Create your own kind of greatness

Create your own kind of greatness

31st July 2023

“Greatness is a lot of small things done well” Ray Lewis

[The Probe, July 2023]

When you work in any kind of profession, but particularly dentistry, you can’t fail to spot the greats. Those people who you have seen win awards, who regularly grace the stages of prestigious events and with biography headlines that no longer fit on one page – they are at the top of a notional mountain. Wherever you work, you’ll have a good idea of who these people are.

But the legends in your world didn’t just arrive there, they got there incrementally. They did the graft, put in the hours and followed the opportunities. They showed up for things, sat on committees, wrote the articles, met the people and carved out their own place.

My definition of great changes as I do. As a student, ‘great’ would have been those lecturers and published professionals who I was a little starstruck by. But as I make my own way through endodontics I realise that we forge our own kind of greatness. For me, it’s about never being complacent, never thinking ‘that will do’.  A good day in my practice improving on an expected clinical outcome; or a satisfying day’s training when I can transfer some valuable skills to students are particularly great achievements. It’s the little things done well.

I’ve also come round to a way of thinking that true greatness doesn’t exist. Just as you reach one goal you can already see the next one ahead. There’s always more to learn, more to absorb and more to observe. The wisest, time-served endodontists will be open to learning from younger generations, especially in terms of technology and fresh thinking. It’s inevitable and essential that we work on a cyclical path sharing our knowledge and enjoying the results we see from this kind of continuing progress. 

You will know, if you’ve read any of my articles before, that Kaizen theory is integral to my life. Progress by increments, achieving slowly, layer upon layer – Kaizen theory is based on continuing improvements in your personal life and work life. It’s not a pursuit of greatness but more a pursuit of continuing to be better.

Here are a few things that lead to everyday greatness:

Do the work: It takes real discipline to put the hours in, do the training, show up and care. It can be hard, sometimes boring and always time consuming. However there are no shortcuts.

Have a plan: Having a goal, even if it’s just the next step in your journey is really important for focus and a sense of achievement. You can plot your goals as you go or have a detailed, long-term plan – it depends on who you are and how you work but a sense of purpose is essential. Believe in what you’re doing and have faith in that plan – that’s a form of inner scaffolding that will support you and keep you going.

Learn from the negatives: When things don’t go to plan, it’s important to reflect and understand the steps that led to the ‘failure’. It took James Dyson five years and 5,126 ‘failures’ before he launched his first product using prototype 5,127 (literally picture that: more than 5000 vacuum cleaners – that’s a lot of time, effort, frustration and parts).  

Make connections: Conferences, exhibitions, meetings and training events are all excellent ways to meet colleagues and build relationships. In any profession the connections inevitably lead to friendships, learning and opportunities. If you only operate within your own bubble for long enough you’ll lose touch and your sanity.

Recognise the need to reset: We can’t be switched on and operate to full capacity 100% of the time. Notice when you need to relax, understand how you relax best and take the time to look after yourself.

Keep going: It’s a long haul, from qualification to retirement, so it’s really important to love what you do, enjoy who you surround yourself with and understand what makes you thrive. Recording your progress is something I encourage in my students. You don’t need a trophy room but it’s useful to keep a quiet reminder of what you have achieved. This could be a diary or notebook with simple headlines or bullet points.

Greatness to me is aspirational but not in the celebrity sense. The idea of greatness is the prompt I need to be great in the here and now – taking care of the small things.

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