1.  Force

This is the driving force that inspires you to get out of bed in the mornings and go out into the world and do what it is that you love to do.  Be it practicing dentistry, managing practices, researching etc.  Whatever that driving force is, it is imperative that you understand your why.  This is your own reason for making the decisions that you make.

“When the why is big enough, then the hows take care of themselves.”

Find out what your big why is and link everything that happens to you by seeing how it is on the way and not in the way of your life’s mission.

2.  Foundation

It is imperative that a foundation for your practice is laid down and the reason why you are in business is defined.  This includes:

• The mission of the practice – This provides the framework or context that the strategies of the practice are made from
• The purpose of the practice – what it will do for others in its service.
• The vision of the practice – where it is heading and why

If any of these are not properly thought out then you cannot possibly be expected to hire appropriately or run the practice appropriately.  There is then potential for misunderstandings and miscommunications.  Conflicts can arise within the practice or with those who interact with the practice when expectations are not being met.  Hence I say that the foundation of your practice is essential and for you to know what the definition of your business is.

3.  Finance

Money is a an essential component in dentistry and running a practice ineffectively can see soaring business expenses leading to reduced profits.  The mastery of money is a reflection of mastery of self.  Creating a business that is valuable for others and one that fills the needs and demands of others will lead to a greater value in society and a greater ‘other worth’.  Additionally, there is ‘self worth’ and when you value yourself more, then you will learn to methodically save money and pay others according to priorities and not spontaneously spend according to emotions.  The combination of other worth and self worth will lead to your net worth.  A greater net worth will mean that you have a greater amount of money and can play a bigger game in life and will have more options to interact in society.  Your business will have more options and you will be less stressed as you are able to handle financial fluctuations in the market place more better.

4.  Fulfilment

You are looking for fulfilment in everything that you do, either consciously or unconsciously.  You are looking to fill the voids in your mind so that you feel whole and complete again.  It may be in the area of relationships, finances, health, or leadership.  You have an inner calling which you want to express in the world and be recognised for.   This will allow you to leave a mark in the world long after you have left it – your legacy.  Until you have fulfilment, there will be an endless search and growth and you will be doing many things such as work, relationships and wealth creating, but underlying all of them is the need to find fulfilment.  In essence, fulfilment is the most important of all the five F’s although it can be difficult to convince individuals to go for fulfilment first over and above the rest of the F’s.  If you can, go for fulfilment first over and above the rest.  Then life becomes easier as you do more of the things which nourish you and drop the things that don’t.

5.  Freedom

When you have attained fulfilment, then the last drop is to have freedom around everything that you do.  This way, you only do the things which you love to do and not the things which you have to, ought to or should do.  You love to go to work, or love to manage a business, or love to be in a relationship.

Only when the lower needs are met can the higher needs be looked at.  When you have understood the driving force of why you are doing what you are doing, laid down a solid foundation for your life, amassed a vast fortune to support it, found fulfillment in yourself and shared that with others to help them find it in themselves, then you have arrived at the last stage.  Then you are free and that is the ultimate in potentiality.