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The Rewards of Living and Practicing by Design

As some of you know, it's been a very unique stretch of days. My latest of many recent life adventures began with a cross-country flight to Seattle, and the start of an incredible voyage. Here's how this one all got started.

My father in law, who is now 84, has been raving about Alaska since I met him 35 years ago while dating my wife, Patti. He spent some considerable time here while in the Navy, and was even here during the great earthquake of '64. That entire experience stayed with him for life. I can't tell you how many times he has told us we have to go to Alaska. Now, this is from someone who has worked and traveled the globe extensively.

In 2007, you may remember, my brothers and I took my dad back to Ireland. That was a phenomenal journey in which we rented a home on a 130-acre farm and traveled all over about one-third of the country. Right after that trip, we vowed to take Patti's dad back to Alaska. So here I am!

Our first night on board, the sun set just before 10, and last light was about 11. Patti and I saw all of this from the Skywalkers Lounge located in the 17th deck of the Star Princess.

We hit our stateroom just after last light, and the ocean swells rocked us right out to sleep. First light came all too soon. I think it was around 3 AM or so I first noticed the morning orange sky peeking through the curtains. About 430 AM, I felt just the gentle splash of calm waters along the hull of the Star Princess, instead of the exaggerated rolling while at sea the previous two days.

So I ran for the coffee pot, and I was totally unprepared as we opened the curtains on our balcony. The vista was incredible. No, it was surreal.

Absolutely a magnificently beautiful early morning cruise along the Inside Passage in Tracy's Endicott Arm. Stay with me here.

We awoke to snowcapped mountain ranges in the distance, waterfalls down partially frozen cliffs, progressively larger icebergs with occasional sea lions on them, the cry of bald eagles overhead and the dimming masthead lights on the pilot boat ahead. After about three hours into Endicott Arm with a magnificent glacier in clear sight, the Captain turned this 951-foot vessel on its axis inside the 1200-foot wide canal. Unbelievable.

And that was just the start of one day. I spent that afternoon on a 50-mile road trip on a Harley all over Ketchikan, then capped the day off back onboard with drinks on the top deck as we sailed for Juneau and Skagway.

So Doctor, what's my point?

The planning, and execution of all of these life-changing experiences are by design.

The scheduled time off is one of six vacations we have planned in a 12-month stretch. All of these are supported by office systems we continuously improve to run well, even in my absence.

Patti designed every piece of the Alaska trip after about 90 days of research, reading and meetings with travel agents. Right now, we continue to plan and design vacations, the good lord willing, and right through the next several years.

However, none of this would have happened if not for 27 great years in the practice and, currently, two years, and counting, working with all of you.

Again, this only became a reality because I progressively redesigned my personal goals around my life vision and how I intended to live, not the other way around.

I am really living the American dream. Started with nothing, like most all of us do, and continuously redesigned a plan to reach changing but progressive goals.

Being in private practice, an enormous piece of this plan is a practice big enough at each stage of your life to fully support the life you want.

Fully understand that you cannot be living this type of life without the support and encouragement of those that love and believe in us. This includes most especially your patients and staff.

And by the grace of God, be grateful more each passing day for the gift of living and working hard, but smarter each new year.

When you Practice by Design like this, you'll have patients who bring you gifts before you leave on your journeys, who can't wait to see you with the pictures and stories when you return back home again. Staff that misses you while you are not there, because despite all the 'stuff' in the office, one of our major ground rules is to always be having fun in practice.

And the cool thing is, you can do all of this too.

I know because a lot of our upper level clients are working daily with us on this design process.

So can you. These are learnable skills. No, its not always easy, but the results are so worth it.

If you really want a great life, execute a plan and design for a richer personal life. Then, each passing year, a fabulous practice will support your dreams.

Understand, it's not the other way around!

Lots of docs work incessantly, accumulate "stuff", but as they too often tell me, have 'no life'.

Doctor, its possible to have both.

But only if you Practice by Design.

Anyway, I wish that you might stumble upon life lessons here as I share these, my life journeys.

Doctor, Live with Purpose and Passion, by Design!

About the Author

Dr. John Hayes, Jr. is an Evvy Award Nominee and author of Living and Practicing by Design. To know more about his unique approaches to private practice success, visit http://perfectpracticeweb.com/ and register for a FREE CD and Info Pack.

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