Bill Nelson

Let me start off by answering this months question of:

Do the most successful people sometimes lose their way?

By asking you:

What would it take for you to lose sight of your own professional identity?



What would it take for you to move away from your true purpose?

What would it take for you to move away from why you do, what you do?

Some might find these rather peculiar questions and I can completely understand why. But the reason I ask them is in the hope that you will take a minute or two and contemplate these questions.

The reality is they can be answered rather easily, if you don't really want to think them through. And then again, someone with very strong convictions might look at these questions and simply answer them by saying nothing would take me away from who I am, what my purpose is and what I believe in.

But the truth is there for you to explore and the truth is really what I am asking you to ponder.

But why?

What has caused me to pose these types of questions at you?

Well, my motivation and inspiration comes from many different situations, people and opportunities. The inspiration for these questions comes from what is now commonly referred to as Reality TV.

But before we get to that, let me ask you a further question if I may.

How much influence would fame and fortune have in regards to the three questions above?



Would national TV, instant recognition and a wad of money cause you to start changing your approach to your profession?

OK, so back to my inspiration. The inspiration for these questions comes from the world of reality TV, but more specifically from two different men:

Dr Phil McGraw
Dr Drew Pinsky

Now before we go any further, I need to say I don't know either one of these gentlemen personally, but from what I can see, they both seem exceptionally well qualified and highly proficient in their chosen professions. But both of them, in my opinion to a certain degree, have lost their way in the name of reality TV.

However, as with most things that end up like this, I don't believe either one of them has made this happen through one or two situations or decisions. From my perspective, it has been a little change here, something different there and before long, both of them are somewhat removed from where and how there experience and skill should be utilised.

Here I go telling Dr Phil and Dr Drew how they should run their professional lives and their TV shows. This should be interesting?

Let me take you through the situations.

Dr Phil partnered in a company named, Courtroom Sciences Inc. (CSI), a trial consulting firm. He was asked to work on the Oprah Winfrey v Texas Beef Group case. During the preparation from the trial, he tells Oprah a few home truths.

Information and insight that by her own admission, was very difficult to hear. But Dr Phil, being Dr Phil, didn't care he had a job and a responsibility, and he knew what needed to be said and done and he did it. Oprah wins.

Next thing Oprah introduces us all to Dr Phil McGraw through her television show. At this point Dr Phil is still Dr Phil. Next thing Dr Phil is a regular on the Oprah show. Still to a certain extent he is Dr Phil, perhaps not everyone's cup of tea. But he does his thing with an element of skill, authority and presence.

He must be doing it well because Oprah, through her production company and with the fanatical support of the public, the Dr Phil show was born.

Now this is where things start to change dramatically. All of a sudden Dr Phil is not just an ex psychologist, but a media personality, a TV show host. He is no longer just answerable to his conscience and his professional integrity. He is answerable to a investors, producers, TV ratings. He is required to have an endless line of stories and approach.

And through all of this evolution is where I see the change. Personally, from what I can see, I think Dr Phil (the original version) is very good at what he does. But what he is doing now, has taken him away from his true strength.

It is not that he is not good at it, but I'll bet Michael Angelo could do a pretty good job of painting my dog house if I could get him to do it.

The same scenario with Dr Drew Pinsky.

Celebrity Rehab is a TV show that allows us to see Dr Drew in action once again he and his team are great at what they do. But then comes the spin off Sober House.

Now I know it is important to see the reality of what happens past a rehabilitation programme. I know there comes a time where these people have to start to take responsibility for their own actions and for moving to a better place in their life

But when someone is telling you that they are scared of leaving rehab because they don't trust themselves, I would hope that common sense prevails and therefore you wouldn't set them loose. But then to basically leave them to their own standards, even after they have told you they don't trust themselves and then fill the next two episodes of your next show highlighting them going back to their old ways.

Not sure that is the right thing either?

Where does the TV producer role start and stop and the medical practitioner and carer kick in?

Before we go on I am the first to recognise there will be many influences that I am not aware of that lead to a lot of what we are talking about here and what we see as a finished TV programme. But in the end, both men (and anyone else for that matter) have the opportunity to say whether they want to be part of it or not?

And so do you.

My point here was not to belt up Dr Phil or Dr Drew and I said I have the utmost respect for the talent, experience and skill of both men.

But I used them as an example. An example to highlight how easy it is for you, me or anyone else to slowly slowly, inch by inch move away from what we are good at or from, what we know to be right or away from our true purpose if we lose sight of who we are, what we are about, what we do and how we do it.



Consider the three questions above again. Get a mirror that works so you know the real answers and if ever the situation arises, you will not compromise your true self, purpose or passion for anything.

The Journey Continues!