I was reading a powerful book titled, The 5AM Club, recently and a quote stood out to me. It stated, “The single best way to build your willpower is to voluntarily put yourself into conditions of discomfort.” Someone’s true willingness to achieve a goal or dream shines through in times of discomfort. This quotation made me think about how many professionals- both dental and non-dental- wished their careers looked different. But are these individuals willing to embrace change? To create action by going out of their comfort zones and try something completely different? To take a huge leap that may feel like a giant risk but could lead to possibility? Desiring change and actively pursuing change are two vastly different concepts. One study that evaluated behavioral change goals as predictors for volitional personality change confirmed that simply wanting to change is not sufficient to bring forth trait changes, rather completing challenges or performing action predicted change over time.1 As dental professionals, I think change is something that we must all become familiar with if growth is to be achieved. Whether change is seen in the operatory, in education, or in one’s personal career path, change is the catalyst for evolution. 

Doing Something You’ve Never Done 
How much inherent potential do you think is lost by individuals wanting to remain comfortable? I am not shining a spotlight on me, however I am going to speak into what can come on the other side of comfort and coming into one’s true potential.  A few years ago, I left an office I was comfortable at, working alongside coworkers that I loved like family, and a place where I cared for patients that I had gotten to know on a deeply personal level. I worked three days a week, was compensated well, and had an employer matched 401k. I left this stability to work for a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), all because I was becoming a complacent hygienist- the thing I feared most in my career. This setting could not have been more opposite, but it forced me to be uncomfortable and I knew in my gut that I needed to change. 

Author Jim Rohn puts it simply, “Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” That single career move that my colleagues were shocked I made, catapulted me into constant change and striving for growth. Since then, I attended RDH Evolution and Under One Roof, where I did not know a single soul and was set on making changes within my career, even if it meant living outside of my comfort zone. From there, I moved states and left a comfortable life that reflected years of hard work and tight friendships, all to follow a little voice that told me to keep leaning in and embracing change. Following this life change, I leapt into a role as a part-time educator and consultant, while scaling back my role as a full-time clinician. I share these details to show that complacency could have worked, but the inherent potential to educate, write, and speak flourished on the other side of what felt like jumping off a cliff several times. Listening to my internal voice and following my intuition outside my comfort zone was the guiding force.  

Transitioning Toward the Future 
Our intuition is often thought to be the opposite of rationale thinking, however studies suggest that the role of the “gut feeling” is to inspire leaders to make a call, especially when that decision is risky.2 We as hygienists all have incredible intuition when it comes to patient care. No one knows our patients better than we do and I can almost guarantee that more times than one, you have encountered a gut feeling about something regarding your treatment recommendations. However, I want to challenge you to lean into that same gut feeling about your career and listen to what it is telling you. Does something need to change in your practice that could elevate the standard of care? Are you yearning for more community but don’t know where to start? Do you have a voice that you want others to hear? Whatever it may be, your inherent potential is waiting for you to tap into it. I would encourage every hygienist to take a firm look at where they are and discover ways that change can be actively embraced. The younger version of you that was fearlessly ambitious, will thank you. 

References 
1.	Hudson NW, Briley DA, Chopik WJ, et al. You have to follow through: Attaining behavioral change goals predicts volitional personality change. APA. 2019;117(4): 839-857.
2.	Huang, L. When it’s OK to trust your gut on a big decision [Internet]. Harvard Business Review; 2019 [cited 22 April 2024]. Available from: https://hbr.org/2019/10/when-its-ok-to-trust-your-gut-on-a-big-decision?registration=success