Posting by GP Lizzie Croton
It was 1995; I was a first year medical student and I still remember the day. Dr Phil Hammond, GP, comedian and writer was facilitating our group when somebody asked him what his "top tip" was for maintaining sanity once we were qualified.
"Simple," he said. "Get yourself out of med school, find a hobby and broaden your horizons. There is more to life than doctoring."
I filed that nugget away and went on to qualify firstly as a GP and then as a trainer. And I love my job most of the time. I work in a fantastically supportive practice and our patients are pleasant on the whole. However, I had itchy feet.
Six months ago, I managed to put my finger on what was bothering me. I needed a new challenge. General practice was getting tougher along with a whole raft of negativity in the press. It became clear that I could either buy into all that or develop my options outside of medicine.
I was hopeful that having a sideline business would help me to enjoy my job more - a hunch that turned out to be correct.
I was introduced to Network Marketing by my sister and I absolutely love the industry. Basically the business involves promotion and retail of a product or service. A larger part of my role is taken up with coaching and helping others to build their own businesses.
I lacked any specific coaching experience when I became a Network Marketer. Most I learned on the job through the support of others in our team. In fact a large proportion of our work in general practice involves supporting patients in navigating through the complexities of life and so many of the skills transferred well.
Fast forward six months and I now have a reliable additional income which will continue to grow as long as I put in the effort. It's also pensionable and willable.
I work with a great team who have also become great friends. Different people join this kind of business for different reasons. For me it was the personal development aspect that appealed. This is not a 9-5 job. Being entrepreneurial in structure, for me, it required a mindset shift to get my head around what was involved.
I had to to develop a belief in the business model and also in my ability to coach and mentor people. I also have to have quite a thick skin. Not everyone is open minded enough to see the benefits of working in this way.
So how has this helped me as a GP? I have no desire to give up my job. I really enjoy it and I love the relationships with patients. For me, however, general practice is very tough to work full time. But I still wanted a full time income and so this business gives me a way to achieve this.
Network Marketing has also helped me define my identity. Previously this was tied up with being a medic and I found that the highs and lows of medicine (complaints, staff disputes etc) would take me up and down with them.
Many things scared me about branching out into business. Most of my fears revolved around what other people would think and also potential negativity from family and friends. I realised how much the kudos of being a doctor had protected me from my own insecurities. However, I reached the point where my desire to make this work became stronger than my fear.
I now find that I cope better with conflict; with differing views and with life on life's terms. Much of this, I believe, is due to the pay-off that comes from stepping out of one’s comfort zone and being challenged through situations and growing as a result.
I'm tremendously excited about the future both as a GP and business owner. I encourage anybody considering a new venture to go out and grab it with both hands. Our biggest limitation is often our own mindset and once we conquer this, we can achieve anything.
Lizzie can be contacted on Crotonlizziec@aol.com for more information on working in network marketing
