Mayday is military slang for “there’s a problem,” and this is a good time for you to take a hard look around – do you still have the enthusiasm and drive you started the year with? Get a reality check on your efforts and your results. Are you where you thought you would be? Why or why not?

Asking these kinds of questions give you validation when you are on course, and early detection when you are not. No one can watch your practice as closely as you can, and by objectively assessing your progress and making course corrections where necessary, you can anticipate the trends and take appropriate action before things go too far off.

You keep these statistics so you can measure your growth, not only in volume but in the practice management averages that tell you how effectively your policies and procedures are working. As you approach mid-year, what would you have to change to hit your six month goals? What would you have to increase? What would you keep the same?

Self-assessment can be uncomfortable, but it is a high form of self esteem to be able to refine and master those areas that don’t come as naturally to you. Hard work and persistence applied to those weaker areas will give you a significant return on investment that will show up in your numbers faster than you think.