How long have you operated as a medical practitioner with the motto of anything goes, as long as I can do the work!

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many doctors find themselves trapped in this counterproductive mindset. Though you want to expand your patient base and strengthen your brand identity, the thought of choosing a niche fills you with fear. 

But why fear the key to your success? Picking a niche is one of the most strategic (and lucrative!) gifts you can give to your medical practice. 

Let’s dig into the underlying reasons practitioners fear choosing a niche so that you can appreciate just how unfounded those fears really are!

What Practitioners Are Most Worried About When Choosing a Niche

A niche is a specialized corner of your market that focuses on unique products and services. Whether your niche becomes diabetes, weight loss, acne, or anything in between, you begin to focus on patients seeking care in your niche, rather than trying to help every single patient with every single problem. 

Niching down sounds great: more focus, more impact, more revenue! So what factors leave practitioners feeling apprehensive about picking a niche?

Worried About the Legal Ramifications of Niching Down

When you practice medicine without declaring an expertise, you feel like you’re flying under the radar. You’re terrified that defining your specialty in black-and-white will put a target on your back for legal consequences. 

Cutting Yourself Off From New Business

You’ve spent so long cultivating a substantial patient base that it probably feels counter-intuitive to purposefully limit the scope of your practice. But believe it or not, choosing a niche makes it easier to market your services and reach new patients. 

Disappointing People By Turning Them Away

Many doctors avoid picking a niche because they don’t want to disappoint potential patients or turn them away. But it’s okay to say no! In fact, successful entrepreneurs are masters of saying no for the right reason. They understand that the ultimate goal isn’t money, it’s accomplishment and freedom. 

The 3 Biggest Drivers Behind That Fear

Are you beginning to understand that your fears about choosing a niche aren’t worth the space they occupy in your mind? Once you understand the three biggest drivers behind those fears,  you’ll realize that nothing should stop you from pursuing and defining your perfect niche. 

Afraid of Choosing the Wrong Niche

Deep down underneath your fear of picking a niche is a misguided belief that you’ll pick the wrong niche. This creates a fear of commitment to any niche at all. What if I invest so much time and effort, only to realize I don’t love my niche? 

It’s a valid question, but not one that should stop you from selecting a specialty. By niching down and dedicating yourself to a specific focus, you ultimately learn 10x more than you ever could as a general practitioner. You become a better, more authentic doctor. 

And if you decide in six months or six years that you’re ready for a change, you can use what you’ve learned to pivot closer to your ultimate goal. 

Imposter Syndrome

“Imposter Syndrome” is a well-documented psychological phenomenon that causes accomplished professionals to doubt their skills and talents. Many of our favorite household names, from Oprah Winfrey and Steve Jobs to Maya Angelou and Richard Branson experienced Imposter Syndrome as they achieved success.

As you generate success in your niche, you may begin to feel like you don’t deserve the trust or attention of your patients. You may even fear being exposed as a “fraud”. But that’s your fear talking, not your logic. 

Ask yourself: If not me, then who? If not now, then when? Many medical practitioners need time to work through that little voice in the back of their heads that says, Should I really be doing this? Do I deserve it? 

The answer, of course, is YES.

Fear of the Pigeon-Holed

Choosing a niche doesn’t shackle you to it forever, but it’s common for medical practitioners to fear becoming “stuck” with or pigeon-holed into their niche identity. 

However, being associated with your niche isn’t a pigeon-hole at all. It’s a sign of success! You learn from the focus of your niche, which allows you to quickly replicate that recipe for faster success moving forward. It’s always possible to pivot into a new niche, a new brand, a new you. 

What Actually Happens When You Do Niche Down?

Tell your fears to sit this round out; you’ve got important work to do with your niche!

Niching down creates a domino effect of positive changes that bolster the strength of your practice. Embracing your specialty makes it possible to flourish as a professional, become more profitable, and increase your patient impact. What more could you hope to achieve?