Define Your Values to Create Your Ideal Life a Physician

Your values are integral to your identity. They are a very personal and multifaceted set of foundational qualities that have the power to provide a guiding light, leading you towards a life that feels in harmony with your true and ideal self. While they are a fundamental aspect of the complex person that you are, external pressures, social circumstances, and even inertia mean that it’s common to live out of sync with your values. But once you give your values a name, the way forward becomes far more clear.

Most of the time we can distill our core values into a set of five or six concepts that give our life meaning and purpose. In this article I’ll guide you through a simple exercise that can help you to get clarity on your own values. From there, you may begin to see patterns of alignment, or perhaps misalignment, in your life.

Through this process of awareness, you’ll find that your decisions become more clear. You’ll begin to feel the confidence to say “yes” to the opportunities that serve your higher purpose. You’ll find a way to energetically reach towards the next foothold, even when it’s challenging. And you’ll feel more certain when you say “no” to those choices that are not the right fit.

First, Define Your Values

The first step is to define your values. This might seem a little contrived, because you may feel as if you know yourself well enough to understand what matters to you. But putting a name to your values, and seeing them written out in black and white, can be surprisingly enlightening. For the purposes of this exercise, a value is a single word that encompasses an idea or belief in a certain way of being in the world. I’ve created a list of values for you to get started with. You can find them here.

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 there is a big disconnect between your values and your life, it might be time to reconsider your path. It is often challenging to get a handle on these ideas and put them into practice. If so, a physician coach can be a great ally. Through coaching, you will generate greater self-awareness and discover options and opportunities that more completely align with your unique set of values.

If you’re not ready for coaching, but want some clarity, consider downloading my free Values Workbook. It’s free when you sign up for my newsletter.

An earlier version of this article appeared on this website in January , 2023.

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.

Rediscovering Your Why: A Road Map for Physicians

If you’re questioning whether you’ve chosen the right job, the right specialty, or even the right profession, you’re not alone.

Most physicians go through cycles of doubt, revisiting old decisions when things aren’t going well. That can be very normal, and over time the chances are good that these periods will become less frequent.

Dissatisfaction today doesn’t always mean that you need to make a drastic change tomorrow. Sometimes short-term pain and sacrifices are necessary to get you where you want to go.

But if this seems like a theme song that just won’t stop playing, then it might be time to rediscover your why.

Often when you feel unfulfilled or frustrated at work or in your personal life, it’s because you are not living a life that feels authentic to you.

• Perhaps you are trying to live up to someone else’s ideal

• Maybe your life has moved in a different direction since you first chose your current path

• It could be the job itself that has changed or not lived up to your expectations

• Perhaps you simply need to rediscover the reason that you chose to become a physician so many years ago

"Finding your why" is the process of discovering and understanding the deeper purpose or meaning behind your actions, goals, and choices. It's about identifying the core values and beliefs that drive you and give your life a sense of meaning and fulfillment.

This concept is often associated with personal development and leadership, and it's a key element in the philosophy of Simon Sinek, an author who has been hugely influential in the business world. Sinek argues that successful individuals and organizations are those who are able to articulate and align their actions with a clear sense of purpose or "why." In fact, one of Sinek’s most popular books is called Find Your Why.

The idea is that when you have a clear understanding of why you do what you do, it can serve as a powerful motivator and guide for decision-making. It can help you stay focused, overcome challenges, and find a greater sense of satisfaction at work and in your personal life as well.

As Sinek puts it

• Your why is your driving force

• Your how is the actions that you take to bring your why to life

• Your what is the manifestation of your why—the actual work that you do

Once you understand your why, everything else starts to make sense. Your decisions will become clearer and your actions more purposeful and meaningful.

Knowing your why is so integral to being a physician that it’s surprising this concept is not routinely taught in medical schools. Discovering your why is not a “one and done”, check-it-off-the-list sort of thing, but it’s logical and easy to understand.

The process involves introspection and reflection on your values, passions, and the impact you want to make on the world. It means going beyond your surface-level goals and digging deeper into the fundamental reasons that drive your choices and actions.

To help you find your why, get a piece of paper or a journal and start writing. You could do this on your computer or your tablet, but writing by hand tends to engage the brain more fully than typing on a keyboard, encouraging a deeper connection with the words and ideas and improving later recall. Most importantly, choose a method and a time that works for you.

Consider taking a few minutes every morning or evening to discover the patterns and thoughts that arise. Here are some questions to get you started:

• What do I find fulfilling about my current job?

• What do I not like about my current job?

• What values do I seek to honor in my work and in my life?

• What other goals and aspirations, professional and personal, do I have?

• What are my strengths, my natural talents, my soft skills?

• What strengths and talents would I like to develop further?

• What are the common ideas and threads that run through my life over the years?

• What makes me happy at work, at home, and in my private life?

• What do people thank me for?

• What do I enjoy teaching?

• What do I enjoy learning?

• What keeps me up at night?

• What moves me to take action?

• What is my ideal day?

After spending a few weeks letting these ideas gain traction, create a mission statement that will encapsulate your why in a single sentence. To get started, ask yourself what contribution you wish to make, and what impact you hope to have. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it doesn’t have to answer to anyone else’s expectations. Your statement can be a work in progress, but it’s a great way to begin to align your goals with a purpose that is genuine and fulfilling. Over time, knowing your why can become a transformative force.  

 P.S. If you want to learn more about defining your values, click here to sign up for my free Values Workbook.

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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.