Hey Fabulous Health Professionals,

We live in a time where free stuff is in abundance.

There’s so much free stuff that it you can make you giddy. Look at the variety! Look at the choice! Look at th- Oh my god, that one has sprinkles on it!

Doesn’t the immediate reward of consuming yet another free practice-building resource feel just like a sugary energy kick?

And hey, it’s all for a good cause. More information means more clarity, knowledge and success, right?

And surely, hoarding all this free stuff like Augustus Gloop gone wild in a chocolate factory is the key to having it all… right? 

We’re stuffing our pockets full of free consults, blogs, articles, webinars, podcasts, free training courses, ebooks, memberships, Facebook groups and emails and… where does it get us? We’re bloated, slow, confused….

…. and just like Augustus Gloop…

We’re drowning in a pool of free, delicious, sugary things. We’re sinking in it.

And possibly a little bit diabetic after all those sugar-hits.

The irony of me writing a free article to convey this point is not lost on me. You might even be thinking, who the hell is Jo Muirhead to tell me that I can’t have what is FREE? Jo – don’t you offer free stuff, too? Don’t tell me to put down the chocolate bar, Jo!

The Real Value of “Free”

You see, I am a fellow chocolate lover, and a recovering addict of “FREE”. And even though I am an established practice owner of some 7 years, I still sometimes find myself falling into the gooey delicious pool of “free” things.

I tried for a long time to build my business solely on free resources and information, on offhanded advice from people who never took the time to understand me and my needs. And how could they, when I refused to pay for it?

Building your business on “free” is like eating candy for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’ll never find stability, growth or satisfaction from candy. You’ll just keep riding the sugar wave of uncertainty right into diabetes-town.

Our fixation on what is free and cheap comes with a real cost.

Your livelihood, your focus and your freedom all suffer when you commit to nothing more than free (or “cheap” – which is like “free” but with sprinkles on top).

Free stuff: You’ll find it on every corner. But how are you going to put it to use?  [Image source].

Your Dreams are Worth More Than “Free”

I didn’t see real growth (and I never achieved actual freedom) until I put down the free candy, wiped the chocolate from my mouth and decided that I was going to invest in myself.

Collecting free information made me feel like I was progressing when really I was stagnant, scattered and more confused than ever.

I was consuming the free candy and it gave me the sugar hit I needed to make it to the next day (or the next candy bar) but my practice and my life was quickly becoming malnourished.

Free stuff is good in moderation (and I think we need it to stay sane) but it has no substance. It doesn’t give you the clarity and direction you need, and it doesn’t let you make the big, birds-eye changes you need to make in order to build the life and practice you want to have.

So please, step away from the candy. Your business deserves more than the next sugar hit.

Here’s to your success,

ABOUT JO

Jo Muirhead is a Rehabilitation Counsellor, private practice owner and mentor to clinicians looking to find freedom and success in their private practice.

You can learn more about Jo here.