Determining Your Legacy: Chapter 3 Of Master Your Mindset

[00:00:00] Welcome! You're listening to The GrowOrtho Podcast presented by HIP. This podcast is

[00:00:06] dedicated to orthodontists who want to stand strong in their market and be

[00:00:11] leaders in their community. Now, on to today's show. Hey it's Luke at HIP and if

[00:00:17] you've been listening to The GrowOrtho Podcast maybe for weeks months or in

[00:00:21] some cases years you know that we typically interview an industry expert

[00:00:26] whether it be someone working in the office or a consultant or just a

[00:00:32] strategic partner for orthodontists. Well we're gonna change things up just a bit

[00:00:37] and this year we've actually released four books and so we're gonna release

[00:00:42] every audiobook basically a chapter for each episode. Listen, enjoy and let us

[00:00:48] know what you find valuable and implement and what works well in your

[00:00:53] office. Thanks so much for supporting HIP and we hope you enjoy all these

[00:00:57] episodes on the Practice Growth series.

[00:01:00] Chapter 3 Determining Your Legacy

[00:01:05] Life is not accumulation it's about contribution. Stephen Covey

[00:01:13] In his world-renowned book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

[00:01:18] Stephen Covey lists habit number two as begin with the end in mind. Any project we

[00:01:24] embark upon needs a target to measure progress against just as a journey needs

[00:01:28] a destination to tell when we've arrived. Goals, outcomes, targets and

[00:01:33] destinations give us a sense of direction and purpose. When we know where

[00:01:38] we're going we can always check to see if we are on course. A lot of the time

[00:01:43] we may find out that we are off course but because we have set an end point we

[00:01:48] can course correct. The ultimate destination for all of us in life is

[00:01:53] death not to sound morbid but each of us only has a limited number of years

[00:01:58] on the planet so if the project is your life what's the end goal? What do

[00:02:04] you want your life to have meant? Is there an impact that you would like

[00:02:08] to make somewhere? Will people remember you for some reason long after

[00:02:12] you're gone? Leaving a legacy refers to how a person's actions or

[00:02:17] accomplishments continue to have an impact after their death. As an

[00:02:22] orthodontist you have a practice to build during your lifetime. How much of

[00:02:26] your time on earth do you wish to devote to it? That practice impacts many

[00:02:31] lives including those of your family and yourself. It is essential to

[00:02:35] consider how you intend to serve your practice and how you want it to serve

[00:02:39] you. Most people need to consider this part of the design and build of

[00:02:44] their business. They just jump in and start doing what they do best.

[00:02:48] Orthodontics. However, if you start with a plan for how you want your life

[00:02:53] to look and you check in regularly to see if you're on course you won't

[00:02:57] wake up one day and realize that you've been doing things for years

[00:03:01] anticipating some sort of reward that you have not received. The legacy

[00:03:06] you leave behind begins with how you live your life today. Are you living

[00:03:11] in accordance with that which is most important to you? Are you focusing

[00:03:15] your energy on the right areas of your life now to build the legacy you

[00:03:18] want to leave? To answer these important questions you have to consider

[00:03:23] your life goals. This is not something that many people do. Think

[00:03:28] about your X factor. Consider the special and unique purpose you are

[00:03:32] here on Earth for and imagine what you could create. Then take it

[00:03:36] further and visualize how it will impact the lives of others.

[00:03:42] Dr. Ben Fishbine wants to impact all kids lives in his community, not

[00:03:46] just the ones whose families have the money to pay for orthodontic care.

[00:03:50] He wants to empower kids who have been bullied and give them the

[00:03:53] gift of confidence and self esteem that a beautiful smile can bring.

[00:03:58] If a child has been a victim of bullying, they just have to

[00:04:01] write their story and send it to Fishbine Orthodontics. And they

[00:04:05] will get their orthodontic care covered. To date, he has given away

[00:04:10] over $1.5 million worth of smiles to help bring awareness to the

[00:04:13] problem of bullying in his community and reduce its impact.

[00:04:17] Fishbine Orthodontics also organizes an annual relay for

[00:04:21] life from which all proceeds go to children's cancer.

[00:04:25] The legacy Dr. Fishbine has decided to build is impacting

[00:04:28] how he lives and continues to shape his actions.

[00:04:31] Being financially able to donate orthodontic care requires his

[00:04:35] offices to produce more than enough to share the wealth.

[00:04:38] The leadership that he must demonstrate to inspire his team

[00:04:41] to dedicate time and energy to support kids in the community

[00:04:45] holds him to a higher level of accountability to his community,

[00:04:48] his practice, and himself.

[00:04:52] Of course, giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin.

[00:04:56] His involvement in the community also promotes awareness of

[00:04:59] Fishbine Orthodontics, making his offices the number one place

[00:05:02] to go for orthodontic treatment in and around Pensacola.

[00:05:06] Thinking about our legacy is not something we are taught to do.

[00:05:09] However, making yourself think this way will help you begin

[00:05:12] bringing it to life today.

[00:05:15] Great people are remembered for the legacies that they build

[00:05:17] in their lifetimes. It doesn't take dying to build one,

[00:05:20] but it can become too late by the time you reach the end of life.

[00:05:24] Looking back, you may see that you missed the right

[00:05:27] opportunities over and over.

[00:05:30] Why do people have regrets on their deathbeds?

[00:05:32] Because they never considered the most meaningful way to live during their lifetime.

[00:05:37] You don't have to wait until you're out of time to figure this out.

[00:05:41] One of the most prestigious prizes in the world is the Nobel Peace Prize,

[00:05:44] founded by the Swedish inventor and businessman, Alfred Nobel.

[00:05:49] Nobel's life work was not always about peace.

[00:05:53] In fact, he is best known for the creation of dynamite and other explosives.

[00:05:57] Nobel's father, Emmanuel Nobel, was an inventor and engineer who owned a company

[00:06:03] that manufactured artillery and other weapons, including naval mines for the Russians during

[00:06:08] the Crimean War. Alfred Nobel's continued experimentation with Nitro Glycerin built him

[00:06:13] the fortune he left as his legacy in the Nobel Prizes for Physics, Chemistry, Medicine,

[00:06:19] Literature, and Peace. The creation of the prizes was exburned by the death of his brother

[00:06:26] and an error in a publication that profoundly impacted the trajectory of Alfred Nobel's life.

[00:06:32] When Ludwig Nobel died in 1888, a French newspaper accidentally published an obituary

[00:06:38] for Alfred Nobel entitled The Merchant of Death is Dead.

[00:06:43] In it he was criticized for building his fortune from conflict and war,

[00:06:47] dying with the death of nations on his conscience.

[00:06:51] The newspaper quickly corrected their error, however its impact caused Nobel to reflect on his

[00:06:56] legacy. Nobel was an old man when he decided on the legacy he would leave to the world.

[00:07:02] Impactful as it has been for over 100 years, he certainly did not live his life doing what

[00:07:07] was most meaningful to him. He became one of the wealthiest men in Europe by making money

[00:07:12] from conflict, suffering, and death. However today, his legacy lives on and fosters

[00:07:19] innovation, creativity, discovery, and peace. This certainly would speak to what he valued most,

[00:07:26] but he lived contrary to his values. We are most fulfilled when our lives align with our values,

[00:07:33] so it is gratifying to figure out what we value most and build our lives around it.

[00:07:39] But we don't have to wait for a significant life event to cause us to reflect on the

[00:07:42] meaning of our lives. We can start right now. Of course creating better

[00:07:48] smiles does good for the people you serve in your community, but does your impact end in their mouths?

[00:07:54] Sure, a good smile can create confidence that changes lives, but I'm sure there is much more to your

[00:08:00] life than that. For us to know how to live today, let's fast forward to the end of our lives

[00:08:06] to imagine what we would like people to say about us as they mourn our loss.

[00:08:11] In his book, Hero on a Mission, Donald Miller inspires us to write the story of our lives.

[00:08:18] To do so, we first need to give ourselves a time frame.

[00:08:23] I know many of you reading this book intend to live to a ripe old age and indeed,

[00:08:27] scientific advances in medical technology are making this more possible than ever.

[00:08:32] However, the average life expectancy in the United States was 76.4 years in 2022.

[00:08:38] Yes, it varies among demographics and will undoubtedly change throughout our lifetimes,

[00:08:43] but let's just use 80 years as a rough estimate. Subtract your current age from 80

[00:08:48] and get an approximate time frame for your life story.

[00:08:52] From there, let's determine what needs to fit into that lifespan.

[00:08:57] This exercises eye-opening because when we're young, we feel invincible,

[00:09:01] and don't ever tend to think that there is a time limit.

[00:09:05] As we age and the years struggled by, we begin to get some sense of our mortality,

[00:09:10] but we never seem to think about the dwindling time we have to create this legacy of ours.

[00:09:16] Imagine you have been tasked with writing a eulogy for someone you know, love and respect,

[00:09:21] and you want to do their life justice. They have done so much, and there are many

[00:09:26] accomplishments, contributions to society, charitable donations, acts of service, business

[00:09:32] achievements, professional contributions, industry advancements, loving relationships,

[00:09:38] close friendships, personal bests, and so on. Now imagine that person is you.

[00:09:45] Set some time aside. Take a good hour. Visualize the person you would be at the end of your life

[00:09:51] and write a eulogy that will leave everyone in awe of a well-lived life.

[00:09:56] Feel free to imagine someone else who has achieved everything you desire.

[00:10:00] It's okay because you aren't that person right now, so it should feel somewhat foreign.

[00:10:04] When most people set life goals, they usually think about their business and financial goals

[00:10:10] and everything they want to have and do. However, on their deathbeds, no one wished

[00:10:15] they had spent more time working, earning more money or accumulating more possessions.

[00:10:20] They all lament the relationships they did not spend more time on,

[00:10:24] the people they did not express their love to, and the difference they did not get to make in

[00:10:29] someone's life. Our legacy makes us realize that it can't all be about money.

[00:10:36] It can't all be about work. Who's going to be by your deathbed? Not your patients.

[00:10:43] Early on, Dr. Fishbind was so dedicated to building his practice that he was seldom at home,

[00:10:47] and when he was, he was preoccupied with work. He's now realized that his family is a

[00:10:53] bigger priority than his business and has stepped back to pour energy into that part of his life.

[00:10:57] Because of the business he has built, he has the time and wealth to do this.

[00:11:03] But one does not have to happen at the expense of the other.

[00:11:07] You can have both. However, you must identify and prioritize what you value,

[00:11:11] or you won't know if you are giving it the energy you want.

[00:11:15] I had to figure out the same thing in my relationship. In my first few years in

[00:11:20] business, I did not spend much time with my wife, and we were newlyweds.

[00:11:24] Now, it's in my morning formula, reminding me daily about the actions I must include to be

[00:11:30] the husband and father I want to be. I also involve my family in the legacy I am building

[00:11:35] in my community. My wife and I have chosen charities that support causes that are meaningful

[00:11:40] to us, and we are teaching our daughter the importance of helping others.

[00:11:45] I learned about the joy that giving can bring for my first job. At 15 years old,

[00:11:51] I had chosen Chick-fil-A as the company I wanted to work for because of the values of its founder,

[00:11:57] S. Truett Cathy. To this day, I still attribute working there as a formative part of my life

[00:12:04] learning. Cathy built one of the largest and most successful fast food chains in the

[00:12:09] United States based on his strong Christian faith and commitment to using his business

[00:12:13] to impact the world positively. He implemented several policies at Chick-fil-A that reflected

[00:12:19] his values, including closing on Sundays to allow employees to rest and worship, and supporting

[00:12:24] various charitable causes through the Chick-fil-A Foundation. Cathy passed away in 2014 at the age

[00:12:30] of 93, but his legacy lives on through the continued success of Chick-fil-A. He supported

[00:12:35] various charitable causes through the Chick-fil-A Foundation, including education, child welfare,

[00:12:41] and community development. Cathy and his wife, Jeanette, were passionate about helping

[00:12:45] children in need and provided a home for more than 100 foster children. They believed that every child

[00:12:52] deserved the chance to grow and thrive in a loving, supportive environment,

[00:12:56] and they worked to raise awareness about the importance of foster care and adoption.

[00:13:01] The Cathy's touched the lives of many children and families

[00:13:04] and were recognized for their commitment to this cause with various awards and honors.

[00:13:09] As an orthodontist, you must be successful in your practice. You have been blessed with

[00:13:14] the means to generate wealth more quickly and efficiently than most people,

[00:13:18] making you more able to give back. Your practice serves as a vehicle for you to design the life

[00:13:24] of your dreams. However, becoming complacent and settling for comfort hinders your growth potential

[00:13:31] and deprives you of the joy that comes from making a meaningful contribution to society.

[00:13:37] The Six Human Needs

[00:13:39] According to Tony Robbins, there are six human needs. In ascending order are the needs for certainty,

[00:13:47] variety, significance, love and connection, growth, and contribution.

[00:13:54] As an orthodontist, achieving success in your practice can fulfill all of these needs while

[00:13:58] generating wealth which can be leveraged to increase your positive impact on the world

[00:14:03] exponentially. You gain certainty by knowing you can provide for yourself, your family,

[00:14:09] the people you care about and your patients. Growing your business throws all sorts of

[00:14:14] challenges your way providing the variety that we crave since it is the spice of life.

[00:14:20] Being a respected practitioner in the community gives you significance by making you feel like

[00:14:24] an essential member of society. When you want to focus on love and connection in your life,

[00:14:30] your spouse, family, friends and other relationships afford you unlimited opportunities.

[00:14:37] The last two human needs transcend our sense of self and require that we put our ego aside.

[00:14:43] Growth, a critical factor in this book, requires us to change who we are by challenging

[00:14:48] our sense of self. As we strive to develop the character traits of the successful person

[00:14:53] we want to become, we experience the joy of growth. Growing beyond our own needs,

[00:14:59] we discover the last human need to contribute and make a difference in the world and the lives of others.

[00:15:05] As an orthodontist, you are fortunate to have such a practical and rewarding way

[00:15:10] to meet all your needs. Looking at your legacy this way makes you more conscious of your

[00:15:16] leadership's importance in your business. Mentoring and helping your staff grow

[00:15:20] is crucial to fulfilling all human needs and creating a successful business.

[00:15:24] Ensuring that they have the best systems and procedures for running the business impacts

[00:15:30] how many people you can serve in the community. As the steward of your orthodontic practice,

[00:15:35] it requires your devoted care and attention to transform it into the vision you have for it.

[00:15:41] Your responsibility is vast, but the rewards are great.

[00:15:46] You can't remain the same and be comfortable because things are good enough.

[00:15:50] How many people do you miss out on helping because your systems turn away

[00:15:53] people reaching out? You are letting people down if they don't get to receive your care due to

[00:15:59] unreturned phone calls. It's critical that your staff is committed to your goals and

[00:16:04] dedicated to serving as many people as possible, and this must be reflected in your systems.

[00:16:10] What happens to these people that you don't end up serving? They go to another orthodontist,

[00:16:15] smile direct club or a dentist doing Invisalign. You are obligated to the community to

[00:16:21] be great and can't go squandering your opportunities. In his book, Wealth Is It Worth It? S.

[00:16:29] Truett Cappy explores the legacy of creating great wealth. He concludes that wealth is worth it if

[00:16:36] you earn it honestly, you spend wisely, you save reasonably, and you give generously.

[00:16:44] Connecting with your legacy. Knowing what you want to achieve in your life

[00:16:50] will help to guide what you do every day. Clarify the importance of the things you

[00:16:55] want to accomplish, define them and break them down. You will gain insight on whether your goals

[00:17:00] are indeed your own or come from social ideals imposed upon you by others. As you discover

[00:17:05] more about yourself, your desires and your motivations, you will discover a more authentic

[00:17:10] version of yourself. Your rules about how life works, how you do things,

[00:17:15] and how things work out for you will begin to shift. You may find that your current beliefs

[00:17:21] are at odds with the person you are on a mission to become. This will mean letting go of thoughts,

[00:17:26] beliefs, and how you have always done things. In other words, it means letting go of your ego.

[00:17:34] In the next chapter, we will discuss how your ego can be the enemy of your greatness

[00:17:38] and how you must confront it to succeed. Thanks for listening. If you'd like to learn more

[00:17:44] about hip or any of the topics in this episode, send an email to hello at hipcreativeinc.com.

[00:17:52] That's hello at hipcreativeinc.com or jump over to our website at hip.agency.