Disclaimer: The opinions
expressed in this blog are the authors own and are derived from the author’s
experiences and observations. This blog is the intellectual property of the
blog owner and unauthorised reproduction of the blog material is strictly
prohibited.
Straight away, this blog is going to
be a lot different than all the previous ones in terms of how I try to convey
the message across, specifically the tone in which the message is going to be
conveyed across...so if you’re easily offended or strive for political
correctness or are firmly rigid in your perception of things as being right or
wrong just because they seem right or wrong to you...this would be a good time
to stop reading this blog and go back to whatever it is that you were doing.
.
.
.
.
Still here?
Well, then here’s why the tone of this
blog is going to be different...here’s why this blog is going to be less of a
“3 things to do if you want to succeed” or “they way you can utilise a resource
to up your practice” or the “hacks you need to adapt when it comes to mindset”
and more of a RANT aimed at “millennial” (Born after 1984 and currently a part
of the working population) budding dentists!
A rant? Why?!
Well here’s why!
It’s because I’m getting sick of the
negativity, the complaining, the whining and the lack of motivation that
dentistry is suffering from since the past few years. It’s because I’m sick of
meeting every other dentist (budding and established alike) who goes on and on
about how difficult things are and how any other profession is much better to
pursue a career in and I’m sick of the utter lack of motivating, optimistic and
forward thinking individuals especially when it comes to the so-called
“millennial” lot of dentists!
Guys, I get it!...I’m a millennial
too!...I know how frustrating it can get!...there is a lack of jobs, a market
saturation...there is more supply than demand...it is genuinely scary for a
budding dentist to step out of internship/post graduation today and get hit in
the face by the reality of “setting up” a practice and earning a livelihood
from it. It justifies why most of the “budding” dentists have a pessimistic
opinion about the field whenever a conversation about a career as a dentist
takes place.
Here’s what is not justified...The
pessimistic opinion transforming into a pessimistic mindset! Because THAT is
what will surely set you up for FAILURE!...because it’s not how bad your life
is, how bad your career decision sucks, how bad your practice is doing or all
of the other things that stand a chance of being overturned for good...but a
pessimistic mindset that will keep you complaining, blind you to opportunities
and shut your mind to thoughtful opinions.
So let’s get things straight on what
this entire rant is all about!
In the world today, there is a
constant talk of how we “the millennials” have become a generation that feels
“entitled” to everything...from jobs to success to being rich and accomplishing
our dreams...entitled to all this...not after a struggle of years but in an
instant!
Narrow this narrative down to
millennial budding dentists and we have no different a picture!...look at the
expectations we have from a newly set up practice...breaking even as soon as
possible, making huge profits as soon as possible, retaining patients as soon
as possible, offering specialist treatments and procedures as soon as possible
and quitting the field if all of this doesn’t work out as soon as possible!
This “as soon as possible” mentality
is a derivative of the instant gratification that we have gotten used to so
much in our lives; from movies available a click away, to shopping a click away
to even a date a click away...the moment we “need” something, the fastest way
to get it is through a CLICK! Sadly, the “real” world...the world of business,
success, practice and skills does not work on the same principle! So if you are
a budding dentist who just can’t stop complaining about how bad the field is,
how few the opportunities are or how better off you would have been doing
something else...here are a few things you should look into first;
#1 Are you clear about what you want
from Dentistry?
“A s**t load of money!” is a very vague
answer to give if that comes to your mind first.
Ask yourself what have you done to
explore the options available after you graduated? Did you gain experience? Did
you go looking? Did you try and fail and tried some more and failed again and
did that a few times in loop till you were crystal clear about how you wanted
your career to shape up? Did you bother figuring out your strengths and
weaknesses? Did you work on them?
You can’t just step out and jump in
the pool of private practice on the back of a couple of months of “casual”
locum where all you learnt was which brand of dental chair is the most
economical or how clinical materials are managed on a month to month basis...UNDERSTAND
that if dentistry today is a business, the minute you step into the “real world”
with your shiny new clinic and etched glass front doors...you’re competing!!...you’re
competing with the best!...there will always be someone better than you, worse
than you, expensive than you, offering cheaper treatments than you...so you
better be clear about the kind of practice you want!...where are you going to
place yourself in the different levels of dentistry out there today?...where do
you see yourself in the next 5 years as a dentist?...you’re not going to get
them all from the beginning itself!...which brings us to the next question
#2 Are you patient?
Like all great businesses, there are
no overnight successes in dentistry either...just because your clinic doesn’t
break even in the first few months doesn’t mean you’re a failure!...just
because you had to pay the rent and run your clinic out of your own pocket for
the first year does not mean you should quit dentistry as a whole!...just because
you don’t see a future for yourself in the current situation does not mean you
get all depressed and don’t give a damn about your loved ones!!
Be patient!...mark those words...BE
PATIENT!! That means have the courage, the optimism, the vision, the interactions
that will help you see through whatever the phase it is that you feel stuck in!
BE PATIENT but don’t misinterpret
PATIENCE for LAZINESS...keep moving, keep looking, keep learning and keep
working!...feel like you’re not making enough money? Go back to the drawing
board and figure out what areas you need to improve on!...figure out a way to
earn some side income in your free time during the 10-2 and 5-9! Stop
forwarding those stupid messages on whatsapp groups when you have nothing to
do!! Stop wasting your time!!...utilise that time to figure out a solution to
your problems! You have the internet at your finger tips...that alone is the
single greatest RESOURCE that will help you see a way!
It’s going to take TIME to achieve
what you have imagined for yourself both financially and
professionally...accept this fact...keep working...don’t give
up...improvise!...don’t go through life on autopilot!...TAKE CONTROL!
#3 Are you spending time with
pessimists or optimists?
Stop hanging out with a group that is
constantly whining about their present state...avoid people with a negative or
even worse...no outlook towards the future! By saying avoid people, I don’t
mean that you should become a loner but isolate yourself mentally from the
people who are in a constant state of regret, whining and complaining about how
bad life has given it to them and how others are having it easy!!...seek out
the intellectuals, the MENTORS who will motivate you, fill you with positive
energy, train your mind to focus on the results and how to get there...have
meaningful conversations with such people.
Isolate yourself from the pessimistic
thoughts of your own mind! Things are bad and then things are good....life
happens in phases...it is up to us to keep moving...have an approach...strive
for a goal...follow it religiously...it’s all in the mind...cut off the
pessimism and train your mind to be optimistic and see the results!
Your happiness, career fulfilment,
success and peace all lie in the MINDSET!...building a career is a journey...building
a business is a journey...it was never easy and it never will be...so before
you step into the field with all your expectations and dreams and goals...realise
that it is a JOURNEY!! There will be mostly downs and a few ups...you will have
to be on your toes...be actively involved...be constantly analysing the things
that are working or not working for you!
As a budding dentist, I personally
feel it has become too easy today to get frustrated, depressed and angry and
develop a state of mind that is just too negative right from the start of our
careers as dentists...it doesn’t have to be!
Learning the craft and skills
aside...budding dentists...“millennial” dentists need to undergo “mindset”
training at the hands of the right mentors before stepping out in the “real”
world because it is not lack of the talent, knowledge or skill that has made
“millennial” budding dentists such an unsatisfied bunch of professionals...it
is the LACK OF A PROPER MINDSET!
Liked
this blog? SUBSCRIBE by clicking on the SUBSCRIBE button on top of the page and
never miss an update. Comment below or share and follow at; www.facebook.com/gangaspeaks and www.instagram.com/gangaspeaks to see
weekly updates in our KEYS TO SUCCESS and QUOTES series with a new MENTOR every
month.
Comments
Post a Comment