I have been traveling across the country teaching Chiropractic Students what it actually takes to run a business. Each group moves through three distinct stages during the day: cocky, shocked, and aware. I like to think of it as fairy tale land when they arrive. They have heard many stories from the stage from chiropractors who have huge practices and how they can too. They hear many stories serving the world and seeing hundreds or thousands of patients in a week’s time. Frankly, these stories are important to hear. Success is possible and huge success can happen. The problem is that the students do not know or understand how to properly digest the numbers. Most do not have a business background to use as a filter system to get behind the presented stats and see what they mean for both growth and life.
That is the very thing that I teach the students to do. I teach them how to realize what numbers really mean and what the cost is to create such numbers. This is the point where they move into the shocked stage. They never knew that if you want “X” they it will cost you “Y.” They never consider the amount of effort that it takes to get to that point. Most importantly, they never consider if that is REALLY what they are called to have in their life. 
The final stage is moving from fairy tale thoughts to freedom. This is the point where they begin to discover that personal and business success is possible and you don’t have to try and become someone else. I see a personal resolve born in each person when they now have the tools to create freedom in their own life. That resolve is when I know they get it. That is the point when I know that they clearly comprehend the real work that will have to be done to actualize a viable life and practice. No more make-believe numbers. No more pie-in-the-sky thoughts. No more trying to be someone else. As I said, they find what it takes to be free!