E731 | What If It Does Work?

In this episode, Dr. Danny explores the powerful mental reframe of shifting from a fear-based "what if it doesn't work" mindset to a more optimistic "what if it works" perspective. He delves into the challenges faced by entrepreneurs, particularly the mental hurdles involved in taking the leap from a secure job to starting a business. Dr. Danny discusses common fears such as imposter syndrome, fear of failure, and the tendency to focus on worst-case scenarios.

By encouraging listeners to consider the potential positive outcomes of taking risks, Dr. Danny challenges the notion of constantly dwelling on the downside risks. He emphasizes the importance of visualizing the upside potential and opportunities that could arise from pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. Drawing from personal experiences, he shares insights on how to overcome the fear of failure and embrace a more optimistic outlook.

Listeners are encouraged to embrace the mindset of "what if it works" when faced with significant life decisions, such as starting a business or changing careers. Dr. Danny highlights the benefits of this shift in thinking, including feeling more inspired and motivated to pursue goals, attracting positive influences, and ultimately leading a more fulfilling and rewarding life. Tune in to discover how adopting this mindset can lead to greater success and fulfillment in your entrepreneurial journey and beyond.

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Podcast Transcript

 Danny: What's funny is the parallel between the way that we view ourself and what we're afraid of. And that doesn't really ever go away because that carries on into the your career carries on to the business world. If you decide to go that route as well, and we always focus on the same thing.

Hey, are you a physical therapist looking to leverage your skill set in a way that helps you create time and financial freedom for yourself and your family? If so, you're in the right spot. My name is Danny Matta and over the last 15 years I've done pretty much everything you can in the profession.

I've been a staff PT I've been an active duty military officer physical therapist. I've started my own cash practice I've sold that cash practice and to date my company physical therapy biz has helped over a thousand clinicians start grow and scale their own Cash practices. So if this sounds like something you want to do listen up because i'm here to help you

Hey, what's going on? Dr. Danny here with the PT entrepreneur podcast. And today we're talking about one little tweak. You can make one little sort of mental reframe that you can make that can dramatically change the way that you see the world and your ability to look for opportunities as well as take some risk.

Because when you look at entrepreneurship in general you look at. You going out on your own, you leaving a steady paycheck is a hard thing to do. It's the first step. Probably it's, I would say the hardest step going from, as far as risk is concerned and fear that you get of taking that next step in order to, try to do your own thing and carve your own path and make a life that you want based on building a business that supports that.

And that's what we help a lot of people do. But each time that you. Each time that you do something that is taking you to the next step, for instance, you start a business. There's a lot of mental baggage associated with that. A lot of challenges getting over that imposter syndrome, fear of failure it, and the list goes on.

It's very hard. The next step is like. Going to a point where you're hiring people same things pop up, right? Am I what business do I have hiring somebody? What do I do with this person? What if I have to let him go, like all these things that happen going into your own space, right?

Oh, what if I like what if I can't make the rent, what if it doesn't work out and you can say this with anything it could be, you know Applying for a school could be, trying out for a team. It could be asking somebody out. It could be whatever. And what's interesting to me is, I've got a couple of young kids and I've recently started to really focus on this reframe with them because especially As my kids get older, they're 10 and 12 right now.

But middle school is a real thing for my son. It's he actually overall would say likes it. My daughter's, going to be going to middle school next year. And and so they're dealing with a lot more like social stressors and anxiety. And, what do people think of me?

It's everything that everybody goes through at that age. And I totally did as well. And what's funny is the parallel between the way that we view ourself. And what we're afraid of. And that doesn't really ever go away because that carries on into the your career carries on to the business world.

If you decide to go that route as well. And we always focus on the same thing. What if it doesn't work? What happens if it doesn't work? That's the number one thing that everybody focuses on. And instead of what if it doesn't work and get that shit out of your head, go ahead, get everything like At all the worst case scenarios, just think about, okay, what if it doesn't work?

Let's think through that. And this is what is known as a post mortem. This is a really common stoic principle, philosophy of, okay, worst case scenario. What if it doesn't work? All right. Or what if I do this and what's the worst case scenario? And it really helps you deal with the downside stress of what if it doesn't work?

Okay. The one thing that we don't do, that is this little reframe you can do is what if it does work? And just think about this for a second. We think to ourself, okay, I'm going to start my own thing. I'm going to, I'm going to go do my, start my own practice. But if it doesn't work, X, Y, and Z happens.

Now, let's say you start, you go out on your own, you start your own practice. And not only does it work it's really good. It's awesome. Like you hit a freaking home run, right? Within a couple of years, you've got a business that you've never ever thought that you could ever own. You have a team of people around you that are amazing.

You're helping people in a really, low volume, like very personal way. You're developing relationships with people in your community, becoming an advocate for these folks. You're really helping them live these lives that they're excited to send you pictures of whenever they're, finishing races, you bump into these folks at a festival in your neighborhood or in your area.

And they're so excited to see you and introduce you to their friends as the person that helped them do X, Y, and Z. You have time and financial freedom, all the things that, They come along with that. And not to say that there's not a lot of like challenge getting there and even staying there, but what if it works?

What if it works out? How is it compare that to the negative, which one outweighs the other, because there's in some cases, the negative very much outweighs the potential positive. And for most of us inherently won't make those decisions because it's pretty obvious. But when we have fear around something, because you don't want to fail or maybe you have people you're supporting and you don't want to let them down.

I totally get it. And that's all things you have to take into account when you make decisions. Not everybody's in the same place. Not everybody starts in the same place, right? There's a lot of people that just can't maybe take a chance on themselves the way that I was able to because of other circumstances around their life that I didn't have.

And fortunately I was in a place where I could do that. But in, in my mind, whenever I went into, starting my own business, All I thought about was downside risk. I, what if this happens? Oh my gosh, I can't like, it drove me. It was the fuel that drove me was not failing and that's, it'll get you there, but it's not a very good fuel to use forever.

It's, uh, it's just, it's not clean. It leaves a lot of residue and it'll burn you out versus, thinking about what if it does work and it's not just in business, right? What if it does work? If you apply to this school, what if it does work? If, and this is something that, I was talking to my.

My son in there is his friends about it's they're like girls are a thing right now, right? Like he's in middle school and they're scared to death of girls. I was terrified of girls. In middle school, like they're aliens to me at the time. I didn't know how to talk to them. I didn't know I didn't know the first thing about what to do or not to do just terrified that they would make me look like an idiot in front of all my friends.

And they're all in the same place and I'm trying to help them. Listen, boys, what's the worst thing can happen? Everybody's thinking about themselves. What's the worst thing you haven't. But frankly, what's the best thing can happen. What's the best thing that can happen if you actually go out on a limb, and put yourself out there.

And it's funny to watch their little minds work as they really think through that. And the, being a person Being a parent and being a coach of other people is just, it's so funny how similar it is. Sometimes it's just, they're just wrapped up differently, different times of your life, different things that you can focus on.

So if you're thinking about taking a chance on yourself, whether it be, trying to go to a school maybe think about changing careers. Maybe you're thinking about starting your own practice. Maybe you're thinking about. Expanding everything about hiring me or thinking about taking a loan on to go into a new space.

Any of these things that give you pause and they stress you out instead of get all the bad thoughts out. Go ahead. Downside risk. Do you think about all of it? Even whiteboard out for all you want, but then really think about what if it freaking works? Oh my God, what if this works? What is your life look like?

If it really works, what is your life look like? What's your family's lives look like? One of, one of my favorite things that I've been able to do. As we've had, some decent success with businesses that we've started is be able to, uh, I don't know the best way to put this, buy things or afford to do things with my family that they can't afford themselves.

And it's awesome. It's like one of my favorite things to do for me to be able to take my family somewhere on a vacation or to go somewhere. And it's just dude, just show up. Don't worry about it. Just show up and let's have an awesome time, right? Or even fly them different places with us and that's something that I put a lot of value and I really love doing it I get to experience the world with the people that are there our family and you know No matter what they do for a living They don't have to worry about the ability to do that or not like That is such a big deal for me.

And that's not even something that was on my radar whenever I first started. That's just something that to me, I've realized is very important to experience the world with my family and our friends. And if I can afford to do that with them, I'm going to do it. And that's a huge win for me. And that's a upside risk that I never, ever, or upside gain that I never thought about because I was too busy, worried about what it was that I was going to do if I had to go back and try to go back into the army and quit.

Fucking grovel my way back in there, beg for my job back. If it didn't work out when we moved to Atlanta and started our practice like that is what Absolutely, took over my thoughts more than anything the downside. What if this doesn't work? What am I going to look like? How embarrassing this is going to be what's my family going to think of me?

What are my friends going to think of me? You know Did I stifle a career that was trending very positive direction in order to? You know take a chance on this thing. I thought I could make work and That, that didn't leave much room for me to think of what if this does work? And I tell you what, if you can lean into that a little bit more, it feels a heck of a lot better.

Instead of you running away from something, it's getting, you're getting pulled to something that you want to have happen. And you're focused on so much more positive opportunity around you. Because when you focus on those positive things, you start to see more positive things around you. When you start focusing on things like that, you start seeing more opportunity.

People start viewing you differently because you're such, Much more of a positive person versus a stressed out negative person. And that reflects back in you with the people that you're going to surround yourself with. Stressed out, angry people end up being around stressed out, angry people because they attract each other and they're similar to each other.

And that's it. And people that are the opposite of them don't want to be around them because they don't want that. They, that doesn't feel good to them, right? So for you, if you look around and you think yourself, man, what if this works? What does my life look like? If you focus on that, you're going to feel so much better and it's going to allow you to take a chance on yourself in a way where you give yourself some grace.

If you do fail, who cares? At least you took a freaking chance. My grandfather used to always say, if you don't have a few scars, you have the pretty boring life. Scars mean you're interesting. Don't be boring. Go take a chance on yourself. Fail, right? Lose. And if that happens, cool, that happens.

But don't take away the opportunity for you to really win because you're too focused on the negative.

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It's going to help you get very clear on exactly what you need to do. Okay. And when you're going to do it to take action. If you're interested in signing up for this challenge, it's totally free. Head to physicaltherapybiz. com forward slash challenge. Get signed up there. Please enjoy. We put a lot of energy into this.

It's totally free. It's something I think is going to help you tremendously as long as you're willing to do the work. If you're doing the work, you're getting. Information put down and getting yourself ready to take action in a very organized way. You will have success, which is what we want. So head to physicaltherapybiz.com forward slash challenge and get signed up today.