Current Pedorthics | May-June 2012 | Vol. 44, Issue 3 | Page 8

F R O M T H E

PRESIDENT

Kristi Hayes , C . Ped . PFA President kristi @ pedorthics . org
“ The only sin is mediocrity .”
- Marsha Graham

Iremember back in school where everyone was identified academically – the overachievers , the average students and then the flunkies . You know the ones , those kids who failed every class but gym and were often seen in detention . What kind of student were YOU back then ? Do you still fit that mold ? Are you currently a ‘ C ’ student ? In your business are you just getting by not losing money , but not making a profit ? Do you have dreams of travelling and giving your family the world but you don ’ t have a clue how to get there ?

Guess what , I hate to say this but you ’ re riding the line of mediocrity ! And YES ! I ’ m talking to YOU !
Did you know there is one critical difference between those that succeed in anything , business , family or otherwise ; versus those who don ’ t that determines their degree of success ? All it takes is just one thing to fend off mediocrity . Do you know what it is ?
Some say it takes talent , intelligence , teamwork , perseverance or just plain luck to be a success . It ’ s true those things can and do play a role in the grand scheme of success , but it ’ s not the biggest determining factor between reaching mediocrity , failure or success . And it has nothing to do with your height , skin color , age , upbringing , religion , who you know or even your formal education .
The one thing that sets a successful person apart from the group is astoundingly simple and everyone has it . That one thing that can make you a success beyond your wildest dreams is your mindset . People that succeed learn how to grapple with their personal psychology and how to use their mind to achieve great things . It ’ s that simple … period !
This simple act of determination if nothing else can be found as a common denominator when achieving success in any endeavor you set out to do . Waging the battle with your mind and employing winning psychology is the answer to true and great success . Saying you can ’ t do something because you lack education , money or means is a cop out and will keep you firmly seated in either mediocrity or failure . PFA for example has gone through many ups and downs over the years , but its greatest successes on behalf of the pedorthic profession are directly attributed to the positive mindsets of its volunteers , leadership and staff . Just having vision and plans will not get you all the way there ; you have to believe you can do it .
A good example is when your kids come home from school sick . The first thing you might say to yourself is “ I will not get sick !” You may think your mind registers the affirmative “ I will not ,” but in reality your mind hears “ I will .” To fix this , you need to change the way you think and train your mind to look at things in a positive and affirmative way instead of a negative . Tell yourself “ I ’ m in perfect health ” and “ I feel good .” It goes back to the caveat of whether or not your glass is half empty or half full . Decide the way you will think and re-train yourself to always go positive .
You might notice that when PFA provides you news or updates on committee work , we tend to tell you the most positive things we have to share . This is not because we are hiding negative information ; rather we are happy and excited about the positive successes and want to move everything toward the same goal of success . When we do tell you negative information we also provide you with solutions to those issues . The goal and mindset is always to work toward the most positive outcome for our organization and all of you . So make the decision to step out of your old mindset and into a world of successful affirmations . PFA is here to help . ■
ABOUT PFA
The Pedorthic Footcare Association ( PFA ), founded in 1958 , is the not-for-profit professional association that represents the interests of the certified and / or licensed pedorthist and supports the pedorthic profession at large .
Through PFA ’ s efforts , pedorthics — the design , manufacture , modification and fit of shoes and foot orthoses to alleviate problems caused by disease , congenital condition , overuse or injury — is a wellestablished allied health profession that makes an invaluable contribution to public health .
MISSION
PFA ’ s mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the credentialed ( certified and / or licensed ) pedorthist through education ; increase the demand for the credentialed pedorthist ’ s services through marketing ; and defend the credentialed pedorthist ’ s right to practice through government affairs activities .
Pedorthic Footcare Association 8400 Westpark Drive 2nd Floor McLean , VA 22102 phone ( 703 ) 610-9035 toll-free ( 800 ) 673-8447 fax ( 703 ) 995-4456 email info @ pedorthics . org website www . pedorthics . org
Scan the QR code with a smartphone to learn more about PFA .
6 Pedorthic Footcare Association www . pedorthics . org