MY MONTHLY RANT
Knowledge Is Practice. Execution Wins Games
I’m a baseball fan, so let’s use a baseball analogy for this one. Learning is hitting a single. Knowing is hitting for extra bases. But putting what you know into action, that’s a grand slam.
All too often, dentists get caught up in the tedium and minutiae of operating their practice. They get trapped in the belief that working harder and producing more dentistry will solve all problems. Simply put, they allocate time and energy to the wrong things. This is a consequence of acting daily with a tactical focus without the overarching umbrella of strategic focus. Thus, the reminder is to always be improving. I’m sure many of you are asking yourself, “What does he mean by strategic focus?” My answer is straightforward. It means being intentional about the end state you want to achieve in your practice for yourself, your patients, and your staff. And importantly, for your family. Paint a picture of your dream practice and ask your staff to do the same. Take inventory of where you are today, measure it against the picture you and your staff built together, and identify the deficits — all the places where your practice falls short of your ideal. If you do this, you’ll now have an agreed-upon improvement road map. Use it as a guide to help you and your staff focus your time and energy. Finally, I believe building your dream practice is less about arriving at some final destination and more about committing to the journey. No matter how much progress you make, there will always be room to improve. Thus, ABI: Always Be Improving. When you adopt a mindset of continuous improvement, you avoid the stagnation that quietly creeps into so many practices over time. Growth becomes intentional instead of accidental. Be clear about where you want your practice to go. Be honest about what isn’t working. And if something isn’t aligned with your vision, change it. Mediocrity is not imposed. Neither is excellence. The direction of your practice is largely the product of the choices you make and the standards you accept. This newsletter is a passion project for me. My goal is simple: to help you reach the outcome you want for your practice. I aim to share ideas that are practical, understandable, and implementable — concepts you can actually use, not just think about.
That’s how you win the game.
The premise is simple: No concept, framework, or strategy outlined in these pages has value without intentional implementation. It may be interesting. It may even be insightful. But without execution, it changes nothing. The operative word is intention. So, the question becomes: How do you intend to benefit from what you find here? I believe where we ultimately end up, personally and professionally, is the product of choices made moment by moment. Growth is rarely accidental. It’s chosen. In these newsletters, you’ll find relevant and potentially valuable ideas. Others you may dismiss as less applicable to your situation. That’s your prerogative. But if you’re like most people, it’s always easier to continue doing what you’ve always done. Keep the schedule full. Solve today’s problems. Postpone structural change. Why? Because change is uncomfortable. It disrupts routines. It challenges assumptions. It tests leadership, not only yours, but your team’s as well. In my experience, what separates practices that grow from those that stagnate isn’t intelligence or even opportunity. It’s leadership and commitment. It’s the difference between trying and doing. We all know “tryers,” and we all know “doers.” One group measures effort. The other measures results. The difference isn’t subtle, and neither are the outcomes. You’re the ultimate determinant of the value you extract from this newsletter. What I can assure you, without qualification, is that what you read here reflects real-world experience — mine and others who have traveled this path successfully and at scale.
So, returning to the baseball analogy:
Play to win. Make intentional choices. Lead with clarity. Commit to execution.
Do not try. Do.
Until next month.
8 · DentalGrowthAndExit.com
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