I don’t know it all, and neither do you. Let’s be honest with ourselves: Sometimes we think we know more than most people do and become a little heavy headed. I get to travel all over the world to share my experiences about dry eye, specialty contact lenses, myopia management, and how I have used the three to grow a practice. That makes me a pretty important guy, or does it?
To be frank, I am not the smartest guy. I don’t have all the answers, and I struggle in business sometimes. Over the last 15 years, I have put a lot of contact lens fits through my slit lamp, I have written my share of prescriptions, and I have performed dry eye procedures on a lot of patients, but I feel like I am on the precipice of my greatest learning. Here is the deal: I am comfortable. That comfort allows me to rest on what I know, what I have seen, what I have done, and my accomplishments. And according to some people’s measuring stick, it would be pretty darn good. But, as I head into my next 15 years of practice, I do not want it to be downhill. I want to be vulnerable. I want to be open. I want to work as hard as I ever have for my patients. I want to keep reading multiple articles a week, I want to meet regularly with other practitioners to talk about the latest research, I want to talk to industry people about what is on the horizon, and I want to talk to younger colleagues and residents and find out from them what they think is innovative. If you are good, if you are accomplished, if you are safe in practice, I want you to find a way to be vulnerable with me. When we are open, we learn. When we are humble, we seek knowledge. Anytime that you think you know more than someone else, scold yourself and ask that person, right there and then, “What’s new in your practice that is exciting you?” You may be accomplished in the eyes of your mother and some of your patients, but both of those don’t want you to be good; they want you to be great. Become vulnerable and realize that your skills and knowledge could use some improvement, then become great and then greater.
READ MORE: https://www.clspectrum.com/newsletters/contact-lenses-today/february-2,-2020
