4 Societal Norms You Must Break

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When building a profitable practice, you must realize societal norms may sometimes be a barrier. When is a rule not a rule? We grow up thinking many things are set in stone. There are rules all around us—some for fire safety, some to protect our possessions, some to keep things the way they’ve always been. What becomes more complicated is the idea of societal norms. A societal norm is a way people behave, which has become so familiar that people think of them as rules when, in truth, they are not.

So, while we are toeing the line—and there might be a time and place for this—sometimes it can do more harm than good (especially when it comes to doing what’s right for the sake of our mental health and emotional well-being). How do you know which societal norm you must break to be true to yourself?

Consider these societal norms:

1. This is the way it’s always been.

It seems no matter what you’re talking about or if you’re trying to convince someone they should do something different, it’s without fail, an uphill battle. After all, it’s always easier to keep things exactly as they are. Change is difficult, which is why it’s hard to convince ourselves sometimes just how much success relies on change. You can’t get anywhere at all if you’re always doing the same thing over and over.

2. It’s expected.

Everyone has expectations. Our parents might put certain educational expectations on us, and our friends expect us to do what they’re doing, specially when it comes to marrying or having kids. Even our significant others expect us to behave in specific ways sometimes. The problem: when we live to others’ expectations, we forget to stay true to ourselves. Maybe we don’t want college or kids, or our picture of success is entirely different from someone else’s.

3. Mirror images.

We should all be exactly alike, right? Sometimes it seems this way. We discourage those who are different from the norm and even make fun of them for being odd or eccentric. How does this make you feel when you want to do something a little different from everyone else? It takes courage to stop being a mirror image of those around you.

4. It’s what you see.

We love movies, TV, the Internet, and social media. We also love to listen to what the media tells us about absolutely everything, make celebrities our role models, and take for gospel truth, information from the sketchiest of sources sometimes. Isn’t it better to think for yourself and decide what’s right and wrong?

Forget societal norms. They were created by people like you, who got tired of whatever the old status quo used to be. Life isn’t supposed to be this hard. Keep things simple by staying true to yourself, and your life will be so much happier.

I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits. Please go to businessofrehab.com/guide to pick up the free guide to help you determine the best business entity for your new practice.

Many business owners have broken societal norms to become successful. Check out our blog here for some other important qualities of a successful business owner.

Attention, Physiatrists! Stop leaving money on the table. Sign up for the free video series: How To Build A Profitable Practice in 90 Days or Less: http://www.sixtytosuccess.com