How would you rate your passion about your career? What kind of flowers would you send to your legal nurse consulting business? Or send to your nursing job at the hospital, if you’re not yet a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant? Would you send roses, lilies or a tumbleweed?
Do you love what you do? If you went to an amusement arcade and dropped a quarter into one of those machines where you squeeze a pair of grips or a mechanical hand, would your passion rating be “stone cold” or “hot tamale?” Did I hear you say “hot tamale?” Great! But what if you said “stone cold?”
The passionate path isn’t quick and easy. After I became an independent legal nurse consultant, I went to law school at night. I was also consulting with a group of attorneys who, after I graduated, offered me a position as an associate attorney. I graciously and easily declined, thinking, “Why would I want to do that? I’m doing what I love, having more freedom and making more money than any new associate attorney.” A year later a partner at the law firm approached me and said, “Okay, if you won’t come on as an associate, we’re inviting you to be a partner.”
This attractive offer raised the stakes considerably. Suddenly saying yes to my passion wasn’t so easy. I loved consulting with these attorneys, and a partnership would guarantee a bigger and brighter future every year, financially and in other respects.
But after my ego stopped dancing around the room pumping its arm and shouting “Yes!,” I declined the offer. Practicing law was not my passion, even with such ideal conditions. I remember saying to Tom, “There are lawyers who would die for this offer. Am I crazy to turn this down?” Choosing passion paid off big. My passion was so strong that my business soon soared despite my lack of business training or education. I surpassed the law firm’s offer in terms of money, vacation time and flexibility. To this day, I am able to maintain my freedom, continue creating my own financial security and, most of all, enjoy the legal nurse consulting industry I created.
That kind of decision isn’t easy. What’s easy is to compromise, say yes to a lukewarm interest because we, or someone else, think it’s a smarter decision. Live and work your passions and the reward will come.
When you get married, you go into it with the plan of being in the marriage for a long time. Business is a lot like a marriage. It’s a lot of work with ups and downs, fast times and slow times. If you haven’t yet started a business, know that once you do, you’ll spend more time in that career and business than you will in your marriage. We’re often at work more than we are at home with our family.
If you’ve chosen to do something you love, and can be passionate about, you won’t be working for a living, you’ll be living for working, and because you’ll be doing it with joy, you’ll be able to do it a lot longer.
Design your nursing career or legal nurse consulting business to be your passion – the one you love. Choose what you love.
Back in 1990, I was forced to make a choice between money and passion. I chose passion. I’ll be sending my business 12 dozen red roses tomorrow. What will you send your business or career this Valentine’s Day?
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Tags: associate attorney, attorneys, Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, Legal Nurse Consulting, nursing career, Valentine's Day, Vickie Milazzo
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February 15, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Paule Toon
To Ms. Valerie Miller – You Go Girl!
February 15, 2009 at 11:58 am
Valerie Miller
I would like to send my current job a tumbleweed with a one hand salute!
I am currently on medical leave from a position at a large insurance company. Last April,I had just begun to study the Core Curriculum for Legal Nurse Consulting® textbook when I was recruited to be part of a project at work and was notified that my ex-husband was being deployed to Afghanistan for a year. Our son was graduating from middle school. I do not have any living family members and since we are divorced, I’m not part of the true military community. My work schedule and caseloads have been changed multiple times at a moment’s notice. While expecting flexibility from me, they have not extended any to me. I neglected my health to meet all my responsibilities which finally culminated in becoming too sick to work, as well as becoming depressed and anxious.
BUT- although I had to reschedule my first certification exam, I attended the apprenticeship with my son along for the ride in September and on 12/8, I pushed myself out of bed to take the exam. I passed with an 88. I was over the moon and SO SO happy!
It’s like Vickie says, if you have the fire in your belly – you let no one stand in your way. I needed to have surgery last week. I have filed for my DBA name in the meantime and as soon as it is approved, I will send my marketing materials to be printed. I listen to my Advanced program CDs daily. I despise the idea of returing to a company that has treated me and many others so shabbily, especially as conditions have gotten worse per my co-workers. Unfortunately, many of them have the attitude that they are “stuck” without any options. I refuse to give up and give in. I have no passion for the company- it is not my calling and it is not my dream.
I am chomping at the bit to “go all in”! I would like to extend roses to Vickie and the Institute for the tools and opportunity to become the CEO of my own life.
I’m still on pain meds – I hope this post makes sense!:)
February 15, 2009 at 5:12 am
Kevin Robinson, RN, CLNC
I hope each and every one of you had a great Valentine’s day! I sent the roses to my wife, I know she enjoyed them.
I’m learning that as we help our passion grow and allow it to flow from us, those passions will bring us to those people we are meant to serve. The road I’ve started building to success is not paved, and has a few potholes and unwanted obstacles. But Vickie has provided me (all of us) with all the foundation building tools needed to make the road smooth. Thank-you Vickie
I’m excited about the future of my CLNC® practice, I’m not a hot tamale yet but it’s getting hotter.
February 13, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Jennifer Gallaway
I hadn’t thought about buying my business a Valentine. Thanks for the encouragement. Someone asked me last week why I decided to become a legal nurse consultant. He thought most nurses would view that role as a negative thing. I told him it would be a disservice to the nursing profession if there was not some sort of checks and balances. I want to really make a difference. Being a legal nurse consultant allows us to help make nursing better, one case at a time. I know I make a difference to my patients, but now I can make a difference to my profession. I actually like being a nurse and taking care of patients. But I have to admit, I enjoy the legal world as well!
February 13, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Paule Toon
I am very passionate about being a nurse. Shortly before I became a CLNC® consultant I was working for a home health/personal care company. The Director of Nursing told me that I needed to “tone down my passion.” It was right after that statement I decided to become a CLNC® consultant. I am so glad I did and if and when the times comes that I am no longer passionate about what I do I will quit. If we are not passionate about what it is we spend so much of your life doing, what is the point? It then becomes too much like work. It is that passion that will land me my first case. See you at the top!
February 13, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Diana Schmitt, RN, BSN, CLNC
I wasn’t all in at first. I thought I was. I wanted to be successful. I wanted to make money. I wanted all the right things for the right reasons. But my mind chatter and my actions were lagging way behind. I was sabotaging myself and clinging to other CLNC® consultants who were doing the same thing.
It was like breaking out of a box after the first post-certification conference. There were business plans that I had to incorporate and pillars to add to my marketing plan and every conference since it has been the same thing.
I too struggle with entrepreneurship qualities and characteristics. Not everything comes by intuition for me. But Vickie says there is nothing magical about it. We can all push our companies forward by using the strategies that she has taught us. If we are consistently taking action steps every day with meaningful activities that put us in front of attorneys, then the business will come.
I have laid down a marketing foundation in my area that has begun to pay off. I am too busy to buy my business roses now. But I owe Vickie many many thanks for knowing how to teach nurses entrepreneurship and how to inspire nurses not to quit. Happy Valentine’s Day Vickie and fellow CLNC® consultants!
February 13, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Judie Threatt from Connecticut
My business is still in its infancy, but I love being a CLNC® consultant! Every day I am happy and grateful to have the opportunity to do something I really want to do, something that feels so right and fits so well with who I am. I have always envied people who love their job. They always seemed so happy and content. I get it now. “Those people” were passionate about what they did and that passion came from the inside. (My husband has been that kind of person.) This sounds so flowery and I am not like that at all. I’ve hit walls, gotten frustrated and have had (and still have) obstacles to overcome just like everyone else. Being passionate about being a CLNC® consultant seems to help me keep focused in spite of all that.
I hope all CLNC® consultants can have Vickie’s passion! Happy Valentine’s Day!
PS: I did buy myself a Valentine’s Day treat this week!
February 13, 2009 at 11:51 am
Becky Anderson
Last week, I hit a brick wall of frustration. Although I had been on a couple interviews, had talked with a few attorneys who gave affirmation of interest in using me in the future, I still had not done my first case. I realized I was still keeping a Plan B in my mind…not going all in. So I took a break from marketing and spent an entire day reading every blog and every comment posted since it began. What an inspiration you all are, and it was exactly what I needed. But I also got some great ideas on how to adjust my strategy. Today (and this was a leap of faith for me), when making follow-up calls, I shared with several that I am offering free educational sessions on healthcare related topics and to please keep me in mind for that as well. All of a sudden, people were more receptive and friendly. One person I thought was a receptionist turned out to be a managing attorney who asked me to resend my packet to her attention.
I am the first to admit I do not have the ideal make-up for entrepreneurship. And because unlike many of you who have been able to keep one foot in another job while starting your business, I had been an unexpected victim of the economy when my position of nearly 19 years in hospital management was abruptly eliminated, and I felt pressure to begin earning money immediately. Last week, I felt God leading me to “go all in” and toss the Plan B and trust Him to provide. And as soon as I made that decision, Vickie and all of you were right there with your encouragement and education. I can’t thank you all enough and I am all in!
So on my to-do list for this week? Write a few articles to post on my website and bring home a single red rose for my business. It is not 12 dozen, but it is a promise to myself and my family that I am going to work hard at my success every day. Thank you again, and Happy Valentine’s Day.