As I was out on a walk this morning, something I heard on Cal Newport's podcast resonated with me. I'm sharing a small takeaway point regarding over-optimizing and how I think that applies both to our clinical work and to everything that goes on behind the scenes to keep a clinical practice running.

• The optimization paradox: over-optimizing a single area can throw the whole system out of balance

• In client work, you don't need to move every health pillar from a 2 to a 10. Moving several from a 2 to a 5 or 7 often produces better outcomes.

• In your practice, "good enough" marketing across multiple channels beats getting one area in tip-top shape.

• This framework is especially useful for solo practitioners without formal business or marketing training as it takes some pressure off and offers multiple ways to improve

• Cal Newport's Deep Questions podcast: Optimization Paradox episode with Brad Stulberg

• Sign up for Camille's weekly Practitioner Notes newsletter at camillefreeman.com

• Find all episodes and show notes at intheclinic.com

Camille Freeman, DCN, RH, is the founder of Bloom and Grow, offering continuing education and community resources for herbalists and nutritionists in clinical practice. She has been in practice since 2003 with a focus on fertility, pregnancy, and menstrual health.