When you are starting a business, investing your money, going on an exotic vacation (I am in Costa Rica right now and have been driving around on sketchy roads, totally worth it though…), or doing anything in your life that is new, you are taking a risk. You are a nurse practitioner, therefore you are taking a risk where you could be liable for a missed diagnosis at anytime with any patient! Whenever you step outside of your house on any given day, you are taking a risk. You could get into a motor vehicle accident or get struck by lightning, who knows! We live in a world where there is a “risk” around every corner. This is part of life! You cannot escape it.
The issue is when you allow theses “risks” to turn into fear and INACTION. This leads to the dreaded analysis paralysis and then you are stuck getting nowhere! Therefore, if you risk NOTHING, then you risk EVERYTHING.
Let that phrase really sink in…
If you risk nothing…
You risk everything…
If you are unwilling to risk just a little “security” to improve your quality of life, then you risk EVERYTHING that could have benefited your life by taking that risk.
Do you realize how much your life can change for the better by simply taking a small risk?
There are so many nurse practitioners out there who are stuck in their mundane low paying jobs because they fear they are going to lose “everything” if they start a business and it fails. Guess what? Businesses fail! Guess what? YOU WILL BE OKAY!
What is the worst thing that can happen? Seriously ask yourself that. Do you know what the chances of the worst-case scenario actually happening are? VERY LOW (as long as you are doing your due diligence and following the law).
On the other hand, do you know what the worst outcome is that can happen if you do nothing at all? ALL TYPES:
You will forever be the work horse for your employer (shark), fattening their pockets, while you continue to get screwed.
You will forever live paycheck to paycheck and rarely ever get ahead.
You will forever be salary capped and never realize your true earning potential.
You will forever be supervised by your physician overlord preventing you from reaching your full potential.
You will forever be stuck working 40+ hours a week and never have the free time to enjoy your family, children, and life in general.
YOU WILL FOREVER BE LIKE MOST AMERICANS: In debt, never getting ahead, and never having the ability to become financially independent and living on YOUR TERMS.
If you risk nothing, then you risk EVERYTHING!
Do you know where I would be if I did not take the risk of moving from a restrictive state to an independent state? I would still be stuck in that state making my supervising physician rich while being salary capped and never getting ahead.
Do you know where I would be if I never took the risk of starting my first practice? I would still be working full-time for an employer that could care less about me while maxing out my 401k in hopes that I could retire when I was 60-65 years old! That little dumpy Suboxone practice that I opened CHANGED MY LIFE! It taught me so many valuable lessons that cannot be taught in a book or course. That first practice was the FOUNDATION and SPRINGBOARD to the rest of my entrepreneurial journey, even if it was a failure in my eyes. It gave me EVERYTHING!
Do you know what would have happened if I had never pulled the trigger and wrote my first article for The Elite Nurse Practitioner?! I would not have been able to help hundreds, if not thousands, of nurse practitioners realize the true power they hold. That is EVERYTHING to countless nurse practitioners out there. All it took from me was the courage to put myself out there in hopes that the message would be well received.
Sometimes all it takes is to just risk a little “something” that could result in your life totally changing for the better.
Imagine what your life could be like in 2-3 years if you had a business or two that generated over $20,000 a month in revenue?
Imagine what your life could be like in 10 years if you aggressively invested your money in real estate and the stock market and obtained a realistic return of 10%?
Imagine what your life could be like in 6 months if you opened your own telemedicine practice in a full practice authority state and got away from your supervising physician overlord?
Imagine what your life could be like in 1 month by learning a new skill or reading a new book?
Imagine what your life could be like next year if you dropped down to part-time employment and started just ONE side hustle?!
Imagine what your life would be like in 6 months if you started exercising daily and eating at a small caloric deficit?
Chances are that your life would be better if you did ANY of these things!
What are you risking by investing in yourself?!
Possible failure? Guess what, sometimes you must fail to succeed…
Going bankrupt? Come on… Investing $5,000 into a side business is not going to lead to financial ruin…
Losing your license? It is pretty hard to lose your license if you are being reasonable and legal.
Your community or colleagues looking down on you? Screw the naysayers…
On the other hand, what are you sacrificing by not taking a small risk?
A life of abundance, wealth, and happiness… That is what you are risking! EVERYTHING!
If you risk nothing, then you risk everything…
I love that quote, which is why I wanted to talk about it in this article. I don’t even remember where I originally heard it, but it is applicable when it comes to nurse practitioner entrepreneurship. I know many of you are scared about starting your own business, scaling your current business, or just looking for a new job. I get it… I really do. I have been there myself, but when you realize that you are giving up an AMAZING life because you are fearful of taking a few small risks, it changes your perspective.
Ingrain this quote into your mind. Repeat it to yourself. Realize that you are taking just as much of a risk by maintaining a full-time job than starting a niche side practice. Your employer could let you go at ANY moment… Can this happen when you are your own boss though? You could fire yourself if you wanted, but that would just be dumb. Instead, you are in control of your own life when you are the boss! So, in reality what are you actually risking? Very little unless you decide to do nothing… then you risk everything…
10 Responses
Great article! I so enjoy reading your articles. I share with others as well. I’m in a slave state lol, however I am working at starting my own business. I so agree, if you Risk nothing then you Risk losing EVERYTHING! There are so many people who are afraid to try to fulfill their own dreams. They believe that giving EVERYTHING for someone else is going to get them hard. What a delusion!
Thanks for your insights! By the way isn’t Costa Rica BEAUTIFUL? Have you been to the rainforest yet? A great place. I like Mexican type foods.
Enjoy and be safe!!
Completely agree… what a delusion, especially as an employed NP…
Oh yes! I have been here multiple times. I keep coming back as it is an amazing country that is fairly safe to drive around. I have been to Rio Celeste in terms of rain forests and going to another volcano tomorrow to hang out for 2 days before coming home. The beach + rainforest and the amazing people are just such a great combo. Everyone should come here! Plus I am seeing telemed patients 😉
Justin, I agree 100% with your article information. I started my primary care practice 4/2021-not knowing about the covid-19 crisis. I started seeing patients only in 6/2021-doing well exam and non sick patients in the office and telemedicine as needed. I am growing slow and steady but definitely lack in marketing ( like you always say..) but working on it. Again, there are significant barrier working in a restrictive state that I see all along. I had a consultation with you an year ago and have bought few courses. I absolutely applaud your contribution to NP profession. I just got my OUD X waiver approval-working on adding this service-I just loved your course that had EVERYTHING !!!
I also supplement my income working for veterans in my office doing compensation/evaluation exam once a week and do risk assessment telemedicine for insurance companies -they pay well. I have no plan to go back to wok for others-done enough !
I do Covid-19 rapid test and added Allergy testing services to my practice ( My side job in the past)
Yes, if I don’t risk, I can’t grow or won’t know what’s out there. I remain hopeful !!
Thank you for all you do !
Naga
Naga,
That is AWESOME!!!!!!!!! Seriously, good for you! I am so HAPPY to hear that you are hustling and earning your own living. Add these various services in your practice and see what happens! The ones that are a hit, you need to focus on! The ones that are not, then toss… That is how you grow a successful practice. Keep what generates revenue and toss what is a waste of time. If you ever want to do an interview for our Elite NP interview series, then please let me know. It sounds like you are on the right path!
Thank you for this site. I stumbled upon it somehow and I am so inspired by your entrepreneurial spirit! I am in FNP school now and have been questioning my path because I value my freedom and do not want to be a slave to the healthcare system. I am encouraged to plow through and fulfill my freedom dream as an NP an open an infusion clinic (I have your course in my cart 🛒) and other integrative holistic health ideas that I have. Thank you!
Paula,
That is awesome you are thinking about starting your own practice while in school! Keep that mindset present! It will keep you motivated and on track for when you graduate. Be sure to integrate the Elite NP Model into your life immediately. It will serve you well!
Thank you Justin !
I will soon be ready to do an interview with Elite NP.
Naga
You are welcome! Just email me when you are ready 🙂 We must share success stories with the profession!
Great article
I really make me thinking a lot
I am an Np for over 10 years and I live in Texas
I’m glad I opened and read this article
Happy to hear you enjoyed it. The risk of starting a business is really not even that much, but it is still one!