By Mehran Tabrizi

It’s a common way of thinking to set goals based on measurables: how fast you want run, how much you want to lift, how much weight you want to lose. But how much of that is contributing to your actual well-being?

The purpose of life is discovery of self, with all of its glories and shortcomings. Yet on the path we make the mistake of falling into the traps of identifying with our egos and external drivers, striving to fit in—whether it be into a pair of jeans or into a subset of society. The ‘strong cross-fitter’ or the skinny archetype of the ‘yoga body’. In the process we lose sight of the process, succumbing to the external perception versus looking at the internal production—which is the true key to personal growth and sustainable health.

Health is focused attention on the right problem. We tend to break it down into simply ‘feeling better’ or eradicating pain, but minimizing injuries is only part of it. It is also about emotional stability and anti-fragility—learning how to understand ourselves and not only withstand the pressures of this life, but to thrive in it. To set not only physical goals, but goals for life achievements and the legacy we want to leave.

The role of your health care practitioner is not to be your guru or even your teacher, but more to act as your concierge guide, providing you with the latest evidence-based skills to earn your achievable goals; helping you to see your vision and plan in the execution, navigating the barriers and giving you tools for success.

In my eclectic experience and research, the most significant variables for goal attainment would be as follows:

1. neurological readiness
2. structural and physiological alignment
3. technique and recovery

This seems like a huge task, but it begins with being honest about your motivation, getting real with your ‘why’, and assembling the right team to support and challenge you.

Be broad in your ideas of health and happiness. Allow yourself to be more imaginative and expansive in the measures you use and the goals to which you strive. Measures like kindness and the courage to be more curious about life are just as important as heart-rate variability or other bio-markers. Appreciate the opportunity for health and embrace the adventure of achieving self-mastery, with the goal to not only feel better but to be better.

What is your statement in 2017?

Dr. Tabrizi is a chiropractor, osteopath and a passionate member of both the local and scientific community, whose goal is to teach that the pursuit of optimal health and wellness is much more than being symptom-free. His practice is rooted in the philosophy of treating the person rather than just treating the illness or ailment. As a result of his interdisciplinary training, Dr. Tabrizi has developed a neuroscience-based therapeutic education approach to treating his patients, focusing on healing illness from a wider perspective, placing equal responsibility on patient as well as practitioner. Dr. Tabrizi aims to educate his patients and provide them with the tools and framework needed to integrate pain management and healthy living into the fabric of their everyday lives.