More common than "my way or the highway" might be phoning it in.

When you or a teammate is acting in a perfunctory, uncommitted fashion, as if it didn't matter, be ready for one or both of the following:

Mistakes. When we take our eye off the ball, it's common to hurt someone or make an expensive blunder. "Paying" attention means there's a cost. But not paying attention can cost even more.

Burnout. When we become emotionally exhausted, a common defense mechanism is to isolate ourselves, becoming unsympathetic and indifferent. Besides the huge loss of momentum, a private pity party becomes an expensive luxury.

Being too comfortable is the enemy of excellence. It's a cousin of being lazy and the uncle of being uninspired.

That doesn't mean you can't take your foot off the gas from time to time. Just remember the only way to coast is to go downhill.

Bill Esteb has been a chiropractic patient and advocate since 1981. He is the creative director of Patient Media and the co-founder of Perfect Patients. He’s been a regular speaker at chiropractic gatherings since 1985. His 12 books explore the doctor/patient relationship from a patient's point of view. His chiropractic blog, in-office consultations, patient focus groups and consulting calls have helped hundreds of chiropractors around the world. Since 1999 Monday Morning Motivation has been emailed to over 10,000 subscribers each week.