Your Words Shape Your Momentum - Choose Wisely

You know that feeling when you’re running behind schedule and you think, "I have to get through this day"? Or when you look at your treatment plan acceptance rates and tell yourself, "I should be better at this"?

Those two little phrases—"have to" and "should"—might seem harmless. But they’re quietly draining your momentum.

Word choice carries weight

Here’s what most people don’t realize: Momentum isn’t just movement. It’s intent. And intent is channeled through the words you choose. The language you use determines the energy you carry towards your goals and the impact you have on your team, your patients, and yourself.

     • "I have to" signals pressure and burden. When you say "I have to do morning huddles," you’re already resenting the process before it starts.
     • "I should" carries shame and the weight of not being enough. "I should follow up with that patient" keeps you stuck in a loop of self-criticism without forward motion.

But "I choose to"? That’s where the power lives. When you shift from "I have to call that difficult patient" to "I choose to call that patient because I care about their treatment outcome," everything changes. The burden becomes purposeful. The journey becomes its own reward.

You can start reframing today

You don’t need a fresh start or a New Year’s resolution to shift your mindset. You can start right now. Here’s a challenge: For the next week, catch yourself every time you say "have to" or "should."

Pause. Reframe. Choose your words wisely. And remember that your team is listening, too. When you model intentional language, you set the example for them to do the same. Because the dentists who build sustainable, thriving practices? They’re not the ones who feel burdened by their work. They’re the ones who choose it—every single day.