Jay Geier
Out of every career option in the entire world, you picked this one. You chose to be a dentist; no one else chose it for you. So think back - do you remember what attracted you to this career? It's a great industry to be in. Was it all about the money and job security? What is your vision? What is your purpose?
I've asked myself these questions many times in my 20-plus years of advising dentists. I don't have to work anymore. I don't need any more money or stuff. The reason I continue to work is for the opportunity to make an impact on others and to give back to people who truly need it.
A few years ago, I revealed my ultimate vision to my team and our clients at the Scheduling Institute: to have 1,000 clients all with net incomes of at least $1 million a year. Why have I made this my personal mission? The vision isn't about the money. It's about the impact we can have with this money!
For me, impact means generosity on a large scale; generosity with time, energy, and money. Let's say that I could get 1,000 doctors (each netting $1 million per year) to regularly give 10% of their incomes to people who need it. This group would have a pretty sizeable impact, right? A $100 million impact, to be exact!
OK, now imagine that this group inspires their teams, families, and friends to give generously to others. Suddenly my vision has created a ripple effect with the potential for enormous impact! The thing is, the minute you take money out of the formula and decide you're working for impact, your vision and opportunities will expand.
That's why I've created the Impact Diagram, a visualization of one thing - your impact. You'd be amazed how many people go through their whole lives without fully understanding who they impact and how. I designed this diagram to help you visualize all the ways you have an impact on people, so that you can be strategic about increasing your impact in areas that are important to you.
I've been working with my 800 coaching clients over the last few years to put together their custom Impact Diagrams. Here are the things that are showing up on most of the doctor's diagrams:
- Faith
- Kids and grandkids
- Spouse
- Generosity
- Health
- Patients
- Team/employees
If I could give you just one piece of advice for starting 2015 strong, this would be it. You need to be 100% intentional about defining your purpose today. I feel very strongly that taking this time to make your own Impact Diagram will be the most vital decision you make in the next year.
I believe that the Impact Diagram is too important to fully explain in this short column. So before you do anything else, go to www.MyVisionForImpact.com and watch the video I've made explaining the diagram in detail. I've posted a free copy of the diagram for you to download, so print it out, watch the video, and fill out the Impact Diagram as it applies to your life.
You might choose different areas for your Impact Diagram than the ones I listed above. These are just the areas that I focus on, and that many of my clients have chosen as areas of impact in their lives.
Once you've taken 10 minutes to fill out your Impact Diagram, do yourself a favor. Really commit to making what you write down in these circles your top priority. Otherwise, this exercise means nothing and will change nothing. When you choose to make the commitment to your Impact Diagram, you'll notice yourself becoming more intentional about how you spend your time and money, and you'll become more aware of your impact.
Jay Geieris president of the Scheduling Institute. With over 20 years of experience, Jay Geier's Scheduling Institute has redefined the industry standard for excellence and is the largest dental training and coaching company in the world. To get more information about the Scheduling Institute's coaching and training programs, and to learn how they can help you achieve your best year ever, go to www.schedulinginstitute.com or call 855-589-2919 and request a free Practice Transformation Package.
