9 minute read
Developing A Performance Mindset: Lessons For Dental Entrepreneurs From A Chess Champion
Dave Striegel Ph.D
In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving dental industry, the pressures on dental leaders are immense. From managing teams to providing top-tier patient care, the demands are endless. Yet, how can a leader consistently perform under pressure and guide their team to success? The answer may lie in the lessons from a chess prodigy turned martial arts world champion—Josh Waitzkin.
Josh, whose early life was immortalized in the film Searching for Bobby Fischer, is a master at honing performance under pressure. But his success wasn’t just about talent; it was about cultivating a mindset that could thrive in any environment. He learned a “process” for pursuing excellence, not just a set of skills that only apply to a singular endeavor like chess. His transition from chess to martial arts, winning championships in both fields, demonstrates the power of a performance mindset. For dental entrepreneurs, there are profound lessons in how he approached his craft, managed pressure, and continuously pursued excellence.
1. THE IMPORTANCE OF A GROWTH MINDSET
Josh’s success across multiple disciplines wasn’t due to sheer talent alone. Instead, his remarkable achievements were a result of his relentless focus on growth and learning. Carol Dweck’s research on mindsets provides a framework for understanding this. Dweck differentiates between a “fixed” mindset—where individuals believe their abilities are static—and a “growth” mindset, where people believe that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.
Josh embodied the growth mindset. Even after mastering chess, he didn’t settle. Instead, he adopted a “what’s next” attitude. He sought new challenges in martial arts and once again rose to the top. His willingness to learn, adapt, and improve set him apart.
Lesson for Dental Leaders: In the world of dental entrepreneurship, adopting a growth mindset is crucial. Growing a dental practice is fraught with mistakes, failures, and losses, just like the progression in chess was for Josh. At least Josh knew what to expect in relation to the success and failure associated with chess. It was the fame that took him by surprise. Similarly, dentists are clinically trained to strive for excellence. Not that it’s ever easy, but they know the gig, clinically. However, rarely are they prepared for the reality of what owning and growing a dental practice is really like and what it takes, as they are not accustomed to functioning in a world where mistakes are tolerated much less embraced.
Leadership and business success in dentistry is not about being the smartest or most talented clinician in the room; it’s about continually growing and improving. Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn and encourage your team to do the same. The best dental practices are the ones that foster a culture of growth and resilience, where everyone is dedicated to getting better every day.
2. FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE PROCESS
Josh’s performance in his chess matches turned around when he shifted his focus from winning at chess to enjoying the process of playing chess. In his early years, he played chess with a pure love for the game, exploring strategies and nuances with joy and curiosity. However, as fame and external pressures mounted, his connection to his internal process weakened. It wasn’t until he reconnected with that love for exploring the game that he found success again, both in chess and martial arts.
Lesson for Dental Leaders: Success in your dental practice should not solely be measured by financial gains or patient numbers. While these are important and are certainly part of what a dental entrepreneur must focus on, the numbers are a byproduct of your process or what you do to generate the numbers—improving patient care, refining team dynamics, and enhancing your leadership skills. The process is where long-term success is cultivated because if you put too much attention on the numbers, you’ll find yourself emotionally exhausted. How you feel will be dictated by numbers outside of your immediate control, whereas your process is controllable, all day every day. Find joy in the small, daily wins, and encourage your team to do the same. Celebrate growth, not just results.
3. HANDLING PRESSURE THROUGH MINDSET
Josh was known for his ability to thrive under pressure. His secret? Maintaining mental clarity and focus through rigorous preparation. He learned to stay calm, composed, and focused on the moment, whether it was a chess match or a martial arts championship. He utilized heart rate variability training along with mental training, including meditation and visualization as tools to help him acquire these skills.
Lesson for Dental Leaders: As a dental entrepreneur, you often face high-pressure situations—whether it’s managing a crisis in the office or making tough business decisions. Developing a performance mindset means staying mentally present and not letting stress or fear distract you or dictate your actions. Staying present means keeping your mind focused on the moment at hand, and when you find your mind wandering ahead to what “might” happen, you recognize it and calmly refocus on what or who is in front of you. Encourage your team to prepare mentally for their roles as well, whether that’s through mindfulness practices, reflection, or clear pre-procedure routines. The more prepared you are mentally, the better you’ll handle the challenges that arise. Preparation produces competence, and competence produces confidence. That’s what you need when you’re in highstress situations.
4. LEARNING FROM MISTAKES AND FEEDBACK
Throughout his journey, Josh treated mistakes as valuable feedback. This was one of the qualities I admired most about him. He didn’t view failure as a negative but as an opportunity to grow. In fact, he embraced failure, understanding that, especially in chess and later in martial arts, it was a critical part of mastering any skill. In martial arts, every mistake he made in practice or competition helped him refine his technique and strategy.
Lesson for Dental Leaders: In your practice, mistakes are inevitable simply due to the volume of information being collected, shared, and disseminated every day. Instead of avoiding them or punishing them, create an environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. This will make your practice an emotionally safer place to work. It doesn’t mean you relax or lower your expectations or standards. Assuming they are fair, don’t change them a bit. Rather, encourage open dialogue and constructive feedback about the reality of operating a high-performing dental team. Excellence in dentistry is hard, and sometimes even messy. That’s the truth. When something goes wrong, ask, “What can we learn from this?” This approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement and reduces fear within your team. Your ability to accept and learn from mistakes, as well as to admit your own will set the tone for the entire practice.
5. ADAPTABILITY AND INNOVATION
One of the most impressive aspects of Josh’s career was his adaptability. After achieving tremendous success in chess, he shifted his focus to martial arts and quickly rose to the top. His performance mindset allowed him to transfer skills across disciplines, showing the power of flexibility and innovation. He learned a process that he could apply elsewhere.
Lesson for Dental Leaders: The dental industry is always evolving, with new technologies, procedures, and patient expectations. As a leader, it’s essential to stay adaptable. Encourage your team to embrace innovation, whether it’s new treatment techniques, practice management systems, or patient care approaches. Adaptability to innovation requires training, which dental practices are not always set up for. Being adaptable allows your practice to stay ahead of the curve and meet the everchanging demands of the dental field.
6. BUILDING A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE
Josh didn’t strive for perfection, but he did relentlessly pursue excellence. His approach was about making incremental improvements every day, whether it was in his chess game or martial arts technique. This steady commitment to growth was what led him to world championships in multiple fields.
Lesson for Dental Leaders: Create a culture where excellence is pursued consistently within your dental practice. Set high standards for patient care, team performance, and leadership, but focus on the small improvements that lead to big changes over time. Excellence is about getting better every day, not achieving perfection. Encourage your team to adopt this mindset, and you’ll see consistent improvements in both morale and performance.
Conclusion
Josh Waitzkin’s journey from chess prodigy to martial arts world champion offers profound insights into the power of a performance mindset. For dental entrepreneurs, these lessons are invaluable and immediately applicable. By adopting a growth mindset, focusing on a process, learning from mistakes, and fostering adaptability, dental leaders can create a culture of excellence that drives long-term success.
In your dental practice, think of each day as your performance arena. Like Josh on the chessboard or in the dojo, your success will come from consistent effort, mental clarity, and a love for continuous improvement. Pursue excellence not just for yourself but for your team and your patients. By adopting these lessons, you’ll be well on your way to leading a thriving, resilient dental practice.
Dr. Dave Striegel’s unique background, with a Ph.D. in sport psychology, coupled with his highly engaging, no-nonsense communication style have led to over 25 years of success as a performance coach and speaker. He has worked with individuals and organizations including professional and elite amateur athletes, Fortune 500 executives, business owners, top educators, law enforcement specialists and, yes, dentists of all types. A sampling of his client list includes executives from Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney, athletes on the PGA, LPGA, ATP & WTA Tours, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL and US Ski Team as well as members of FBI Hostage Rescue Teams and the military’s Special Forces. While he passionately applies his concepts and principles to anyone wishing to improve their performance, Dr. Dave specializes in helping dentists utilize the latest advancements in leadership science to guide their teams and build a high performing practice culture.
drdavestriegel@gmail.com
