Harnessing Consistency For Success With Will Humphreys

[00:00:00] When people create a vision, what is it that stops them from progressing into action around it? Or the right action?

[00:00:06] Yeah, there's always the negative self-talk. Look at something that's relatively new or another level that I want to get to.

[00:00:11] Immediately the voice is in my head or like, what makes you think you can do that? That's crazy.

[00:00:16] Do not like that. That's not who you are.

[00:00:18] And so getting past that negative self-talk, I think it's huge. How people are going to perceive you and see you, especially if you make mistakes along the way,

[00:00:26] that might keep you from making the phone call or sending the email. You know, I don't know the vocabulary of that industry.

[00:00:32] So like as I'm learning real estate, that's a big hiccup. Like am I even asking for the right things and saying the right words?

[00:00:39] Or because they might just get look at me like I'm stupid.

[00:00:41] So that's one thing I think that really keeps people is just the fear of how they're being going to be perceived.

[00:00:50] Welcome. You've entered the physical therapy owners club podcast, where your host, Nathan Shields,

[00:00:56] and other successful PT owners and leaders share their experience and insights on how to build successful PT businesses.

[00:01:03] They'll share the stories of their paths to success and show you how you can also obtain greater freedom and more profits from your business.

[00:01:10] That's what the PT owners club is all about, greater freedom and more profits.

[00:01:15] There's plenty of room for you as well, so come on in and join the club.

[00:01:20] Hey everybody, I was recently on my friend and business partners new podcast, the Will Humphrey's Will Power podcast.

[00:01:30] One of the first episodes that he's had on his podcast so this is a recording of that episode that I did with him all about harnessing consistency for success and achieving our goals and overcoming barriers.

[00:01:41] So hopefully you enjoy it and please check out the rest of his podcast.

[00:01:44] He's got some great guests as well and great insight regarding the profession. So check it out, The Will Power podcast.

[00:01:52] Rock stars. Today's episode features Nathan Shields. He's the CEO and founder of the physical therapy owners podcast and Facebook group and coaching.

[00:02:01] I've known Nathan for 30 years. He was my first boss coming out of physical therapy school, he became partners.

[00:02:08] We expanded a business together, we saw that business, we collaborated on multiple businesses.

[00:02:14] Nathan to pinpoint what he's taught me into one introduction would be impossible to do. So let me just say this.

[00:02:20] I wouldn't be who I am without this guy. Nathan has helped me realize my strengths in multiple ways more than anyone else.

[00:02:28] And he has helped multiple people now in this coaching space make a difference in their world and we're so excited to have this episode because we're going to be talking specifically about how to take vision and turn it into action.

[00:02:42] How small and simple steps are often the only path to making massive impact in our world and the world's around us.

[00:02:51] So pay very close attention to his superpower, which is what I kicked the episode off with in understanding how this leader operates.

[00:02:59] And I promise you learn lessons that will increase your impact over time. And so without further ado, here's Nathan Shields.

[00:03:06] All right, Nathan Shields. What is your superpower, my man?

[00:03:09] By superpower. So this is a struggle for me because I'm not quite sure. Maybe I'm not introspective enough.

[00:03:16] But my superpower is I feel like I have a consistency and a stability about me that leads to production.

[00:03:26] I'm always feeling the need to produce, sometimes to unhealthy extent, but I'm always feeling the need to constantly be improving, constantly creating, constantly producing.

[00:03:38] And I think that that mindset has benefited me overall.

[00:03:42] Yeah, I would add to that and say that having known you for decades.

[00:03:48] I mean, that's a long time. One of the ways that shows up is routine. You are a very routine person.

[00:03:55] I remember back when we would work together how like I knew there was RB's day for lunch down to a certain

[00:04:00] like what you would order. And it's not that you see the thing is it's not that you were the same

[00:04:06] because you would vary, but your consistency is the right word. I think it's a matter of understanding the power

[00:04:13] of routines in terms of how to create results. So I would I would refraze it back that way.

[00:04:19] It's you have a superpower of understanding how to get results by taking those small steps.

[00:04:24] I think most people take for granted and sticking to them over time. How has that helped you in your life?

[00:04:31] That's the beauty of how I can really relate to the phrase small and simple things.

[00:04:39] Great things come to pass. I really feel drawn to that as I look back at my lifetime because

[00:04:47] we always hear about the stories, about the one hit wonders, the guys that bought Bitcoin

[00:04:53] when it was $200 and now it's flourishing and go crazy amounts. But I think that's the small

[00:05:02] minority of people that we hear about in the media and that get celebrated whereas the people who

[00:05:08] them adore the large majority and the people who get the most worked on are the ones who consistently

[00:05:14] produce right and they not only have an idea of what they want to do but then they start taking actions

[00:05:21] towards that actionable items that they actually do and don't just sit and drink consistently.

[00:05:27] And so as I look back at my life, I think it was a matter of consistent steps along the way

[00:05:31] that led to action, that led to the next action, that led to the next action and then I

[00:05:35] can look back and say, oh okay, look what I created. That's really cool.

[00:05:40] Yeah, I think the first thing that comes to mind if I can jump in is your podcast.

[00:05:44] The podcast that you started three years, four years ago now?

[00:05:47] Oh dude, I think we're going on seven. Oh my gosh, sorry.

[00:05:50] I mean, this podcast is the dominant force in the physical therapy industry for entrepreneurs.

[00:05:55] I'd love you to tell me a little bit how that was tied to what we're talking about.

[00:06:00] Sure. Yeah, so my experience there was really funny because

[00:06:03] I'd never really heard of podcasts before. So this is probably what 10 years ago.

[00:06:08] My brother sent me a podcast that he found that related to my children.

[00:06:12] And I thought that's really cool. And so I listened to that podcast and I think that guy was actually

[00:06:17] highlighted on entrepreneurs on fire. And I started listening to entrepreneurs on fire a ton

[00:06:23] because he puts out every day and I'm like, okay, now it's a lot.

[00:06:27] Actually, listen to it every day. They're like, all these people start sounding the same.

[00:06:31] And then I thought, I wonder if there's a podcast about physical therapy business ownership

[00:06:36] and so I started searching for physical therapy business ownership.

[00:06:40] And they were podcasts out there about how to treat patients better and how to market.

[00:06:43] But nothing like how to hire a physical therapist or how to get more production out of your team

[00:06:49] and that kind of stuff. And now, so the instant vision was a one-up podcast that talks about

[00:06:55] physical therapy business ownership. That's it. I don't care how to treat patients better.

[00:06:59] I'm okay. About marketing is a portion of what you do as a business owner but it's not

[00:07:05] what I want to cover. And so that was my vision for it.

[00:07:10] And I struggled for a couple of years because I had this vision and I wanted to do it.

[00:07:16] But you know me in tech, I'm okay with tech but I would find myself in my closet trying to figure out

[00:07:23] at the time they recommended garage band was a good audio source to edit audio,

[00:07:27] audio acidity, I was sweating bullets. Like I'm going to totally mess up this audio track

[00:07:34] and it's just like a practice audio track that I'm sweating bullets over. And I didn't know how to get

[00:07:38] and so finally, like this delightful went off like maybe there's a third party that does all this

[00:07:45] for me. And as soon as that dude, as soon as I found that figure that out, I was like okay,

[00:07:50] I just need to find that third party, found them in within a month. I had started doing my podcast

[00:07:55] episodes. Right? And I thought it was really cool. I'd find myself being really excited every time

[00:08:00] I did a podcast and really nervous before each one. And there was a little adrenaline rush but now

[00:08:08] I can look back and say, dude, I'm really proud of this library of audio slash video that any

[00:08:16] pretty much any small business owner can look back and get some value from. It's just started with

[00:08:21] little things and it was those little podcast snippets that were like what courage comes before

[00:08:28] confidence kind of those kind of things like you're not going to be confident as I'm not going to be

[00:08:32] confident as a podcast or until I've done the podcast right? And so that kind of stuff they can be

[00:08:38] I love it. You know, the power of small and simple things you could be the master

[00:08:42] of the small consistent things that matter. You know because at the end of the day, now you have

[00:08:48] hundreds or I don't know thousands of episodes out, you've got this audience. So I don't go to any

[00:08:53] industry event without hearing about you. We've walked together and then later people come

[00:08:57] up to being go, I heard that guy's voice was that make and shields and it's because of the consistency

[00:09:01] about the small things that were done. I think, you know, I love that phrase that we greatly

[00:09:08] overestimate what we can do in a week but dramatically underestimate what we can do in one year

[00:09:13] five years, 10 years. And it's so true. I just, you know, sometimes we just get wrapped up and wanting

[00:09:19] to be there now recognizing that it is the small things and being consistent that add up over time,

[00:09:24] you know, the impact of interest rates, right? That multiplier, those types of investments

[00:09:31] in yourself. So as a coach, how does this show up for you? You obviously have the podcast,

[00:09:37] an experience coach, how do you leverage the power that you have over routine and small and simple

[00:09:43] things to serve the people who work with you? The example I want to use is something that

[00:09:48] that we experienced ourselves and that I've done with you during the annual strategic planning sessions

[00:09:54] that we do and that you do with your team. But so say you have this goal for the end of the year,

[00:10:00] and there's this my-opost marker we want to million dollars in revenue where at 400,000 now,

[00:10:07] whatever that marker might be. And the beauty of Scott Fritz was how he would say, okay,

[00:10:13] that's out there, that's what you want to do by the end of the year. What are you going to do

[00:10:16] in the next 30 days to get there? And he would, we're like, well, we need to come up with a plan

[00:10:24] and marketing, that it, that, no, no, no, no, you're making it too hard. No, like,

[00:10:29] do you need to send an email? Like, yeah, okay, that's your next step. It's send the email by the end of

[00:10:37] the week. And so he would always challenge us by saying, no, that's too much work. And as you

[00:10:46] consistently do that little by little, like I do that with a lot of projects now, like I'm trying

[00:10:52] to honestly am trying to build a speck home in Minnesota of all places. And I just have this

[00:10:59] list of things that need to get done in order to get through the sale and hit the profit margin

[00:11:04] that I want to make. And so I just kind of look at that and I even add that step yet,

[00:11:09] and what do I need to do to check that step off? And then there's like smaller steps to get to that

[00:11:14] step. And so yeah, I think that's something that maybe you can relate to, maybe the team can

[00:11:20] relate to, you have these big goals and those are cool. But what are you going to do in the next

[00:11:24] week to get that done? Hey everybody, we finally did it. Finally, we're doing our first

[00:11:35] in-person event. The private practice honors club, first ever in-person conference. It's September

[00:11:40] 20th and 21st in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Adam and I are super excited. Really can't wait to

[00:11:45] finally meet you in person. This entire time I've been preaching, reach out, step out, network.

[00:11:50] And I can now provide that to you, not just virtually or in the applied task of in-person,

[00:11:55] but speakers that speak on a leadership and growth. We'll answer questions to your current issues.

[00:12:00] We'll provide you opportunity to network like Microsoft, like-minded individuals and obviously

[00:12:03] gain inspiration and energy from being in the room with the same people. You'll be able to

[00:12:08] literally reach out with step out and network all in one weekend. As September 20th and 21st

[00:12:13] at the High-Eat Clearwater Beach, Florida, I would really love to see you there. In order to register,

[00:12:17] go to ppoclubevents.com, ppoclubevents.com and register to sign up for the event. Also,

[00:12:27] early-bud registration ends July 31st, so to get a discount on the registration fees, make sure

[00:12:32] you sign up, get your room between now and July 31st otherwise prices will go up. So go to ppoclubevents.com.

[00:12:41] Thank you to all of you who have listened for so many years. I would love to find the new

[00:12:44] person. Yeah, that's fantastic. So Rockstar is that you're listening to this. I want you to really

[00:13:04] dial in on this idea that mountains get moved in the minutia. The mountains get moved in these

[00:13:12] small and simple things. Inch by inch, it's a sense. Yard by yard, it's hard. So as Nathan is expanding

[00:13:17] upon the superpower he has and he's going to be getting into how he leverages that with

[00:13:22] clients to go from vision creation to action. I want you to take a second right now and ask yourself

[00:13:27] what are the steps that you're looking at that you're not accomplishing? Usually we look at

[00:13:32] weight, right? I want to lose X number of pounds. Well, if we're focused on this big result and

[00:13:38] wanting to get there quickly, we're missing out on the lessons learned on the very small and

[00:13:42] simple steps, leveraging the right who. Maybe it's just getting up a little bit earlier for five

[00:13:49] minutes and walking a day. We know that's not going to move the needle dramatically quickly,

[00:13:53] but it's the building of those foundation steps that create the building that becomes who we are

[00:13:58] later. And most importantly, the impact. So as Nathan's talking about these things, remember,

[00:14:03] it's not just about leadership and business. It's about home, family, what we can develop

[00:14:07] within our relationships. Nathan, I can tell you, has tremendous power as a father with his six

[00:14:14] boys and girls, seven kids total. I've seen him do this with me. I've seen him do it with others. How

[00:14:20] he operates by being consistent, creating stability while still being mobile and moving and change.

[00:14:28] So please remember when we're not getting something done and we're stuck,

[00:14:33] it oftentimes is because we're looking at the wrong action step. We're not making that step

[00:14:36] small enough for us to feel confident to take action. So Nathan, back to you now on the

[00:14:42] today's main focus of helping people go from vision to action. Let's start with what you think

[00:14:49] gets in the way. When people create a vision, what is it a thing that stops them from progressing

[00:14:53] into action around it? Or the right action? Yeah, there's always the negative self-talk. Look at

[00:14:58] something that's relatively new or another level that I want to get to immediately the voices

[00:15:02] in my head are like, what makes you think you can do that? That's crazy. Do not like that. That's

[00:15:07] not who you are. And so getting past that negative self-talk, I think it's huge how people are

[00:15:12] going to perceive you and see you especially if you make mistakes along the way that might keep you

[00:15:17] from making the phone call or sending the email. I don't know the vocabulary of that industry,

[00:15:23] so as I'm learning real estate, that's a big hiccup. Am I even asking for the right things and

[00:15:28] saying the right words? Or because they might just look at me like I'm stupid. So that's one

[00:15:32] thing I think that really keeps people is just that fear of how they're being going to be perceived.

[00:15:38] I'm totally agree with that from personal experience. I think the pressures that we have,

[00:15:43] we talked about this with an episode with Adam Kessel how oftentimes success,

[00:15:47] we created around the idea of what we were taught. We're supposed to want. So we want to

[00:15:51] please others show up in a way because at the end of the day, we're all looking for meaning.

[00:15:57] We're all looking for this thing about how I matter and if we're in question around it too much,

[00:16:03] it becomes this thing that we let other people default. We need to fault other people's perspective

[00:16:08] of what matters. We want their input. It's that mindset that keeps us in the gap as Dan Sullivan says

[00:16:15] and we are unable to tap into what we want and how to get there. So self-talk is definitely a

[00:16:22] big part of that. Any other factors you can think of? I keep thinking in my head as we're talking.

[00:16:29] What's one thing that actually moved the needle? I want to say the thing that's going to help you

[00:16:36] get over that hurt. I can take that next step. Is that okay? Yeah. It's just making a commitment.

[00:16:42] I'll give you a few examples. A couple years ago, I wanted to lose weight.

[00:16:46] And sure I would go to the gym. I did CrossFit and I gained muscle dent this way. I mean,

[00:16:53] I was getting thicker but I wanted to slim down. But nothing ever happened until I bought into

[00:17:03] diet program. The normal one's a diet program. I finally bought it and guess what? A few months later,

[00:17:11] I had lost 20 pounds. I hit my mark that I wanted to hit and I've been able to keep it off

[00:17:15] essentially and I know how to eat better to keep it off. Go back to the podcast thing.

[00:17:22] Until I committed, I had to pay up front for those podcasts that so it's right. So I had to commit

[00:17:27] financially, maybe it's the financial commitment part of it because that's really a key.

[00:17:33] You can try to do it yourself but you might as well pay the experts to learn how to do it better

[00:17:38] and then faster and accelerate your growth. And so I had to pay for these podcast episodes up front

[00:17:44] is thousands of dollars for multiple episodes. And once I made that commitment, guess what?

[00:17:51] Damn sure I was going to start producing some episodes. Whether they were good or not, man.

[00:17:55] Right? Consider us. What was the turning point in our ownership? For me, it was our trip to Seattle

[00:18:05] where they put the package in front of us for coaching and consulting that was five figures,

[00:18:09] tens of thousands of dollars. And we were just like, I don't know but something's got to change

[00:18:15] and I made the commitment. We took the step and our lives have been completely different since

[00:18:20] then. Right? Totally. And so for those, this comes back around to people who

[00:18:28] like I just met with a physical therapist who wants to open a clinic this year and he doesn't

[00:18:34] have a total clear vision about what that clinic looks like, whether it's in network with contracts,

[00:18:38] out of network. He thought about maybe doing mobile beats, he made them maybe not. But once you get

[00:18:42] it's clear on what that looks like, what does ideal scene is, what's the next step for him?

[00:18:47] That commitment is, dude, go sign a lease. Guess what's going to happen? You're going to have

[00:18:55] a clinic really fast. So it's this little, you have to make at some point, you have to make a commitment.

[00:19:00] Right? When we buy the gym membership for $20 a month, we don't go. When we pay $200 a

[00:19:07] month to go to the gym, guess what? I'm there three or four times a week and make it in

[00:19:11] reference. Right? And so I think that number one, the fear of the financial commitment and maybe

[00:19:19] it won't work and maybe I don't trust myself to follow through. Well, bet on yourself,

[00:19:25] make the financial commitment. And that's when I've seen things change when I've gotten coaches

[00:19:29] when I've bought programs from experts. That's when I've paid the tuition to actually get better

[00:19:35] and learn. You know what's interesting about that concept too is that I've experienced it on both sides

[00:19:40] where I have with you, for example, when we signed up and see at all for those tens of thousands

[00:19:45] of dollars of coaching, we showed up because we paid, we paid attention. But I've also been the coach.

[00:19:52] I've had people pay me and I've gone in at lower levels because I didn't believe in myself and

[00:19:57] I wanted to make it easy for people to afford it. I couldn't believe the difference when it took

[00:20:02] the same course, the same coaching. And I tripled or quadrupled the cost. When I did that,

[00:20:08] it did require more on the sales end of explaining clearly what we were doing and why that

[00:20:13] mattered. But it resulted in people who were super committed when they paid, they paid attention.

[00:20:19] So people are out there saying, yeah, I've just throwing money on its own while doing this is

[00:20:22] certainly I would argue that if you research the right solution, that's the difference.

[00:20:28] And none of us know for sure when we invest big money, I have never

[00:20:32] not had a coach in the last 20 years. I have paid money year over year every time I write that

[00:20:38] check it hurts. It hurts a little bit less year over year, but the reason it hurts is because there's

[00:20:42] a risk involved. There's a, a wedding on myself like you said Nathan, right? When we can bet on ourselves

[00:20:47] and put our money where our dreams are. That where our mouth is, but our money where our dreams are

[00:20:54] even if the person isn't as amazing, I will tell you directly Nathan, I've never had a bad coach.

[00:21:00] I've had coaches that were better than others and some that I, and typically the more I pay

[00:21:05] better they are, but more than anything like for me just having that dedicated space where I've

[00:21:11] put my commitment in there, almost like calls forth the universe to produce results in a way that

[00:21:16] really matter. And so yeah, I think if it doesn't hurt to financially invest then we're really

[00:21:22] aging that commitment in that moment around it. So you as a coach, how do you help people? Obviously

[00:21:28] they've paid you right? So people come, they pay the money to invest with you and your team to help

[00:21:34] get results. They have a vision, maybe you even help them clarify that, but after they get the vision

[00:21:38] created, what do you do at that point to help them take the next steps? Well that's what it

[00:21:44] coming back around is that's that's what you're investing in with me and with other coaches that

[00:21:49] you might find is what are the small steps that need to happen to actually make progress, right?

[00:21:55] Someone mentioned it the other day I was listening to a podcast usually with a coach or without a

[00:22:00] coach and I experienced this maybe you experienced it as well. I was experiencing the same year

[00:22:05] over and over again. It was like groundfogs day every year. My revenues were the same, my complaints

[00:22:10] were the same, the issues were the same. The employees might have been different. But there's

[00:22:16] still the same stuff. As finally when I got some coaching guidance, then they were number one,

[00:22:24] they showed me the steps that I needed to take that I wasn't taking and avoiding either inherently

[00:22:29] naively, whatever. But I wasn't taking the proper steps to growth and that's where that's what we

[00:22:37] do as a coach and teach clients. And that's what I expect from my coach as well as to show me the

[00:22:42] steps. Be my guide, be my Obi-Wan so I can be the hero of my story and lead me to greater things,

[00:22:51] right? And that's the idea with coaching is to number one, show you the steps but then I'll do

[00:22:56] countable to those steps and then work through some of these hurdles. There's times where you have

[00:23:02] to kind of, you kind of have to let some of my clients go, maybe you've seen it the same,

[00:23:07] but where they're just not taking the steps. I'm just not a fit. I mean, you can't move

[00:23:13] and move a blockjack if they're just, if they're so set in their ways that this won't happen or

[00:23:19] I feel this way about it. Well, then you're not coachable at that point. We need to part ways but

[00:23:24] and our client relationship is best when the client can is willing to be teachable, coachable

[00:23:31] and committed to change. Doing something different and not stuck in their ways.

[00:23:37] Yes, I agree completely. Having the ability to be coachable and take action, the magic formula

[00:23:42] that always must be present or people to move forward but that investment you mentioned

[00:23:47] man really helps inspire action and people have discomfort around what they've invested

[00:23:52] and they start to show up differently. Nathan, we have just scratched the surface around these topics

[00:23:57] and rock stars what I'd like for you to do is to comment no matter how you're consuming this

[00:24:02] whether it's on the podcast or on the YouTube channel. I want you to mention where would you

[00:24:05] like to learn more from this step with Nathan? We're going to have him back obviously numerous times

[00:24:09] and he is a fountain of knowledge. What would you like to learn in this domain called taking

[00:24:15] actions towards realizing your dream and your vision? Nathan, what's your call to action for people

[00:24:20] to get all of you? Yeah, so if you're a physical therapist in that space and whether you're

[00:24:27] looking to open something or your physical therapy owner definitely check out physical therapy

[00:24:30] oner's club podcast we also have a Facebook group that consists of physical therapy owners

[00:24:35] as well as wannabe owners. That's physical therapy oner's club. You can all

[00:24:40] through the website ptoclub.com you can book a call with me and Adam. He is the director of our coaching

[00:24:49] and we can talk to you about business, connect with you, or then also reach out to me. Nathan at

[00:24:55] ptoclub.com but I'm on a you know we'll do my podcast has the reels that go through the social

[00:25:01] media apps and stuff like that. Yeah, I'm all around I guess with that stuff. I've known Nathan

[00:25:07] I don't know I think it's 30 years now can't give him enough validity and appreciation for

[00:25:12] the impact he's made in my life and the lives of many others so please reach out to him guys.

[00:25:16] Nathan thank you so much for being on the podcast. I think we just scratched the surface of

[00:25:20] your superpower as well as what we're going to be talking about in future episodes around helping

[00:25:23] people realize their their vision. Thank you so much for being on the show man. I appreciate it.

[00:25:28] Always, man. I'm ready. Thank you for listening rock stars and if you're one of the many

[00:25:33] medical professionals and leaders who have had it dealing with the drama of hiring and training

[00:25:38] people that you think are overpriced then let's think about how virtual assistance can

[00:25:42] offload you to do what you love which is changing people's lives. In the show notes there's a

[00:25:47] link to jump on our calendar so that we can show you why LinkedIn shows that virtual assistance

[00:25:51] is the second fastest growing trend and help care next to artificial intelligence at no obligation

[00:25:56] will see if this is a fit for you. I hope to talk to you soon.

[00:26:12] Cast Get Links to Social Media and access all of our episodes with show notes at ptoclub.com