The Law of Energy Spirals

It is often said that there is no such thing as an "overnight success," and I believe this to be true. In almost every case real success is the result of sustained commitment to the right habits, week after week, month after month, year after year.

A dentist who is getting great acceptance on high value cases didn't just suddenly flick a switch on the secret. They worked at it over time.

 

At the same time, there is seldom "overnight failure" either. A practice doesn't usually underperform badly because of one dramatic event; more likely it is the result of an accumulation of bad habits and inaction over time.

This is largely because of what I call the Law of Energy Spirals. There are downward spirals of energy: You don't present fully because you "know" the patient won't accept and as a result case acceptance rates inevitably plateau or decline, which reinforces your belief that your patients won't accept treatment, which affects your confidence during presentations … and so on. Little things become big things and the momentum takes over.

The same principle applies to upward spirals: You are inspired by education, for instance, and you start to see exciting new clinical possibilities, which leads you to diagnose and present in a new way. A few successes give you more confidence and soon you are seeing even more patient breakthroughs, which reinforces your commitment to reaching higher levels, so you get more education, which helps you see even more opportunities … and so on. Little things become big things and the momentum takes over.

So it is important to catch yourself when you are slipping into a "cruise control" mode, before that downward momentum can take hold. This is the point where it takes the most concerted effort; the point where you have to change gears and reverse direction. Once you are on an upward trajectory, it is a matter of regularly feeding that momentum to keep your energy spiral moving in the right direction.