Chiropractic Practice: Vision, Purpose and Mission — What’s The Difference?

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Thrive in Five. I’m Dr. Dennis Perman, and I’ll be your chiropractic coach for today. This edition is called Vision, Purpose, and Mission. What’s the difference? There are three foundational building blocks we can use to construct our beliefs about success, not just in our practices, but in every aspect of our lives.

These three concepts are frequently used interchangeably, but it is in the understanding of the nuances of each that the process of imagining and creating your success comes to fruition. And those who apply them effectively together invariably get the most out of themselves, as well as the tangible achievements that were the targets of those efforts.

So, let’s explore the definitions of your vision, your purpose, and your mission. My interpretation of the interaction of these three ideas is derived from the basic questions they answer. To me, your vision is your big what, your purpose is your big why, and your mission is your big how. Now, what on earth could I mean by that?

First, let’s take a look at your vision. Oxford Dictionary defines vision as the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom. So, your vision is how you see things in your future. That’s why it’s called your vision. It’s like having a crystal ball so you can forecast what’s coming based on the pictures you make with your mind.

Every great accomplishment began with a vision. Someone had to visualize a changed future so those events could transpire. How can you begin to identify your vision? You may already have an inkling based on your self talk, your values, and your experiences. What do you already see in your future? What is the balance between your work life and your home life?

What is your level of success? What relationships are critical to your happiness and satisfaction? What is your lifestyle? These are some of the details that go into building a vision for you. You can also see why I call your vision the big what, because these details are primarily elicited with what questions.

Let’s shift our focus to your purpose. The dictionary says that your purpose is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. Harvard Business Review tells us that purpose is an overarching intention that is personally meaningful to you and of consequence to the world beyond yourself.

Your purpose is the reason why your vision is important to you. Why do you pursue habits and behaviors that lead to good health and optimal expression? Why have you chosen the work you do? Why have you chosen the relationships you maintain and disappeared those that no longer serve you? Why is wealth accumulation important to you?

Or is it? Why is playtime and recreation part of your lifestyle? Or is it? These are some of the details that go into establishing a sense of purpose for yourself. You can also see why I call your purpose the big why, because these details are primarily elicited with why questions. Now let’s examine your mission.

In the dictionary, your mission is defined as a strongly felt aim, ambition, or calling. Usually you’ll have multiple missions, since your purpose and your vision may call for numerous strategies and plans to be fulfilled. Each of these tasks and objectives is part of an interwoven fabric of intention, energy, and actions that you invest to attain milestones, orchestrated by you to work together to advance your overall success.

How will you work toward your vision? How will you test your decisions to confirm that they’re consistent with your purpose? How will you design your personal habits to experience the best quality of life possible? How will you strategize and take action on your plans to excel in your practice based on your terms?

How will you generate revenue and accumulate wealth? And how will you know when you have enough? How will you entertain yourself so you have the right blend of work and play? You can also see why I call your missions the big how, because these details are primarily elicited with how questions. Now that we have some definitions in place, how can we use these concepts to create magic and miracles in our own lives and the lives of those we care about?

For example, the vision of The Masters Circle is a worldwide quality of life driven healthcare delivery system with chiropractic in the leading role. For my own vision, I simplify this. My vision is a well world. The purpose of The Masters Circle is to be examples of and help others achieve happiness, success, and fulfillment through personal growth and professional excellence.

As another example, my purpose is to be happy and help others be happy through positive learning experiences. good health and entertainment. So your statement of purpose should develop from the basic language construction. My purpose is to be something and to do something. The key mission of The Masters Circle is to help as many chiropractors as possible build the practices of their dreams and the best lifestyles they can imagine.

So then let’s see how you can use these essential distinctions to move yourself and your practice ahead. Your vision is a launching pad for your ideas. It provides an infrastructure you can build on, as you clarify what you see for yourself ultimately. To create your vision, simply stop and imagine. What do you see in your future, near and distant?

In your mind’s eye, what do you see yourself being and doing, on the path to what you really want? What is the grand scheme of things that focuses you on your destination, whatever that may be? These are the building blocks of your vision. To develop your purpose, just ask yourself, Why is that vision important to me?

Why have I chosen this vision rather than something else? Why will it make a difference in my life and the lives of those I care about? Why do I care as much as I do? Asking questions like these will uncover your sense of purpose. To identify your mission or missions, start thinking of strategies. How can I execute on the preliminary steps of my vision?

How can I direct my attention and my energy to begin to fulfill my destiny? How many actions and behaviors must I master and implement before my vision becomes my reality? These are the initial inquiries into your missions, so you can translate your intentions into action. Don’t be impatient with yourself if the details don’t come as easily as you hope.

This is deep inner work where you’re challenging the current structure of your being to identify itself in words you may never have used before together. Let the process unfold organically. Personally, I was well into my thirties before I’d specified my real purpose already in practice many years and a serious student of personal growth.

So manage your frustration to avoid unnecessary friction and when you come up with a word or phrase that resonates with you, capture it and memorialize it so you can get back to it. Over time. Sometimes a short time, and sometimes a long time, you will romance what you have written and evolved, and it will before long really start to reflect the way you feel.

That’s how you know you’re on track. This may seem esoteric, but it’s actually one of the most practical exercises you can do. Determining your vision, purpose, and mission will give you access to your fullest potential, and give you an inner framework to build your life upon. It’s that potent. So please, work hard enough on this to be emotionally engaged with the results.

When you are clear on your vision, When you are committed to your purpose, when you’re willing to carry out your missions, your level of success will skyrocket, as will your happiness and satisfaction. Put in the work, and it will reward you many times over. By the way, if part of your vision is helping as many people as possible, you may want to look into the Functional Health Management Score, which you can access by scanning the QR code on your screen.

It’s a great tool for practice building and attracting patients who are not only interested in relief, but also in seeking better function. Try it and see. Thanks for watching. I’m Dr. Dennis Perman from The Masters Circle Global, where legends are made and legendary practices are built through chiropractic care.

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