You might wonder why joining a network marketing company was such a push out of my comfort zone. I was never any good at marketing. In fact, I have always shied away from it simply because it never interested me. But it’s more than just a lack of interest. It really comes down to the fact that I’ve always worried that if I asked others for business, or favors, or help that I would inconvenience them; and the last thing I ever wanted to be was a nuisance. Add to that the very common personality trait we dentists have: we...
I titled my last post Taking an Unexpected Leap for a reason. The last thing I ever imagined myself doing was investing in a multi-level marketing company. In fact, even though I had never done it myself, I had quite a bit of MLM baggage. I actually hated the idea of it because what I knew about it made me feel uncomfortable. I never personally knew anyone who had succeeded. I was never really impressed by the products. They either seemed like questionable heath products with grandiose claims, or they were things anyone could just buy at the store. And...
I’ve been very busy behind the scenes working on my next project for the blog and deciding how to share it. What I love about having this blog is that it gives me the opportunity to take the search for my next career more lightly. Regardless of the outcome, it always results in more blogging material, which is a win for me either way. Because of this low-pressure approach, it reminds me that I don’t have to make a serious commitment until I’m sure. Every move I make is just a part of an experiment, a game. There is a...
If you are seriously thinking about making the move out of dentistry, don’t miss this next post. In the past I’ve shared some tips about how to break free emotionally, and today Rick from Rick’s Rome is back to share some great practical tips about how to get the process started. I know many of you loved reading his inspirational journey to find happiness, so here’s part 2 of his guest post on life after dentistry! ****** What about some practical advice for people looking to change? Well, every situation is different but there are a few things that you...
Just stop. Did you ever notice that if you’re actually searching for happiness, it implies that you don’t already have it? So instead of searching, why not start to embrace it RIGHT NOW? It is right here, right in front of you. (more…)
When you envision yourself years from now looking back on your life, what do you see? Do you see a life well-lived, or are you filled with regrets? In the book The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing, author, Bronnie Ware, explores this very subject. As a palliative nurse caring for patients during the last months of their lives, she had the chance to learn the most common things people regretted in their own lives. I haven’t read the book, but an article on The Guardian recently caught my attention. I guess I’m...
We’ve all heard that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, right? How do you turn the things you love into a career? I mean, I love food. I love eating. I love being healthy. I love sharing all of that with others. But how do you turn that into work? While I had a few ideas, I never knew how I could realistically do that. Starting the weight loss business allowed me to have a seamless transition out of patient care into a similar patient interaction in a different field. I knew,...
I’ve often used the analogy that my career in dentistry was like being in a relationship. At times you could say it was slightly abusive, and at times it was very supportive and loving. Whether those descriptions are a bit dramatic or not, one thing is true: we had a very strong bond. Dentistry was a huge part of me and it was hard to let go, even if I really wanted out. As I journey through this career change, that relationship analogy journeys on with me. I was married to dentistry. You could say it was my first long-term...
What is the Slight Edge anyway? You don’t have to be cool like The Fonz to have it. It’s not some magical ability to bump a jukebox with your fist and get the right song to play. And you don’t have to have the “it factor” that Angelina Jolie has. It’s not having thousands of people in awe of every move you make. And you certainly don’t even have to possess that special charm Ryan Gosling has with the ladies. Really, it’s not about the 6-pack abs (though they are quite nice.) While these guys all might have the slight...
Back in March my blogging friend, Carrie, wrote a post titled The Great Dental Hoax: Why Twice a Year Cleanings Mean Nothing. Wow, what a compelling title! Did she know some secret that I’ve been missing all these years? I have to say that after reading her post, I was left speechless, digesting all that she had to say. But by the end of the article, I was still left wondering why we don’t need dental cleanings twice a year. (more…)
