When 'Me First' is the Right Approach

Most of us who travel a lot tend to tune out the flight attendant's pre-flight safety rundown because we feel we could recite it by heart by now. But there was one part of those routine instructions that kind of jumped out at me awhile back—I think it is a metaphor for a philosophy that is important in life.

I'm talking about the part where they tell you what to do in the case of a sudden loss of pressure in the cabin and the oxygen masks drop down. We are told that if we are traveling with children or someone who needs assistance, to put on our own mask first before helping them.

There is a good reason for this, of course. If you are sitting next to someone who depends on you for their well-being, your natural instinct is to want to help them first. But what good can you really be to them if you yourself are incapacitated? This is clearly an example of a circumstance where taking a "me first" approach is ultimately the most selfless option. You have to take care of yourself before you can even begin to help anyone else.

That is a principle that is just as true in dental practice, or in life for that matter. If you are serious about providing the best care and support to those who depend on you—whether it is your patients, your team, or your family—you have to devote the right time and resources to yourself first.

Maybe it is about increasing the value of your human capital through clinical and practice management education, which will allow your practice to deliver at a higher level. Maybe it's about becoming spiritually, emotionally and physically healthier so you have more to give in personal relationships.

In any case, the fact is when you truly want to help others, you have to start by helping yourself. When you are a leader and you are at the top of your game, everyone wins.