?

If we focus solely on the numbers and professional accomplishments then individuals can become unimportant. Despite his greatness, Ali never forgot the importance of connecting with people one on one. I know it’s important to capitalize on the strength in our PT numbers but we must not lose the worth of every individual therapist.

Do you want to make your life count for something? Do you want your career to consist of more than going to work, seeing patients and making a living?

The desire for making an impact and leaving a legacy is hardwired in most of us.

That’s why grandparents rarely keep photos of their adult children in their billfold or purse. There is something special about the opportunity to impact another human being.

For the last four months, my wife and I have been enjoying our first grandchild. (I’ll spare you by not posting pictures of her.) Now as grandparents we get to see how good of the job of parenting we did as we watch our daughter raise her daughter.

The reality of the third generation gives hope that our legacy will continue after we are gone.

How about your professional legacy? Are you investing in the next generation of therapists to carry on the excellent reputation that previous physical therapists have sacrificed for?

John Childs is an extraordinary physical therapist who is wise beyond his years. Early in his career Dr. Childs is making a tremendous impact in many people and is a leader extraordinaire in the physical therapy profession.

John is a founder and CEO of Evidence in Motion and a partner in Confluent Health. He was awarded the highest honor by the American Physical Therapy Association for his professional excellence and leadership.

I caught up with John at a recent therapy association meeting. We discussed the mentors in his life, the key components of a good mentor relationship and his suggestions on finding a mentor. I know you will be inspired by John’s message and life.

 In this episode we cover:

• The mentors that helped John early in his career
• The importance of humility when hanging out with people who are smarter than you
• The pros and cons of mentoring programs
• Where the best mentorship is happening
• What to look for in a mentor or a team
• Mentorship is a two-way street–how to add value to your mentor’s life
• The importance of mentorship outside your profession

Resources

• Evidence in Motion 
• GoConfluent.com
• John Childs’ email john@eimpt.com
• The Art of Work by Jeff Goins– One of my favorite books on discovering what you’re meant to do and apprenticeship
• Finishing Well by Bob Buford

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