Stop “Doing” Stress: Why Busy Isn’t a Badge of Honor

accountability change culture growth mindset personal growth stress work smarter Jan 26, 2026

I love getting to work with dental teams and doctors every week. I get a front-row seat to your growth, your challenges, and your wins — and I learn something new every single time.

Here’s one thing I know for sure: Success doesn’t come easy.

It comes with long days.
It comes with uncomfortable change.
And it definitely comes with stress.

But what fascinates me most isn’t that stress exists — it’s how differently each person handles it.

Same practice.
Same challenges.
Totally different emotional responses.

Which tells me something important.

Stress doesn’t just happen to us.

We participate in it.

Stress Isn’t the Problem — Our Relationship With It Is

At some point, we decide how emotionally affected we’re going to be by what’s happening around us — personally and professionally.

Yep, things are demanding.
Yep, leadership is heavy.
Yep, dentistry is intense.

But feeling chronically stressed and overwhelmed isn’t automatic.

We actually have far more control than we think.

I see it every week: two people facing the same circumstances, responding in completely different ways. One is grounded. The other is unraveling.

Same pressure. Different mindset.

Let’s Talk About Lunch (Stay With Me)

We’ve all said it: “Let’s do lunch.”

That phrase can mean a lot of things.

Maybe it’s a quick bite between meetings.
Maybe it’s a power lunch where Important Things are discussed.
Maybe it’s a long-overdue reconnection with a friend.

Either way, you’re not just eating.

You’re doing lunch.

It’s intentional. Purposeful. A performance with a goal.

And guess what?

We do the exact same thing with stress.

Yes — We “Do” Stress

Sometimes stress becomes a performance.

A production.

A badge of honor.

Why?

Because it serves a purpose.

If we’re being honest, “doing stress” can be our way of:

Showing everyone how hard we work
Proving how overwhelmed we are
Getting attention
Justifying frustration
Trying to control situations (or people)
Validating unhappiness

We don’t usually realize we’re doing it — but slow down and check your motives, and it becomes pretty obvious.

Stress becomes our way of saying: “Hey Everybody! Look how much I’m carrying.”

Are You Eating Stress… or Making It a Power Lunch?

Here’s the real question:

Are you treating stress like a normal lunch —
taking what’s useful and leaving the rest?

Or…

Are you turning it into a power lunch —
making it a dramatic production to validate reactions, appease unhappiness, and manage everyone around you?

Because here’s the truth:

Trying to lose control in order to feel in control never works.

Ever.

Hurry Sickness: A Modern Epidemic

'Hurry sickness' is when a person feels chronically short on time.

Symptoms include:

Switching checkout lines like it’s NASCAR
Counting cars at stoplights
Constantly changing lanes
Multitasking so hard you forget one of the tasks
Always rushing, never arriving

Sound familiar?

Over time, this becomes your default.

Someone asks, “How’s it going?”

You reply: “Good… just busy.”

Busy becomes a personality trait.

And as Bill Gates famously said: “Busy is the new stupid.”

Oof.

But also… accurate.

Final Thought: Stop Performing Stress

Yes — stress exists.

Leadership is demanding. Dentistry is intense. Life is full.

But you get to choose whether you simply experience stress… or perform it.

So maybe today is the day you stop “doing” stress.

Take what’s useful.
Drop what isn’t.
Slow down.

Because constantly overwhelmed, reactive, and exhausted isn’t a flex. It’s just exhausting.

And you deserve better.

Final Reflection (Great for Your Vision Session This week)

What’s one stress habit I’m willing to let go of?
What’s one small change I can make this week to feel more grounded?
How do I want my team to experience me under pressure?
If I stopped performing stress, what would improve first — my mood, my relationships, or my leadership?