Focus on Wins

by Mitch Hauschildt, MA, ATC, CSCS

As we learn more about the Bio-Psycho-Social component of our fitness, rehab and performance programs, one things is clear…if you patients and clients believe in us and our ability or plan, the odds of seeing improvements are very likely.  

I know this is a bit hard for a lot of us to grasp and come to grips with because we are trained to believe that if we perform just the right intervention at the right time and in the right way, that people will get better.  We are trained that people improve as a direct correlation to what we do with them.

If that was completely true then we wouldn’t see so many different types of treatment approaches and philosophies available on the open market.  We wouldn’t see old school chiropractic clinics who “crack” people and send them out the door being physically located right next to new age therapy clinics that offer the latest and greatest of technology with both of them staying open and getting great reviews from their customers.  If it were only about techniques, surely one of these wouldn’t get good results and would close their doors.

One thing that we have to keep in mind is the power of the brain and it’s belief in what can be accomplished.  If we as people think that we can do something and we pursue it, it is rare that it isn’t accomplished.  

If our patients or clients have a lot of confidence in us as their provider, they  usually improve.  I see this all of the time at the university where I practice every day.  Many of our young athletes respond much better to my treatments than they do our graduate assistants, even if we are performing the same exact technique.  They recognize me as the local “rehab expert” and if they are coming to me, they believe that they are getting the best treatment available.  In their mind, there is great value in my title, so I automatically have an advantage before I start with them.

I have been a part of many discussions with other providers on what terms we should use when we talk with our patients and what kinds of words are encouraging and reassuring to them.  Where I land on this discussion is that we don’t need to try to identify specific terms or get cute with what we say.  Its very simple.  

Focus on wins.

With my patients and clients, we simply focus on winning.  And, if we look hard, we all win our day in some form or fashion pretty much every single day.  It’s really about the outlook.

When I discuss progress with my people, I ask a lot of questions like, “Are you better, the same or worse?”  I hope they say “better”.  But, if they don’t, then I oftentimes have to reframe their perspective of what better really is.  We start to pull out the positives from their day and situation. 

For example, if they say that their pain isn’t any better, then I look for things like range of motion.  Maybe its improved.  Or, I look for improved function or sleep or meds that they take or whatever.  Sometimes we look at things like who was willing or able to help them in their time of need as a “win”.  Knowing who around us can assist us is very comforting.  And, sometimes when we can’t find anything else, our “win” for the day is that we learned that whatever we did that got us here isn’t working and we need to redirect.  Information is powerful, and knowing what doesn’t work can help us to find what does work.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to win in life.  I largely work with athletes so it makes sense for them to look for wins.  But, even my non-athletes love to win.  Most non-athletes either were athletes at one time or wanted to be.  And, who doesn’t love to win a card game or board game?

Winning resonates with everyone.  If people believe that they can win in life or sport or their injury, they will buy in and start to move people in the right direction.  Many times it’s our job to help people see and realize the wins to hold their hand down that path.  

It’s easy for most of us to focus on the crap in our lives, especially if we are in pain.  Let’s shift that focus away from the crap and look for the wins.  Winning is contagious.  And, in that regard, so is our attitude and our ability to heal people and improve their outcomes.