This does not pertain to dentistry directly, but is probably more important to success than anything else. It relates to a personality trait: inaction.

Indecision is crippling. As Colin Powell once said, more money and time are wasted every day in the business world due to indecision than any other reason.

Sure, every opportunity has to be evaluated and assessed. Gather the data needed to make a sound decision. But after all the analysis and data gathering, it will still be a judgment call. Like it or not, there is always a risk associated with any new project, purchase, venture, or association.

Your goal is to minimize the risk, but it will never be zero. There is a leap of faith involved with everything.

We've noticed that the desire to be perfect often slows down dentists more than anything else. You certainly have to do things well. Poor quality is unacceptable, but it is not necessary to be perfect. Strive for excellence, not for perfection.

The large Fortune 500 firms launch imperfect products every day. If they waited till they perfected the product, they would never get around to introducing the product. Time is of the essence, and there is a short window of opportunity for everything. Launch your project today, then make midcourse corrections along the way. If you are going to wait for ideal conditions to start a new project, that may never happen, or it may be too late.

Here are two steps that might help you with decision making:

1. Assess the upside potential. What do you stand to gain from this new project, new initiative, or new purchase? What opportunity are you missing from not moving forward? If the project or purchase fulfills its promise, how much farther along would you be? If it fulfills perhaps one-third of its promise, how much farther along would you be?

2. Now, assess the flip side. Estimate the worst-case damage. What is the absolute worst thing that can happen if the new project or new purchase tanks completely? How much money will you lose? Is this something you can live with? How much of your time and energy will have been wasted? Will you have learned something from it?

   Based on your analysis, what is the likelihood of occurrence of the worst-case scenario? You may not be able to put a number on this, but what is your gut feel?

Not making a decision is a decision in itself. It usually means you have opted for the status quo.

Make a call. Get into the habit of making decisions that will move you forward. Acquiring knowledge is no use if you don't apply it. What counts is the application.

Running a small business can be a formidable task. There could be a dozen impediments and reasons not to launch a new initiative. Just when you are ready to start a project you've been thinking about for months, a staff member quits, falls sick, or gets pregnant. You notice your schedule suddenly has holes in it; a piece of equipment breaks down; the roof of your office building starts leaking; the IRS or State has sent an audit letter; a couple of patients have not paid large balances; the accounts receivables is out of control, and on and on and on. This is the nature of small business. Problems will never cease.

If you are waiting for the ideal time, it is not likely to ever happen. It is up to you to take action and move forward despite all the obstacles.

There is only one way to succeed, and that is by taking MASSIVE, FOCUSED ACTION.

If our perspective strikes you as good sense, we invite you to request a confidential practice assessment so that we can quantify for you the hidden profit potential in your practice. It's free. Request a practice assessment.