So many people make the choice to go to work and get a paycheck. Pure and simple, that is it. Well, I would have to say that it’s a bit sad. We spend more waking hours with the ones we are knee to knee with, shoulder to shoulder with, and sit across from at lunch, than we do with our actual families.
In dentistry, we truly have the opportunity to choose to make a difference – or not. On a plane recently, a gentleman sat beside me. While he shared his business with me and I with him, I was not sure of the reason for this encounter. Much like patients who you have absolutely nothing in common with, I couldn’t help thinking that I needed to get back to the work I was doing on the plane, but I remembered – it is not always about me, my comfort, or my expectations. There are no accidents!
He asked what I was reading, and I told him it was a manuscript of this book. He asked what it was about and I mentioned giving others hope, choosing purposeful work, and discovering the rewards of implant dentistry. I shared a story about my mother and how she had a strong influence on my life but that it wasn’t until after her death that it became obvious. He said his father had passed away only a week ago. He told me of his sense of sadness. Fifteen thousand feet above the ground, this stranger shed a tear with this lady from Texas.
It was then that I made the choice to make a difference. I listened intently and gave him advice a friend had given me. His reply to me was priceless and a reason to continue to believe making a difference is our choice. “I know it was planned for me to sit next to you and talk to you about my dad passing away. I am a better person after getting to know you.”
If you think this wasn’t a choice, think again. It edifies what we do and underlines the opportunities we have at work every day to make a difference, whether on the ground or in the air. It is so important to believe in what you do daily. I want you to understand the magnitude of the choices you have daily; to be more than a dentist, hygienist, chair-side or front desk. I hate referring to professionals as pieces of furniture, but what I want you to hear clearly is that it can be more, if you choose to make a difference to open the door!
See you on the road,
JoAn Majors
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