Saturday, December 29, 2018

10 Books that Have Helped - Part 1/3 of Organizing a Military Dental Clinic

Organizing a Military Dental Clinic - 3 part series

This is part 1 of a 3 part blog series called "Organizing a Military Dental Clinic"

I'm going to talk about what I've learned from running logistics at 2 bases over the last several years, and hopefully it will help some military (and even civilian) dental clinics! I was fortunate enough to be part of some awesome teams that have won MAJCOM and Air Force level awards, but those victories were a testament to the systems and habits we created, not the will of the people in the clinics. I don't claim to have all the answers, but I have tried a lot of different things and I'm a relentless experimenter so hopefully these posts can help spark some new ideas for you and your clinic.

Ordinary people can do extraordinary things with the right habits and systems. 

You don't need "superstars"; leaning on them may work in the moment, but things will crash when they are gone.

Let me say that one more time: this is not about the PEOPLE, it's about the SYSTEMS and HABITS you create and enforce over time.

There is a basic level of competency required, obviously, but I'm betting that most of the things your clinic does could be simplified significantly, making everyones job and life much more enjoyable.

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10 Books that Have Helped- Part 1/3 of Organizing a Military Dental Clinic

Books are the #1 way I've learned (with podcasts coming in at a close #2) what you're about to read in this 3 part blog series. Obviously, the knowledge must be applied, but I firmly believe that you can only imagine combinations of that which is already in your mind, and the best way to add new things to your mind is to digest knowledge from the great thinkers via books and podcasts.

Here's my list of 10 books, in no particular order, that can help you become a better thinker when it comes to organizing your clinic.

1. The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg

A modern classic on "how" to think about what we do every day. We are our habits. Instead of trying to change people, change the structure and incentives to drive them to the result they want. We aren't trying to change people, we are changing their habits. This is not a "quick fix" book, but it can lead to permanently new habits, which is the ultimate goal.

2. Extreme Ownership - Jocko Willink

Stop blaming other people for failings that happen on your watch. If you're in charge, own it. This extends to your personal life as well, but is relevant here for your work, too. Discipline = Freedom. 

3. The Goal - Eliyahu Goldratt

This is a business book disguised as a novel (or maybe the other way around). It's a fun read that makes you think about how you can pull what you're learning into some real life actions for your business or clinic. This book gave me an actual idea for our supply chain at my first base that we ended up implementing and utilizing. For that reason, it had to make the list.

4. The E-Myth Revisited - Michael Gerber

I wish this was mandatory reading for all Air Force officers. This is the bible for how to think about any organization, even in a 1-person shop. The basic premise is to imagine your business/clinic as a prototype model for thousands more (even if you never plan to build a thousand more). The reason? This will force you to simplify things so aggressively that your business/clinic will start to run well almost regardless of who you plug into those spots. People will need less and less training and expertise to run your ever simpler clinic as you trim waste and make things better. This is a vital concept for military leaders when we don't know who will come and go. 

5. Principles - Ray Dalio

Another modern classic. This will be a book that will go down in history as one of the most dense and actionable books ever written. I can't say enough about it. It's a big book, but it gives so many unbelievable mental models to think about your life and business/clinic. I wanted to dip the whole thing in highlighter. My favorite concept? Imagine yourself as 2 people (because you ARE 2 people -- reptilian brain and neocortex). Most people run life on autopilot (reptilian brain) without stepping back and imagining themselves from the outside. 

If you've ever played a video game, this concept comes easily. You are the person playing the game and you are the character participating. Most don't realize this and just behave like the character, reacting to everything in life, without stepping back and making intentional choices. It's very akin to the concept of working "on" the business and not just "in" the business, as laid out in Michael Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited

6. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - Marie Kondo

Nope, not a joke. This book was written to help people organize their homes, but I can tell you, it is much more than that. This book helps you re-think about how you see "stuff" in general. This is an essential read for those wanting to organize anything in their life, and I'm dead serious. This will change your relationship with "things" forever, and by extension, dental supplies. You'll be much more decisive at ridding waste from your life, leaving room for the things that really matter. What could be more critical when trying to organize a dental clinic? Trust me on this one.

7. The Checklist Manifesto - Atul Gawande

Ugh, not another checklist. Ok, look. I hate being told what to do with those silly things, too. But dammit, they work. I love it when a patient can get a consistent experience and ultimately, checklists are the best way to focus new hires, establish consistent protocols, and enforce processes. Checklists save brain power, they put everyone on the same page, and they eliminate confusion. This book will make you smile every time you see a well designed checklist, and it will make you much better at making them yourself to systematize your clinic. I love sneaking checklists onto all sorts of things without people even realizing what it is. More on that in part 2/3.

8. Essentialism - Greg McKeown

This book is all kinds of awesome from every angle. The big takeaway here is to help your mind focus on what's really important. Too many of us treat our entire to-do list as an emergency and we end up freezing or just getting the wrong stuff done. It will help you think more about first-order problems instead of fixing the surface-level issue (you know, like the problems you "solve", only to watch them pop up again in a month?).

9. Switch - Chip and Dan Health

I love this book so much. It was one of the first books I read on the subject, and I've gone over it several times since then. It will help you think more deliberately about how changing the environment itself can help drive the behavior you want. It's not just about changing the people, which often doesn't work, but changing the way they work to eliminate ways they could get off course. This book has been pivotal in my work over the last few years. Another book I wish was a mandatory read for Air Force officers. Shape the path!

10. Ego is the Enemy - Ryan Holiday

You're not that special. Seriously. Once you can separate your ego from what you're trying to do or create, the sky is the limit. The harder you hold onto what people think of you, the lower opinion they will hold of you. Strip your ego away, be definitive, make the hard decisions, and own the results. Apologize when you screw up, be transparent, and don't skirt responsibility. Those with inflated egos are typically the kinds of people that don't build systems, because they don't trust other people to run them or they are too insecure about what other people will think if it fails. Get over yourself ;)


Bonus! The Power of Consistency - Weldon Long

This was the book that convinced me I had to read more books. It's the best. I'll leave it at that.

I have a lot more books, so if you want more recommendations, don't hesitate to email me (see the right side of my blog for my email address).

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

8 Year Recap Post, FAQ, and My Future

This is an ambitious post. My goal is to make this post a very concise summary of my experiences over the last 8 years and answer some of the most common questions I receive via email, as well as an update on my future plans.

Before dental school

Recruiters
If you have even the slightest inclination that you might want to pursue the Air Force HPSP (Health Professions Scholarship Program) for dental school, contact a recruiter. There is a link on the right side of my blog, or you can find it HERE and select "Healthcare Student or Professional".

Unfortunately, the recruiting system gets a bad rap for being unresponsive and often unhelpful, so if you're having trouble getting in contact with a recruiter in your area, start looking outside your area and contact one of those instead. They can probably help you get in touch with your actual recruiter who isn't returning your calls and emails.

Application process
Everything flows through the recruiter. You need to be in decent shape, have excellent grades and DAT, and nail your interview.

For the interview, focus on all the generic questions (strengths, weaknesses, etc), but be prepared for additional questions like: Why do you want to be in the Air Force? Why do you think you would make a good Air Force officer? What leadership experience do you have?

You're an officer candidate, not just a potential Air Force dentist.

Choosing a school
Go to the school in the area with the cheapest cost of living! Your stipend does not change based on where you live, and you'll devour the stipend if you're living in Los Angeles vs living in Oklahoma. I spoke about this on the Choose FI podcast, episode 99R at minute 57:40.

During dental school

Money!
You get paid about $2,000/month during school, and the Air Force will pay all your other required bills directly. Some things (scrubs, loupes, books) will be on you to buy, and then you will submit some reimbursement paperwork to the Air Force. You should have some information of some contacts at AFIT that can help you out.

Military obligations
You don't have any! Yay!

After dental school/AEGD-1

COT
The timing of COT depends on your school summer schedule and when you commission, but most dentists go after dental school. You may find the COT Survival Guide helpful, but keep in mind that it was written in 2014. Also, check out the newest Air Force PT Test Score Charts to get an idea of where you'll land and start training for this test during dental school! Here's a good pushup and situp video to help you out, but remember, the official Air Force guidance on fitness is found here at A5.3 and A5.4.

AEGD-1
Unfortunately, my AEGD-1 experience was not all that great, but most students love their experience. Having said that, despite my misgivings about the training I received, the year itself was very formative for me personally and the experience was one that I count as one of the most pivotal in my life. I certainly must recommend the AEGD-1 for the sheer fact that it's going to be difficult to operate as an Air Force dentist without this advanced training, since the Air Force has their own system to "allow" you to do certain procedures (called "credentialing"). Even if you did a procedure in dental school, a residency may be required to do it in the Air Force (restoring implants, for example).

You are required to apply for, and accept, an AEGD-1 now. Not everyone will be accepted by the Air Force, but there's enough spots for most applicants. Plan on going.

As far as what base you get, you'll fill out a preference sheet just before your 4th year of dental school, but they could send you to any of the 12 or so AEGD bases. I don't really have any insight as to why they send people where they do.

Specializing
I get asked this question a lot, and it's a bit of a moving target. Some specialties do allow you to apply right out of dental school, while others want you to have a few years of experience (or an AEGD-1) under your belt first. Your AFIT contacts should have this information.

After residency/Being a dentist in the Air Force

Where will they send me?
Assuming you do an AEGD-1 like most Air Force dentists, you'll get a list of bases (in February-ish of your AEGD year) that need dentists and you'll get to rank them based on where you want to go. Unfortunately, while you do get a say, you're not guaranteed a top choice. I got my 16th choice, but it ended up being the best thing for me and my career.

I got to go to a small and remote base that was in dire need of organization and streamlining, as we were updating and planning for the arrival of a new F-35 squadron in the coming years. Previous officers hadn't systematized the clinic functions, but instead just relied on the people to run the place. When those people left, so did their ideas and processes, and the clinic was constantly starting over on processes when people would leave! I stepped into some roles that most young Captains don't get to experience, and got to hone my organizational and systematizing skills that would ultimately prove very valuable for my life and career.

What's a normal day like?
It depends on what base you go to, but a fresh Captain out of residency will usually be doing dentistry about 80% of the week. The rest of the time is set aside for training, PT time, or lunch. Expect to do a lot of restorative, with some single unit crowns sprinkled in as the mission permits and requires, and exams. If you did an AEGD and have the training, you'll probably be doing some IV sedation and restoring implants as well! Elective procedures (anterior crowns, veneers) will depend a lot on what the mission of your base is, and how well staffed the clinic is to suit your desires. I did almost no esthetic work at my first assignment, but a dentist at my new base is doing lots of anterior crowns and veneers because the mission is much less strenuous here.

What's the best part about being an Air Force dentist?
This depends on how you look at it. The normal answer is that you get to do dentistry without being pressured to produce a certain level of $, while having a nice slow pace to the day and getting lots of vacation time (as compared to a typical civilian corporate job). I think the "bad" things are actually good, and I detailed them a bit more in this post.

As far as vacation days go, you get 30 days per year that accumulate at a rate of 2.5 per month. It depends on the base's specific rules, but this 30 days usually does count the weekend.

If you leave on a Friday and come back Monday, that's 4 days you have to take off. Monday-Thursday would also be 4 days. Your "leave" days start and end in your local area. The definition of "local area" depends on your base's rules.

What's the worst part about being an Air Force dentist?
Again, this is going to be very personal, but I think the worst part is the slow pace and the lack of incentive to produce. However, there are lots of dentists that love this part of the job and would consider this a benefit, since they can take their time on their dental work and typically don't have to work any harder than they want to. You just need to know what Air Force dentistry is like and weigh your personality against it.

(If you didn't notice, I cheated here by using the same answer -- no pressure to produce -- for best and worst part, which leads me to...)

How is Air Force dentistry difference than civilian/private practice?
*These are my opinions from having worked in 2 civilian practices during my time as an Air Force dentist*

-Quality of work - I believe the Air Force tends to have higher work quality than most civilian providers. We don't have time pressures or too many cost pressures, so we typically get to spend as much time as we need to get things done the right way. Also, most of our dentists are a few years removed from a 1 year AEGD, which lends to even higher quality knowledge and care.

-Patient experience - I'll give the edge to private practice. I think most Air Force bases do not put enough emphasis on customer service, and our outdated charting system results in far too many records errors. However, there's a host of different ways this is managed on the civilian side, but at least on the civilian side, a dissatisfied patient can choose to take their business elsewhere. This is where the Air Force slips behind: our patients don't have options so we aren't incentivized to give them a good experience and we too frequently miss the mark.

-Clinic organizational structure - Unbelievably, I give the edge to private practice here, and it's not even close. One of the most surprising things to me about Air Force dentistry is how disorganized the organizational and accountability structure is at the clinic level. There's usually some holes in accountability and organization at some level that lets a litany of small problems leak through constantly. There's very little focus on creating good systems. Instead, most clinics rely on strong-willed individuals to run large portions of the clinic that end up suffering mightily when they depart for a new base. It seems there's no real training on "systems thinking" that would alleviate so much of the constant stress and little mistakes that occur daily in military dentistry. Everything I've learned about how to lead people, implement systems, and build/design a clinic has come almost exclusively from books I've chosen to read on my own. The military doesn't teach you this.

The biggest problem here is that, contrary to popular belief, there's just no incentive to be organized in the military because our patients are walking through the door and our appointment books are filled no matter what we do. Most are content to do "enough" and never really get to the point of optimizing and organizing things so they actually run as smoothly as possible. Things run satisfactorily, and that's all that matters to most.

For example, both bases I've been at didn't even have a consistent system to ensure the same items were reordered properly each time something ran out! There aren't even consistent locations for some items to be stored, so if they're out, it's impossible to know what was there without consulting someone who had the room memorized. (This is one area I've worked on at both of my bases to eliminate waste and confusion. It's usually just as simple as placing the order number and item name on standard containers and ensuring that 100% of items coming into the clinic have a permanent location, that everyone agrees on 1 method for altering the Logistics person that an item is low, and items don't just get tossed on a shelf or into a room.) If a certain person out for the week, good luck.

Often, an item would run out and there would be no accountability until the clinic was in an "emergency shortage" and had to rush order the item to the clinic. Fortunately, we have all the time in the world to do dentistry so typically these errors just result in rescheduling the patient or doing some less efficient procedure to get the job done. The minimal consequences of being disorganized tend to perpetuate the "good enough" mindset.

*Caveat: Most military clinics are far larger than civilian clinics, and the disorganization is far more obvious the bigger you get. Small civilian clinics can often survive (and typically do) just on the personality of the lead dentist, with little regard for attempting to imagine the business as a prototype model for a franchise (a la "The E-Myth"), but this fails in a military setting because there's always more than 1 dentist. Large civilian clinics that are poorly organized simply can't maintain their business structure and end up closing or restructuring. Large military clinics, on the other hand, stay open no matter what. In my experience, the larger the civilian clinic (if it's been open for a few years), the more organized it is vs a smaller 1-doctor civilian clinic.

-Employees - This is a touchy subject, so I'll tread lightly. I'm calling this one a tie. Here's why.

In the military, we sometimes get people that just flat out don't want to be in the dental field. Some have personalities and skillsets that are more well suited for some non-medical field. These kinds of people probably wouldn't last long in private dentistry (but to be fair, they would have never wanted to work there in the first place!). But, in the civilian world, you have an outrageous 60% (or more) of dentists that will be subject to embezzlement at some point in their career. That sucks! Civilian employees are no more saints than the military employees that don't care about their job but at least the military ones aren't stealing money from you.

Here's a huge positive with the military side: sometimes you get outstanding coworkers that have big dreams and aspirations and they understand that their performance in whatever job they have is an important stepping stone to the life they want. These are true gems and a total win for the military. Many civilians aren't thinking about the next thing, but in the military, some are constantly focused on learning and growing and getting to the next step, and it makes them valuable assets to your clinic.

In the end, people are people, including dentists. If you don't want to worry about hiring and firing, but also can't cultivate the team you want, the military is the way to go. If you're able to have those hard conversations, listen to your employees, facilitate their personal growth, and have studied and practice leadership and management, private practice is the way to go because you can create the office culture you want with the people you hire vs using the people you're given that may not want to be there. It's up to YOU as the dentist (and the officer) to create the culture you want and use the strong ones as your pillars while you build a new culture (military) or team (civilian).


Are you going to stay in the military? Why/why not?

I'm not staying in. I have a lot of personal reasons for this, but here are the top 3:

1. I believe that my experiences and skills can better serve humanity in a civilian setting

The Air Force is great, but it has its limitations. I can't run a clinic how I want to, I can't hire and fire, and I can't do the dentistry I want to do. Promotions happen in a stepwise manner, and your leadership skills don't really have any bearing on how quickly you can get into a command position. It has to do with your rank, which has to do with your time in service. I'm not a huge fan of the "wait and get promoted" style that the military uses to choose their leaders. Even if I could get into a command position, I don't get to choose who works at the clinic, and that can be a big hindrance to the development and progression of a clinical mission.

At the end of the day, I have a strong will and lots of leadership experience that is just going to take me far too long to manifest in the military setting. The limitations of the military also come with a lot of safety nets that suit many dentists very well, but not me. If they would make me commander of a clinic and double my pay, I'd think about it ;)

2. More time freedom

Notice how I did not say "more money". That's not a typo. I don't necessarily want more money, but what I want is more choices.

One "benefit" of the military is getting 30 days paid vacation every year plus a lot of federal holidays. But you know what? I still have to come to work 5 days per week, do a lot of non-dental stuff, and generally spend a lot of time doing dental work at a slow pace that I could accomplish in half the time. Lots of dentists in the military do less dentistry than me (and many do more), but we all still have the same schedule.

I could walk out right now and work 3 days a week and easily make the same amount of money. Or, I could work 5 days/week and make 2x as much as I'm making now. So what's the big deal about all these "days off" in the military? It's a logical fallacy in my opinion.

Which one is better -- making more money or working less? It's personal. It's about having the options.

Right now, my plan is to leave, buy a practice, implement my vision and systems, maximize productivity and systematize an outstanding patient experience using new technology and beautiful office esthetics, serve my community well, and have the freedom to work far less than I do right now.

Time is the currency of life. Don't let someone in the military use the "days off" argument as a way to convince you that you have more time freedom as a military dentist, because it's not true. Your skills have an extremely high value in the civilian world that, when leveraged properly, is far more valuable than what the military can offer you.

It takes more work to be a leader in the civilian sector than the military sector, but it's worth it. Read some leadership books, work on your management and leadership skills, and build a practice that lets you build a life of your choosing and take off half the year if you want to. We can't get our time back.

3. Self-actualization

I've read about 100 books in the last 2 years. I firmly believe that knowledge without action is worthless, so I've put a lot of action behind what I've learned. I've completely changed my diet, my workout routine, my morning routine, my habits, my beliefs about myself, and the way I handle stress (among many other things). I've also come to the realization that the life I envision for myself is not possible in the military.

Despite my emphatic shouts of "you must do the military for dental school", I firmly believe that a 3-4 year commitment, when utilized properly, is plenty of time to wrap your head around what it is you want for your life, your family, and your legacy on this planet.

This is getting a bit philosophical, but I mean it wholeheartedly. I have big plans and visions for my life, and I personally feel I would be doing a disservice to myself and those around me if I stayed in the military at this point. What I want for my life can't be accomplished in a military setting, and I feel it's time to break free and start to build that new life.

I must admit, when I graduated from my AEGD-1 residency, I was lost. I hadn't read more than a couple books that year, I was not confident in my dental or leadership skills, I had failed part of a PT test (and had it wiped from my record on a technicality), and I was generally confused about my future and what I had to offer.

But, over the course of the last 2-3 years, I started following and listening to leaders from all walks of life and came across a common theme: leaders are readers. So I started reading again.

It became an obsession that has continued to this day. I don't recognize the lost, confused, and complacent version of myself from 2014 and 2015. I'm a new person and I have books to thank for it. Those that know me from back then would be shocked at this statement, because I've always been driven, but I had lost my personal identity on what, exactly, I was driving towards.

I can't unread what I've read, or unthink the thoughts these authors have given me. I have a new confidence in my life and in my future, and I'm excited for the next step of my journey.

It is with no bitterness or resentment that I will wave goodbye to the Air Force, but instead, give it a warm farewell for a phase of life that broke me down, reshaped me, and sent me on my way with the confidence to design a life well lived.


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As always, feel free to email me with any questions!

Friday, June 15, 2018

50 Days, and 3 Lessons Learned

*50*

That's (roughly) how many more days I will be here in Alaska.

It's been a wild journey. I still have, at minimum, just over a year left on my military commitment. If I choose to separate in 2019, my wife and I will likely settle somewhere in Colorado. Fortunately, my next base is also in Colorado, so that would be an excellent way to transition.

I also wanted to quickly touch on three things about the military to give prospective dentists a heads up about this world:

1. Flexibility vs stability

One of the tough things about military dentistry is that it doesn't afford you the flexibility that private practice can afford you. However, this is certainly a double edged sword. What it lacks in flexibility, it gives back in supreme stability. A steady and predictable paycheck, a pre-set number of days off per year, working 5 days per week with federal holidays off, 7-4 every day with a 1 hour lunch. You can pretty much plan out your whole life, but you can't magically have more time off or more money (and that's just fine for many). Many people see control of these two things, time and money, as the pinnacle of self-actualization, and you're just not going to have that in the military. Some people even enjoy the unpredictability of where they'll live next, something that is nearly impossible to emulate as a dentist in the private sector. Don't get me wrong, the time off is better than most jobs and the pay is certainly good, but it's an incremental and perpetual carrot at the end of a pre-cut stick. On the flip side, others are willing and able to forfeit the stability of the military for a chance at more flexibility and freedom with their time, life, and finances.

2. Inefficiency

The military is quite inefficient, and we don't do nearly as much dentistry as our civilian counterparts. I would argue that, by in large, it is of equal or greater quality, but there's virtually no incentive to learn new techniques and procedures or even do more dentistry per hour or per appointment. This can lull many people (in all military jobs) into a pattern of trying to work less and less for the same financial benefits. In the military, more productive work does not equal more freedom or more money; it's the dark side of having that job stability and it can be very demotivating to a person over a long period of time. There are other factors as well that make military dentistry inefficient: limited physical building space, limited support staff, lack of standardization, administrative burdens placed on the dentist rather than support staff, etc. I strive for efficiency, but that's under the pretense that I may not stay in the military long term and getting a higher volume of experiences is necessary, and fulfilling, for me. For those civilian dentists out there, it would surprise you to see how little dentistry we actually accomplish with vast number of days we are in the clinic. It's not unusual for a young military dentist to "produce" 1/4-1/2 of what a civilian would on about 200 working days/year. It's possible to push yourself to do much more than that, but be prepared to be met with resistance from those around you that don't see the value in the push to be faster, better, and more efficient.

3. Long term thinking

Ironically, there is very little long term thinking in the military, at least on a local level. While I would certainly argue that this is also a problem on the civilian side, it's surprising that a military force would lack this focus and direction. This one thing alone could help so much to alleviate the problems associated with point #2 above, since people tend to be more efficient and productive when presented with clear and meaningful goals. Because of this constant pull to see the military as a job, rather than a higher calling and working towards a tangible and meaningful goal, people tend to get in a rut very easily and quickly and decide not to improve or change the systems that operate within the military. The other reason that people get into a rut is that individuals are constantly moving in and out of different places and it's hard to even establish those long-term local goals. This means that people get burned out quickly if they try, since the team is always changing around them. So people usually move in and out of places with the idea they they will just do their job, collect their paycheck, and go home. People certainly do their jobs, but people rarely do more than that because there's 1. no long term goal/thinking and 2. no real incentive to step outside of their day-to-day tasks. This can be a drain on the team and its members. People promote to higher ranks in a relatively step-wise manner, so staying the course will still set you on a nice career trajectory.

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These are not necessarily universal negative things, but three important things to think about and they all come with their counter-points. I think they are all natural outcomes of a "salary without bonus" payment structure and a "move every 3-4 year" system. Honestly, I don't have any good solutions for the downsides, so you'll have to decide for yourself if you want to live inside these structures for a long term career. There are certainly exceptions to the rule, but the fact that we can call people that deviate from point #2 and #3 above "exceptions" help prove that, by in large, the rules exist.

I hope these musing give you some insight into military dentistry and whether its right for you. I had a vague idea that these were tradeoffs of the military system, but I now believe they are so powerful that few can truly muster the strength to rise above them regularly without ultimately deciding their vision for the life is better articulated outside this structure. If you try to beat down the walls of these structures long enough you'll ultimately give up (and work your way up the ranks for your career) or get out. More power to those that can endure, or ignore, it for a whole career. And even more power to those that see this calling as the purpose for the life and truly do make a difference.

Like I've said before, I would absolutely do this again, but I'm leaning a little more toward the "flexibility" end of the spectrum now and starting to see the unbreakable ceiling above my head in terms of what I want my life to look like in the long run.

As always, email me with any questions you may have!

Friday, March 9, 2018

Books! (Thoughts and Opinions)

I love to read.

And by "love to read" I mean "I'm pretty introverted but mentally restless and books are kinda therapy, too." But it didn't start that way.

I was never an avid read growing up. I was like most kids: read the Cliff Notes before a test, ask a friend what a book was about, and occasionally read one or two during a school year.

In college, things changed (sort of). I read a LOT more, but by necessity. I rarely read a book I chose, but at least I was going to classes I chose, so I was sort of reading what I wanted to read by proxy.

In dental school... ugh. No way. Too much to do. I don't think I read a book that I chose for the first two years. Then, something changed.

I got into clinic more, and my schedule opened up. Then, I realized I was really bad at some stuff and decided (with little formal education left on the horizon) to start using books to fill the gap. Excellent! I started with recommendations from faculty and lecturers at my dental school and books I already owned.

It was mostly finance stuff. I began with some of the classics like "Total Money Makeover (Ramsey)" and "The Millionaire Next Door (Stanley)". Then I heard about "How to Win Friends and Influence People (Carnegie)".

Next, I picked up a book for myself, also by Carnegie, called "How to Influence People by Public Speaking". Why? Well, I was class president and I was going to have to give a speech at our graduation dinner in May 2014, so I started reading that book in August 2013 and prepared my speech for the next 8 months with that book as a guide. Really. And it helped; a lot. I was hooked.

So it started as a blanket recommendation from many people: 1) Books are important 2) Here are some to try

And it evolved into: 1) Wow, they were right and these books are helping 2) I should pick books to fill my weak spots

And a book worm was born.

I read about 10 books in 2013 and 10 more in 2014, then about 5 in 2015 (my AEGD year when I was super stressed), and 15 in 2016.

2017 was a big year for me: 40.

***Below is my personal philosophy on reading books***

General Principles:
-Pick books that fill your weak spots; duh :)
-Don't just pick books because you already agree with the author about other things (and don't discount authors you disagree with!)
-It's ok to disagree with some things in the book and find value in other things
-If a book is not interesting or helpful, it's ok to stop reading it
-It's ok to read multiple books at the same time (ie: don't feel like you have to finish one to start another one)

*Print Books:
-The best for non-fiction (can be easily referenced)

*Audiobooks:
-The best if you lack time to read (ie: your commute is crazy long) and books that don't require detailed notes or reference

*Combo Print/Audio:
-This is AMAZING and the recommended method (though I've just started trying it)
-The audio acts as a pacer for your reading and allows you to read slightly faster, while the print text is valuable as a way to highlight and have later as a reference
-Combining audio and print does two things: 1) decreases distractions 2) enhances what you actually remember
-Cons: You essentially have to buy the book twice. Boo.

*Digital Books:
-Meh, not for me, but some people love it... give it a shot and see if it works for you!

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///Book Reading Timeline///
-If you don't know what to read, here's my best suggestion of types of books to start with
-Basically, you are starting within, and moving outward starting with your brain and then with your "soul" (as I'll refer to it).
-No strictly religious or fiction books are included here but add them as you see fit :)
-I recommend reading at least 1 book in category 1-5, but then jump into any books that you absolutely need right away for your personal situation. If there aren't any, follow on with 6-10.


1) Books about the human brain and how we think
-Suggestions: Brain Rules
-Goal: Understand how your brain works

1) Books about how to think... about thinking
-Suggestions: Moonwalking with Einstein, The Wisest One in the Room
-Goal: Increase self-awareness

3) Books about interacting with other people
-Suggestions: Captivate, How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Charisma Myth
-Goal: Increase awareness of others and how to interact with them

4) Books about the individual "soul" and meaning (philosophy)
-Suggestions: You Can Be Happy No Matter What, Meditations, Ego is the Enemy
-Goal: Understand who you are and clarifying your values

5) Books about the collective "soul" of humanity
-Suggestions: Man's Search for Meaning, The Selfish Gene (controversial addition, but I think it's a very valuable read in this section)
-Goal: Understand your place in the fabric of humanity

6) Books about general achievement in society and leading people [most non-fiction "self-help" fall into this category and many from category 1-5 will cross over into this area]
-Suggestions: Extreme Ownership, It's Your Ship, Deep Work, Grit, 10X, The Power of Consistency, Essentialism
-Goal: Practical methods and mental models for increasing your efficiency and productivity in all areas of your life 

7) Books about personal finance
-Suggestions: Total Money Makeover, The Investment Answer
-Goal: We don't get this education in school, and we suck at it!

8) Books about health and wellness
-Suggestions: (Touchy subject, lots of misleading stuff out there) - Start with "Nutrition for Dummies" and go from there (seriously!)
-Goal: Again, we don't get this education in school, and we're fat :)

9) Books about the general principles of what you are trying to master (for many, this will be "business" type books regardless of your job)
-Suggestions (assuming "business"): E-myth, Good to Great, The Goal
-Goal: Precursor to step 10, because you need to get the big principles of how the pieces fit together and how to properly run a business (even if you're an employee) before looking at the pieces

10) Books about the specific principles of your industry (dental practice management, for my example)
-Suggestions: Uncomplicate Business (Farran), etc...
-Goal: Get better at your job/career

Bonus: Add any fiction books, books you think are interesting (history, cooking, whatever!), or books you need in your life after you've done 1 book in category 1-6

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Final Thoughts:
-The suggestions are just that, suggestions. There are infinitely more examples.
-This order tries to build you from the inside out, starting with the fundamental piece of human learning (your brain), then moving to other people's brain, then working on the fabric of who you are, and then who "we" are as humanity. Then, we look at specific principles for building the life you want, 2 categories chronically lacking in society that will greatly improve your life (finance and nutrition), and then we look at how we can learn about the skills required for our careers in a general sense, and then build off of those to specifics about our career.
-After you pass a category, don't forget to keep reading about that category to strengthen your understanding!
-Email me if you want more recommendations!