Investing In Yourself: Chapter 7 of Master Your Mindset

[00:00:00] Welcome! You're listening to the GrowOrtho Podcast presented by HIP. This podcast is dedicated to orthodontists who want to stand strong in their market and be leaders in their community.

[00:00:13] Now, on to today's show. Hey it's Luke at HIP and if you've been listening to the GrowOrtho Podcast maybe for weeks, months or in some cases years, you know that we typically interview an industry expert whether it be someone working in the office

[00:00:29] or a consultant or just a strategic partner for orthodontist. Well, we're going to change things up just a bit and this year we've actually released four books.

[00:00:40] And so we're going to release every audiobook basically a chapter for each episode. Listen, enjoy and let us know what you find valuable and implement and what works well in your office.

[00:00:53] Thanks so much for supporting HIP and we hope you enjoy all these episodes on the Practice Growth series.

[00:01:57] I was consumed by partying with friends, smoking cigarettes and weed and drinking obscene amounts of alcohol. Was that the best decision for me? Probably not, but I had to hit rock bottom to realize what really mattered in life.

[00:02:12] I lived that way for a while and surrounded myself with friends who lacked my ambition. They were okay people, but I had always thrived around people who were high performers.

[00:02:22] I knew that if I wanted to get out of my slump I needed to surround myself with like-minded people who were destined to be successful.

[00:02:30] Slowly I started making changes. I got into the Savannah College of Art and Design, SCAD, moved away from home and entered a highly competitive world where I would have failed if I didn't give it my all every day.

[00:02:44] And that was exactly what I needed. There were times when the pressure got to me, but I knew that staying focused on my goals would be worth it in the end.

[00:02:52] To do that I had to make more changes to how I lived. I started exercising and eating better, and after some time, I remember that day clearly, I was so fed up with my lifestyle that I threw my cigarettes out of the window of my car.

[00:03:07] I continued to make positive changes until I got a job in New York that required all my time and energy, and my self-care went out the window yet again.

[00:03:15] You already know the story about that part of my life, so when I moved back to Florida to start my own business, knew I could never waste time again.

[00:03:23] I made a plan, put my head down and went to work.

[00:03:29] Investing in yourself takes work, and many people make excuses for not taking better care of themselves.

[00:03:35] I'm too busy and tired. I don't need it, etc.

[00:03:39] We've all made excuses for not doing what we should be doing to better our personal and professional lives.

[00:03:46] When you feel like there are a hundred moving parts occurring throughout the day, how can you set aside time to invest in yourself?

[00:03:53] You have kids to care for, a business to run, a busy work schedule, errands, family, friends, and the list goes on.

[00:04:01] It's hard to make time to prepare nutritious meals, work out, read a book, write in a journal, meditate, take an epsom salt bath, or whatever makes your mind more peaceful.

[00:04:13] The conundrum is that everything you're currently doing is easier and gets done better when you set aside a little time every day to invest in yourself.

[00:04:22] So why don't people do it?

[00:04:25] Consistency is usually the problem.

[00:04:27] People want to do these things, but can only do them if and when they have free time.

[00:04:32] And there's never enough time.

[00:04:35] When they finally have free time, they're doing other things that they've been wanting to do, not allowing for much self-care.

[00:04:42] Here's the reality. You have more free time than you think. Stewarding your own needs first.

[00:04:50] The concept of being a good steward in the previous chapter is about taking care of the gifts and resources God has given us.

[00:04:58] I showed you ways to apply it in your personal life with the people you love and the objects you have, and in your practice with your team, patients, and goals.

[00:05:08] But stewarding goes well beyond this because you can't do any of these things if you don't first steward your personal growth and development.

[00:05:16] I'm sure you've heard this phrase. You can't love others if you don't love yourself.

[00:05:22] To build the life you envision, leave the legacy you desire, and stay focused on this path of creation.

[00:05:28] You need to take the concept of stewardship and focus it inward.

[00:05:33] You must be a dedicated caretaker of your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

[00:05:40] Then and only then will you be able to use your time, talents, and resources responsibly and purposefully to impact the world positively.

[00:05:49] Some specific examples of stewardship in your life include making healthy lifestyle choices, seeking out opportunities to learn and grow,

[00:05:57] being mindful of the impact of your actions, and maintaining self-care practices.

[00:06:02] To be of value to others, we must tend to ourselves first.

[00:06:08] Energy is everything.

[00:06:10] Physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health are interconnected and impact one another.

[00:06:16] Physical health enables us to carry out daily tasks and activities with ease and enjoyment,

[00:06:22] helping us prevent or manage chronic diseases or health conditions that can affect our quality of life.

[00:06:28] Emotional health allows us to handle life's ups and downs with balance and perspective, form and maintain meaningful relationships,

[00:06:36] and cope with stress and adversity healthily.

[00:06:39] Mental health allows us to think and learn to make better decisions, encouraging us to manage our emotions, behaviors,

[00:06:46] and thoughts positively and productively.

[00:06:49] Finally, spiritual health gives us a sense of purpose and meaning in life,

[00:06:54] connecting us to something greater than ourselves and bringing peace, hope, and inner strength in times of challenge or difficulty.

[00:07:02] When we are physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually healthy, we are better able to live fulfilling and enjoyable lives.

[00:07:11] Sometimes we are dealt with a deck of cards that make it challenging to fulfill these four aspects of our health due to circumstances beyond our control.

[00:07:19] During these times, we may resort to more destructive energies to help us cope with trying times,

[00:07:24] allowing them to temporarily remove us from our suffering to keep us afloat.

[00:07:28] It's so easy to drown ourselves in a bottle of alcohol, eat our feelings, or work ourselves into oblivion to distract us from what is occurring in the outside world.

[00:07:38] Doing so can help us feel good at the moment, so we take that opportunity when it mitigates our discomforts, even temporarily.

[00:07:47] You learn to self-medicate using these forms of destructive energies.

[00:07:51] Before we know it, they inevitably become our main coping mechanisms in a recurring cycle that is often difficult to break.

[00:07:59] I've been there, but also managed to come out of it by replacing these destructive energies with constructive ones.

[00:08:05] I started working out, ate more nutritious whole foods, prioritized sleep, improved my relationship with God, practiced meditation and positive self-talk,

[00:08:17] set daily reminders to review my goals, allowed myself to be more vulnerable, and even began doing things outside of my comfort zone like public speaking and writing books.

[00:08:27] This newfound physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy I was channeling from these inputs began to, in turn, improve my overall health,

[00:08:36] enabling me to leave those destructive energies behind.

[00:08:39] I no longer needed them because they no longer served me.

[00:08:43] They didn't have it overnight, and it was extremely difficult to stay consistent at first.

[00:08:48] I had to keep reminding myself that there is a difference between motivation and discipline.

[00:08:53] Motivation will always come and go. We cannot always be motivated.

[00:08:59] On the other hand, discipline is doing it anyway because it is a driving force in your life that will help you reach your goals.

[00:09:06] If I wanted to change how I lived to become a better version of myself, I could no longer make excuses.

[00:09:13] Eliminating the destructive energies was the first problem to tackle, but then I had to make serious decisions about my work schedule.

[00:09:21] As an ambitious and driven entrepreneur, investing all my energy into work became my norm.

[00:09:27] Justin Huell, my business partner and COO and I built hip from the ground up, and in the beginning we were doing everything ourselves.

[00:09:36] We were new to this kind of life and wanted to make a good impression and succeed.

[00:09:41] We hustled daily to learn everything we could about running a business, maintaining positive client relationships, cultivating a strong team and becoming efficient leaders.

[00:09:52] The success of our business was paramount, but we quickly realized it wouldn't go anywhere if we drained all our energy and neglected ourselves in the process.

[00:10:01] We focused on hiring and training a divided and conquered team.

[00:10:05] Everyone had a unique role in fulfilling aspects of the business so we didn't have to interject as heavily anymore.

[00:10:12] Slowly, we relinquished control of many business domains to capable and knowledgeable people who were better at undertaking these responsibilities than we ever were.

[00:10:22] In that transition, we realized that we didn't have to do it all and definitely shouldn't continue to do it all.

[00:10:29] When this finally occurred, I had much more free time to do the things I'd neglected for so long.

[00:10:36] You don't have to do everything to be successful. You have a team for a reason. Delegate responsibilities to them and I promise you will reap the rewards.

[00:10:46] You will have more time to be the person you've always wanted to be and no longer feel guilty about it.

[00:10:54] Inputs of energy

[00:10:55] To keep yourself full of the four types of energy, you want to give yourself the right inputs.

[00:11:01] It's like making sure your gas tank is full. You may have a Lamborghini, but it's going nowhere fast if there is no gas in the tank.

[00:11:09] I've created a list of inputs that will enable you to get started on your journey to improve your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.

[00:11:19] Physical inputs

[00:11:21] Physical inputs are the choices you make to fuel your body. I'm not saying you have to drop everything and develop six-pack abs,

[00:11:28] but you should try to be more mindful of what your body is asking of you so it can perform better daily.

[00:11:34] Did you ever stop and think about the fact that your body may need more energy if you want to see more patients daily?

[00:11:41] If you're not eating right throughout the day, drinking enough water to stay hydrated and moving enough to keep your body active,

[00:11:47] it can be difficult to tend to more patients.

[00:11:50] The more you focus on fueling your body with the necessities to function at its peak, the more ease you will find when treating back-to-back patients.

[00:11:58] Some examples of physical inputs include eating a healthy balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, relaxing and unwinding,

[00:12:09] seeing a natural health care provider regularly for checkups and screenings, and managing stress through various techniques.

[00:12:18] Emotional inputs

[00:12:20] Emotional inputs are how you practice your emotional health and well-being. This works in combination with your physical inputs to fuel your body and mind.

[00:12:29] I'm sure you can think back to a time when you were neglecting your physical well-being.

[00:12:33] In addition to feeling sluggish and tired, were you moody at times? You're edible? Depressed? Anxious? Indifferent?

[00:12:43] Did you find it hard to maintain focus and discipline, or were you constantly overwhelmed by even the most minor tasks?

[00:12:51] And you neglect your physical well-being, your emotional well-being suffers.

[00:12:56] When toxic relationships and an unmanageable schedule take over your life, it can quickly drain emotional well-being, but you can take action before it reaches that point.

[00:13:05] Prioritize your self-care and make sure to connect with others who support you.

[00:13:09] Let go of toxic relationships and engage in activities that give your life purpose.

[00:13:15] Practice gratitude, care for your physical health, and seek professional help.

[00:13:20] By fueling your body, mind, and soul with positive emotional inputs, you can overcome life's challenges.

[00:13:26] Mental inputs

[00:13:29] Mental inputs are the things you do to build knowledge and skills.

[00:13:34] Many people stop actively seeking ways to learn after completing their formal education, which is a shame.

[00:13:40] They are depriving themselves of all sorts of growth and enjoyment.

[00:13:44] People who are lifelong learners end up creating all sorts of opportunities for themselves

[00:13:48] and directing their lives and careers in ways that they could never have imagined.

[00:13:53] Learning helps us stay engaged, adapt to change, and remain competitive in a rapidly changing world.

[00:14:00] It is crucial to stay up to date with current events and developments in your industry.

[00:14:04] Let's go over a few of my favorite forms of learning.

[00:14:09] Books and audiobooks

[00:14:11] The most successful people in the world are big readers.

[00:14:14] Many of them read at least one book per week.

[00:14:17] Amanda Floyd, the COO of Fishbine Orthodontics, reads 75 books yearly.

[00:14:23] Many successful people have shared their reading lists, making it easy for us to plan what we want to include in this aspect of our education

[00:14:31] or even create book clubs to have joint discussions about the new things they have learned.

[00:14:36] With the advent of audiobooks, it is possible for non-visible people and people who do not like reading to consume books.

[00:14:43] The best thing is that this can be done while walking, driving, preparing meals, and other mindless tasks.

[00:14:52] Podcasts

[00:14:54] Podcasts allow us to learn from experts in their fields who share knowledge directly or through interviews.

[00:14:59] It is easy to find numerous interesting people in your area of study and gain a lot of knowledge for free.

[00:15:05] They also tend to have the most current and cutting-edge insights in developing fields.

[00:15:11] Courses and programs

[00:15:13] There are all sorts of them, from free to specialized paid courses.

[00:15:18] Some are industry specific, training you on particular advancements in your field, while others can be general knowledge that allows you to enhance your depth of practice.

[00:15:28] Mastermind Groups

[00:15:32] Mastermind groups are a great way to connect with like-minded people by working together to reach a common goal and achieve a shared objective.

[00:15:39] First introduced by Napoleon Hill, the author of Think and Grow Rich,

[00:15:44] he believed that the mastermind group is designed to be a supportive network for individuals who can share ideas,

[00:15:50] offer guidance and support, and help each other overcome obstacles and achieve success.

[00:15:55] He suggested that whenever two or more people come together and focus on a particular subject,

[00:16:01] another all-encompassing mind forms of access to thoughts and knowledge that were not available to the individual minds.

[00:16:08] Some mastermind groups can be informal, while others are specialized and involved paid membership.

[00:16:14] You can become involved in many community groups and organizations that will feed you on various levels

[00:16:20] and allow you to harness more significant results by leveraging collective wisdom

[00:16:24] and the expertise of others to help you reach your goals.

[00:16:28] Spiritual Inputs

[00:16:30] This section is not necessarily about religion, but religious practices and prayer fit here.

[00:16:36] Spiritual Inputs are the practices that help to feed your soul and give you a sense of purpose or guide you in finding purpose.

[00:16:44] Again, many practices feeding the other energy levels can give a person access to their spiritual energy.

[00:16:50] It is usually once the level of commitment to the practice is elevated to the level of a ritual that this happens.

[00:16:56] We see this in how some athletes train their bodies and minds to get in the zone.

[00:17:01] Some examples of spiritual inputs include prayer, meditation, journaling and practicing gratitude.

[00:17:08] Habits, practices and rituals.

[00:17:13] Habits, practices and rituals are all distinct concepts, although they can sometimes overlap and be used interchangeably.

[00:17:21] Habits are behaviors that are repeated frequently and tend to occur automatically like brushing your teeth or checking your phone first thing in the morning.

[00:17:29] Practices are activities done regularly or habitually as part of a profession or pursuit of a particular skill,

[00:17:36] making them more purposeful or intentional than habits as they require some planning or effort like meditating or exercising daily.

[00:17:44] Rituals are acts that are performed in a prescribed way and often have a spiritual meaning associated with them.

[00:17:50] Recognize your habits and assess.

[00:17:54] It is important to analyze your habits to identify which ones are helping you reach your goals and which may be holding you back.

[00:18:01] By doing this, you will increase your self-awareness and understand more about yourself and your behavior patterns,

[00:18:07] especially if you find yourself engaging in harmful or counterproductive habits.

[00:18:11] This can help you make changes to your routine that can lead to more positive outcomes,

[00:18:16] allowing you to set and achieve specific personal or professional goals.

[00:18:19] Creating practices in your life.

[00:18:22] If you plan on changing your habits and setting new goals,

[00:18:26] you must develop a set of practices to help you stay focused and organized.

[00:18:49] If you have any questions, please contact us at hip.agency.com or jump over to our website at hip.agency.