Decisions, 50 Marathons With ALS, And "I'm Just..."

What does DECISION have to do with wealth?

Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” was published in 1937, meaning everyone reading this has had ample time to borrow it from the library, buy it from Amazon or listen to it on Audible. Those unfamiliar may be disappointed to learn that its 238 pages don’t instruct you on how to “think” your way into wealth. Instead, the book outlines 13 principles to master. Principle 7 is DECISION, or “The Mastery of Procrastination.”

An analysis of several hundred people who had accumulated fortunes well beyond the million-dollar mark disclosed that every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly and of changing these decisions slowly, if and when they changed. Conversely, those who fail to accumulate money, without exception, have the habit of reaching decisions, IF AT ALL, very slowly and of changing these decisions quickly and often.

I’ve met dentists and team members who make decisions too quickly and those who can’t seem ever to make a decision. For that matter, that spectrum also exists in my own family! The essential part of his advice here is the habit of “changing these decisions slowly.” All too often, I see people change decisions quickly and often – owners, associates, and team members. These decisions are reactionary and emotional, rarely rooted in data or trends, and often lead directly away from success.

Stop reacting; start deciding.

The Best Thing I Heard This Week
“I’m not JUST…”
On this morning’s DEW Coffee Talk, Kari Carter-Cherelus RDH reminded us to NOT say “I’m just a hygienist; I’m just an assistant. I’m just the newest employee here. I’m just a MOM, I’m just an associate.” How many times have you caught yourself saying that? Better to say, “I’m not just a CMO; I’m a cyclist, I’m a baker, I’m a philanthropist, I’m a sister, a friend, a wife…” You’re a lot more than JUST.p.s. If you’re a woman in dentistry and you’re not a DEW – you should be!

What I Can’t Wait To See
Go On, Be Brave is a film about Andrea Lytle Peet’s race against time – a diagnosis of ALS and an attempt at the impossible: to be the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all 50 states. “I’ve been given a perspective of how quickly it can all be taken away.”

Now, this is the kind of CE we need more of:
Jessica and Dr. Tony Martin, of Martin Management, are putting on a front-office retreat at the world-class Kohler Water Spa. Dentists often invest in CE for hygiene and themselves, but rarely is there a full-day course for an administrative team of this caliber. This retreat for the front office team is about making the office both more profitable and enhancing the patient experience. Check it out and register here. If you send 3 team members, the tuition is discounted! Hotel rooms are also reasonably priced and Kohler is a beautiful place!