Rick's Business of Audiology Blog

Own Your Practice

Own Your Practice & Own Your Profession

As the end of the year approaches we often think about our life and assess how we are doing. Are we being successful personally, professionally, financially?

If you are working in an organization where the leadership has priorities other than Audiology, their first priority is something other than serving the needs of the hearing or balance impaired; you will want to think of making a change.

Not only for your personal health and wealth, but for the profession you represent.

Pick up, borrow, or check out, a copy of the book Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and spend a couple of hours with it. You don't need to read the entire book to understand how the rich people want you working for them; they want you building their family wealth. The wealthy want to keep you in debt so you are dependent upon a job working for them.

Remember the time your peers have made decisions based not upon patient care, as in your ethical guidelines, but upon keeping a job, or with the direction of a non-audiologist. Only by becoming an Independent Practitioner can you remain true to your values.

Think about it.

Rick

Books to Own

I was asked what are the three books everyone should own, and presumably actually read. I offered these three, and I think I made good choices.

First would be the Bible. The Bible is bestselling book of all time and for good reason. Often non-Christians seem afraid to read it. Perhaps afraid it will change their lives. Don't worry. You still get to make up your own mind. However the Bible is stuffed full of timeless stories about sex, relationships, business, ethical decisions, depression, attitude, food, and I think all the issues we deal with today. It is also the only book I know that integrates the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes about these issues together. Pick a recognized version in a language you understand. If you live in old England than the King James Version may be perfect, but if you live today the New American Standard will be much easier to read and understand.

Second would be Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki. He takes the B.S. out of finances and describes them in a way even a high school dropout can understand. The rich want you to get a job and some debt so you are forever tied to working for them and making them richer. He also describes how you can change this without an additional degree (more debt) or anything but the tools you have right now.

Third is The Smartest Guys in The Room: a wonderfully researched and written book about the rise and fall of one of the largest companies in the world; Enron, and along with it the accounting firm Arthur Anderson. This book written by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind it clearly shows that behind all the numbers and talk are people. If the people think accounting profits and stock price are the measure of success disaster often follows.

All are available from any good bookstore or easily online from www.amazon.com and can be delivered to your door for just a few dollars in just a few days.

Rick