Focus on Physicians:
Insights, Ideas, and Strategies
Define Your Values to Create Your Ideal Life a Physician
Your values are integral to your identity. They’re the deeply personal forces that shape your decisions, your relationships, and the way you move through the world. And although they are fundamental to who you are, it’s surprisingly easy to drift out of alignment with them. In this article, I’ll guide you through a simple exercise that will help you clarify your personal values.
An earlier version of this article appeared on this website in January, 2023
Your values are integral to your identity. They’re the deeply personal forces that shape your decisions, your relationships, and the way you move through the world. And although your values are fundamental to who you are, it’s surprisingly easy to drift out of alignment with them. Responsibilities, expectations, and the sheer momentum of daily pressures can pull you off course.
When you take time to clarify and name your values, you may find that they readily crystallize into five or six core ideas. These become the anchors that bring your life meaning, purpose, and steadiness.
In this article, I’ll guide you through a simple exercise that will help you clarify your personal values. As your bring your values into the light, your awareness will sharpen and your decisions will start to feel more intuitive and connected. You’ll recognize which of your many opportunities are worth a wholehearted “yes,” which ones deserve a thoughtful “no,” and how to move toward your next step, even when the path seems rocky and untraveled.
First, Define Your Values
The first step towards living your values is to define them. This can feel a little unnecessary at first, since you likely know intuitively what matters to you. But putting a name to your values and seeing them written out in black and white can be surprisingly illuminating.
For this exercise, think of a value as a single word that captures an idea, a belief, or a way of being in the world. I’ve created a list of values for you to get started with. You can find them here. Or you can get a guided Values Workbook for free when you sign up for my newsletter.
Go through the list and circle the values that speak most strongly to you. Don’t overthink it. Your values may change over time, and that’s completely normal. There are no right or wrong, or good or bad, answers.
Once you have circled your top values, write them out. Take a good look at what you have written and see if you can narrow them down into five groups. From there, discover what themes emerge. These are your core values.
Next, Put Your Values into Action
Now, thinking about your core values, consider how you might choose to elevate these values in your daily life. Don’t try to make sweeping changes. Instead, think of small actions or choices that might more completely align your values with your life.
If you notice a wide gap between your values and the way you’re currently living, it may be a sign to pause and reassess your path.
Translating values into daily practice isn’t always straightforward. If it feels cumbersome or misaligned, you don’t have to navigate this process alone. A physician coach can be a valuable partner, helping you build deeper self-awareness and explore options that will help you to honor your unique values and aspirations.
If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to stay in the loop for more insights on creating a sustainable, fulfilling, and happy life as a physician, sign up for my newsletter or reach out on my website. I’d love to hear from you.
And if you’d like to schedule a complimentary introductory meeting with me, click the link below.
My Podcast Appearance on Sustainable Clinical Medicine
I'm excited to share my recent podcast appearance on Sustainable Clinical Medicine with The Charting Coach, a podcast for physicians and others in healthcare hosted by Dr. Sarah Smith.
In this episode we talk about values alignment, when to say no, and how to combine your passions outside of medicine with your life in healthcare.
I'm excited to share my recent podcast appearance on Sustainable Clinical Medicine with The Charting Coach, a podcast for physicians and others in healthcare hosted by Dr. Sarah Smith. Dr. Smith not only helps physicians who are struggling to keep up with charting, but she also hosts a podcast focused on the ideas and challenges that matter most to physicians and others in healthcare.
Here are three key takeaways from our conversation:
🔑Values Alignment: Discover the power of aligning your career and personal life with your core values.
🔑Saying No and Carving Time: Learn how to set boundaries and prioritize what brings you joy and fulfillment.
🔑Exploring New Avenues: Possibilities open up when you allow yourself to pursue interests outside of traditional medical roles, sustaining and supporting your life in medical practice.
Creating Action Steps for Process Goals
Simply put, outcome goals are the big results you want to achieve. And process goals are the small and meaningful steps you take to achieve those larger goals. These are the actions and behaviors that are within your control. So how do you get started with creating your own process goals? In this article, I’ll walk you through the process. As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Think of each process goal as one of those single steps.
In a previous article I explained the difference between outcome goals and process goals. Simply put, outcome goals are the big results you want to achieve. And process goals are the small and meaningful steps you take to achieve those larger goals. These are the actions and behaviors that are within your control.
Process goals are typically SMART goals. That means that they are
Specific
Measurable,
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
So how do you get started with creating your own process goals? In this article, I’ll walk you through the process. As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Think of each process goal as one of those single steps.
The template I outline below is a great place to begin. Set a timer for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour, and just start writing. By the time the timer stops, you’ll have created something that you can build on.
Getting Started with Process Goals
1. Get a Notebook: An analogue, hand-written journal tends to work best. That way it doesn’t get lost in the ether of your computer and your on-line life.
2. Define Your Outcome Goal: Start with a clear understanding of what it is you want to achieve, but be comfortable with the idea that this goal might change. Your outcome goal will guide your process goals and ensure they align with your overall objective.
3. Break It Down: Identify the smallest and most specific actions that will get you closer to your goal. These should be easily defined and actionable steps that you can incorporate into your daily or weekly routine.
4. Make it SMART: Ensure your process goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This framework will help you stay focused and track your progress.
5. Monitor, Reflect, and Adjust: Review and update your notebook daily. Check off your small process goals as you achieve them, and reflect on the direction you are heading. Be open to making adjustments as needed to either stay on track or to change course.
6. Bonus Step: Create Weekly, Monthly, One Year, Three Year, and Five Year Goals. Write these down in your notebook and refer to them on a specific day every week. These larger outcome goals will often change over time, but they will help you to stay aligned with what matters most to you.
If this all seems a little theoretical, here’s an example of how this process might look.
Outcome Goal: Find a New Job
Process Goals:
Clarify your values.
With your values in mind, create a list of 3-5 things that matter most to you when thinking about your ideal job.
Update your CV and LinkedIn profile to reflect your skills, experiences, interests, and values.
Decide if there are new skills you’d need for your dream job and create a process goal plan to acquire them.
Create a list of 3-5 places you’d like to live.
Contact 3 colleagues in your field who might be able to help you.
Research and attend relevant events in your specialty over the next 3-6 months to learn about opportunities and meet people who may be interested in working with you.
Research and identify potential medical practices or institutions that align with your values and professional goals.
Identify people who are decision makers for the practice.
Check LinkedIn to see if you have any colleagues in common.
If so, can you be introduced? An email to your colleague can help get the wheels in motion.
If not, send a well-crafted email or direct message, or make a phone call to someone in the practice who might be in a position to invite you for an interview.
Prepare for interviews by creating your personal elevator pitch
Develop a list of potential questions you might be asked in an interview, and create a set of answers.
Practice for interviews with a friend or coach.
Focusing on process goals rather than outcome goals can be transformative. By taking control of the actions within your reach, you’ll create a sustainable path to your own success, reduce stress, and live a life that aligns with your values and your ambitions. You’ll be able to overcome the inertia that might be holding you back, and you’re likely to find some surprises and unexpected opportunities along the way.
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If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to stay in the loop for more insights on creating a sustainable, fulfilling, and happy life as a physician, sign up for my newsletter or reach out on my website. I’d love to hear from you.
And if you’d like to schedule a complimentary introductory meeting with me, click the link below.