After several years in any line of work, it’s natural to feel a bit stuck or stagnant.
Sometimes this happens when we aren’t experiencing rewards as quickly as we would like, major projects are held up, or we’ve lost our love of the craft.
If you’re starting to feel a bit restless in your career, here’s a bit of food for thought…
Where are you within your comfort zone?
When we spend too long within our comfort zone, we deprive ourselves of incredible opportunities for growth.
Within a comfort zone everything is, well… Comfortable. You know the people around you, you know what to do and what to say, you know what’s ahead.
It’s easy, safe, and predictable, but it’s also limiting.
Outside of your comfort zone, there are new relationships, opportunities, experiences, and lessons to be found.
Are there some things you’re perhaps a little nervous to do?
What if you pushed yourself to introduce yourself to someone who really inspires you, an idol?
What if you went to that event (where you might not know anyone), and networked?
What if you took that leap or business venture?
Stepping out of your comfort zone doesn’t always require a great leap – sometimes it’s just one foot in front of the other.
There is no quick fix.
It’s human nature to want to find a fast solution to our problems – and we live in a world pumped full of instant gratification that supports that desire.
The biggest difference between high performers and the rest of the population is endurance. High performers are okay with delayed gratification. They make peace with the mundane and push through it.
Instead of looking for overnight transformation, simply chart a course. Identify what you want, and chip away at it. Small changes and action each day compounds over time to add up to huge changes.
Even when you’re tired, even when you don’t feel like it, even when you’re frustrated.
Understand that without consistent action towards an identified goal, very little is likely to change.
Know the difference between high-achievements and high-performance.
High performing dentists have a strong cash flow, strong practices, and high achievement, but they also find a decrease of stress, an increase in happiness, and a strong personal identity and personal control.
Many dentists who are simply high achievers are not happy. They continue to reach higher and higher levels, but don’t necessarily feel satisfied as a result.
It is important to know what success looks like to you. There are so many people caught in a rat race that makes them unhappy.
There are many dentists that love clinical work and expanding to 800 practices across the country sounds like a nightmare. That’s totally fine.
There are others who are keen to get off the tools and love the business side of things, which is completely fine too.
Sit down and really take the time to understand, “this is what I want and why I want it.”
When you have clarity over your path, it becomes easier to make those decisions that align your choices with your career trajectory.
Stepping forward confidently with courage to change your career path for the better takes work. It requires a fair amount of discipline daily, weekly, and monthly to become a high performer.
We’re socialised into chasing dollars and growing for growth’s sake, but satisfaction only comes when you know the ‘why’ behind your actions.
Clarity on your path and a little courage in your choices will help you avoid burnout as you grow.
P.S Want to scale your dental practice and take your profits to 7 figure success?
Me and my team can work with you directly to get you there! Simply book in your FREE 1:1
strategy session, and we can get started on a game plan for you and your practice.
