5 Inputs, 4 Quotes, 3 Thoughts, 2 Challenges and 1 Question (January 14th, 2021)

5 Inputs, 4 Quotes, 3 Thoughts, 2 Challenges and 1 Question (January 14th, 2021) “Helping you achieve high performance medicine.” Read this on OtOVets.com

Happy January, Your journey of professional development is important to me. Please hit that reply button or join our Facebook Group to share your journey and inspiration with our community. You never know when your ideas, thoughts, actions, or reflection will inspire another vet out there! Alright, let’s get to it! Here are 5 Inputs to Inspire, 4 Quotes to Contemplate, 3 Thoughts to Ponder, 2 Challenges to Conquer and 1 Reflection Question to help you grow this month. 5 Inputs to Inspire

I. The first book I feel every vet should read in 2022 is Intentional Living by John C Maxwell. I believe one of the greatest skills we can master is how to identify our purpose and pursue it intentionally one day, one hour, one choice at a time! II. Several of my Masterminders have asked how I read so much while having two kids, owning a clinic and running a side business. This is a skill I’ve only recently developed after taking a cheap speed-reading class online called: Become a Speed Reading Machine by Brandon Hakim. Simply put, Brandon exposed the short comings of reading like I was in college vs reading for a purpose; to develop myself in a strategic way. III. One of my 2022 goals is to return to reading one scientific paper per week. I plan on making this easier by trying a new strategy to improve my efficiency which is well described by Dr. Amina Yonis in her video. IV. Did you know that Kindle readers read 40% more than non-Kindle readers as well as tend to purchase 3.3x more books? Owning a Kindle and regularly using the Kindle App (Free) in 2021 made me more likely to utilize my 5 minute down times productively than ever before! V. Subscribe to a journal in your area of specialty and opting in for their update emails to make finding and reading relevant material easier. Often professional societies will even include journal access if you’re a member. By joining ADSA I get free access to Journal of Dairy Science with the latest articles sent to me directly via email. 4 Quotes to Contemplate I. Best selling author Michael Simmons on the “Law of Increasing Learning”: Professionals en-masse across the world are increasing how much time they put toward learning. Given that we are competing in a global economy for jobs, clients, and customers, we need to at least match others just to stay in the same place. II. Second brain expert and thought leader Tiago Forte on addressing reading objectives: As I read I’m constantly asking myself the same 3 questions I used to decide what to read; 1) Is it unique? 2) Is it helpful? 3) Is it interesting? III. Self-described professional learner Rames Oudt on reading’s payback for the reader:

I see reading as an investment; I trade time and energy to become better in the future. IV. Leadership genius John C Maxwell on the impact adopting a new habit of reading can have on you: Change alone doesn’t bring growth but you cannot have growth without change. 3 Thoughts to Ponder I. Strategic reading is ok! We were taught to learn in clusters in school; ie one topic at a time. It’s ok to learn in many areas at once, even forgoing one area in favor of another more pertinent area in the moment. II. The most powerful thing a person can pass on is his/her library of carefully curated texts that will influence the next reader. III. New ideas are a rarity. Most new ideas are simply a connection between existing related ideas that no one else has seen. The only way you learn about these existing ideas is to spend time “in the lab” of reading, listening and learning output. 2 Challenges to Conquer I. Set a reading goal for 2022. X # of books and X # of articles; then establish a place where you can track these items and see your progress regularly. II. List 3 things that stopped you from reading last year. Then spend 30 minutes brainstorming how you could work around these points of friction to find time for more reading this year. 1 Reflection Question What is YOUR learning plan? Until next month, Dr. Eric Rooker Founder of Operators to Owners