Many of the doctors we speak to and many of our private clients started in medicine with particular expectations or visions for what life would be like as a doctor. We usually get into medicine for big inspirational reasons.

Perhaps you wanted to travel and work in developing nations, make a big impact on the world or change the system or the way patients are looked after. Perhaps during your training you saw and learnt things you wanted to change and improve.

We also had lifestyle expectations too. You knew you’d be busy but through that you’d have a bit more time with family and friends or at least see your kids grow up.

Along the way, something happens. During the long years of your training, some of these visions are eroded.

You end up in a place where you’re happy but it’s not what you expected and wanted it to be ultimately, or maybe it’s completely dissatisfying.

We’ve come across two types of doctors and doctorpreneurs. Which are you?

[First Type Of Doctor]

The first are almost over the whole thing.

They feel overworked, underappreciated, over committed to the profession. They’ve hit their professional goals and on paper their life looks fantastic, but they’re miserable. Their marriage might be crumbling, they don’t see their kids, they might travel but not in the way they want to and are not fulfilling the mission they had for themselves in the past.

[Second Type Of Doctor]

The second group like what they’re doing – it has its ups and downs but it’s going well. However, it’s still not what they expected it to be and they have an unfulfilled vision for the future.

They have a lot of ideas as to what they would love to do but don’t know how to get them out of their heads, onto paper, create a plan as to how to get them and then actually make it happen.

That’s what we help our private clients to do and what I want to share with you today is the first step to making this happen. Which is, crystallizing your vision for the future.

So, what is the big vision that you have for your life and the difference you want to make?

Now, instead of listing what PhD you want to get or what Master degree or course you want to attend or what level of your career you want to reach, rather, what is the life you want to lead?

One of my mentors, Leela Cosgrove calls this the ‘ideal day’ exercise.

Now, instead of listing what PhD you want to get or what Master degree or course you want to attend or what level of your career you want to reach, rather, what is the life you want to lead?

One of my mentors, Leela Cosgrove calls this the ‘ideal day’ exercise.

What Is Your Ideal Day?

If you could write down your ideal day from the moment you woke up until you fall asleep, what would that day look like? What would you be doing and with who? Who would you be helping? How much time with family? Traveling?

Focus on the details – where will you wake up? With who? What’s the first thing you would do? What would you eat for breakfast? Would you go to the beach? (That’s part of my ideal day – I go to the beach each morning.)

Remember that you still need to work so, what kind of work do you want to be doing? What kind of impact do you want to make? Who will you be helping? Do you want to write a book or two? Work on a start-up? Work in business and medicine? Or traveling at the same time? Working locally and overseas?

Really articulate the kind of work you want to be doing and how it will make you feel.

Finally, look at why you want to be leading that life?

Not just because it feels good, but why?

I recently spoke to an overworked GP who was busting his hump working in academia all week and for the Home Doctors Service on the weekends. He never had time to stop.

When I meet people who are working like this, be they doctors or entrepreneurs, it’s often a clue that there is something in which they’re afraid will arise if they were to stop working. They use work to avoid feeling it. Perhaps its loneliness, fear, sadness, and aimlessness, whatever it is for them. It arises if they were to stop working like a dog.

So if that’s what you’re doing at the moment it might be worth exploring what that is for you. We don’t want to be doing more of the same! That underlining issue has to be addressed as well because no matter what you do, if you’re running away from something it will only drive you for so long and it’s an unsatisfying way to live.

When you’re looking at this vision, ask yourself why you want to be living that life. What will it give you? What kind of emotions? What kind of experience of life will it give you?

Once you’ve started to articulate all this, you’ll find yourself in one of three position:

1 – You’ll feel terrified by the idea of living this life. It’s strange how we often run away from that which is what we really want.

2 – Extremely excited by the thought of living this incredible life.3 – In different and calm. Having this clarity will make you just want to get started. This is the experience I had recently when refining my vision during our annual planning session. (I discussed this in our recently article and video here where I spoke about how we plan our year in a very unique way.) 

In previous years, I’ve had a feeling of anxiety and excitement which was great for me at the time. Things have changed and now I want to do things in a more relaxed and enjoyable manner. So it was really reassuring to go through the process this year and have that relaxed response to it.

There is also a number 4, which is that you’re stuck, confused and don’t know what to do. In that case, get in touch with us with your questions. We’re happy to help.

Having a clear vision lets you know why you’re working your butt off and to identify what may help you to get there.

Many people are stuck in a limbo knowing that something needs to change, that they’re not satisfied. They have many possibilities as to what they can do, endless ideas but none of them are right and they feel quite lost.

So this is the first step. The next steps and implementation of this will be covered in future articles. For some people the big vision may include writing a book, setting up a business, running a retreat, an app or any range of things that don’t mean you have to be working with patients one-on-one. If you’d like to combine them too then great!

We cover that on our Facebook page and will write articles about it over the coming weeks.

Please follow and like us: