Do You Have 'The Fire' Within?

People like to believe that there is something mysterious or special about how successful dentists and their teams reach the highest level.

It really comes down to the fact that they simply engage at that level. They have a sense of their possibilities and more importantly, they have a sense of urgency that makes them act on those possibilities. It's that "fire-in-the-belly" that drives them to get better.

Some people just naturally have this fire within. As an educator, I have found that you can help them and you can give direction and coaching. One thing you can't do is slow down these individuals, even if you wanted to. They have two words that propel them to reach new levels, two words that define their mindset: "What's next?"

But I have also found that you can ignite this fire in people who don't naturally have it. You just have to find the right spark that captures their imagination and then fuel the fire with some early success. Eventually, the fire takes hold for good.

I think of this often when I see people who are discouraged by the news on the economy and how it can affect their business. I think of the people who have "the fire" and I realize that they are too focused on being the best they can be to spend their time worrying about outside factors they can't control. You can choose to focus on the U.S. economy and the limitations you see there, or you can choose to focus on your practice economy and on the possibilities that are there – and believe me there are great possibilities.

Those dentists who are highly engaged, always asking "what's next?" and always driving themselves to stay on top of their game thrive in any economy. Money does not drive these dentists; they're driven by a desire to be the best, and the money just follows naturally. Economic success is a byproduct of being in love with what you do and committed to doing it at the highest level.

So do what it takes to keep that fire lit and fueled. Share the warmth and light from it with those around you. You'll find that success that is born of true passion is the most fulfilling kind of success.