When Sam Walton (the richest man in the US at one time) knew he was going to soon die from prostate cancer, he wrote a book (Made in America)–where he directly spoke to his grandchildren and future great-grandchildren.
In that book, he says one of the smartest things he ever did was put on the sign over the front door, “Satisfaction Guaranteed.”
It’s a very simple but hard to follow principle— if someone gives you money for a product, service, or a payday for your time and volition, then if you do not deliver what they bought, you just stole money—extortion.
As a physician, when I first started taking money for services (instead of an insurance card), I thought about Sam Walton and the fact that if most people were dishonest that he’d be broke instead of making jobs for thousands of people. I decided that if he could guarantee a ten-dollar watch, that I’d not keep anyone’s money who was not happy with my services. I don’t try to treat everyone (I can not heal every disease and I am not the best physician for every person), but if someone gives me money, my rule is that they must think they received something worth more than the money they paid, or I do not keep the money.
Sometimes, I feel maybe someone takes advantage of my rule; but, usually, even when I give back money, it just feels better to me and to my patient.
As you go through your day today, maybe consider the following passage from today’s reading:
Ezekiel: 22:12-13 …thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbor by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the LORD GOD. Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain, and at thy blood, which hath been in the midst of thee.
The 1-3-5 Plan (click to see plan):
Ezekiel 22-29
Industry: Lose no time; be always employed by something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Walk 3 miles
Eat 5 fruits or vegetables
Sincerely,
Charles
Charles Runels, MD
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