“Flowing with Purpose” – 2021

Gros Ventre River

Bridger–Teton National Forest, WY

Purpose and Relevance: Your Lifelong Companions

The personal feeling of relevance is closely intertwined with the actualization of your potential and more specifically, the fulfillment of your purpose in life.

Perhaps, it is most commonly thought of as a sense of pride in oneself, in part as a result of a lifetime of accomplishments, both personal and professional. This is particularly the case when such accomplishments were attained in the service of others.

The need to feel relevant is an integral element of the human experience. It is a desire that knows no boundaries: age, sex, race, language, geography, occupation or vocation.

It is widely experienced and yet it is ultimately quite personal.

The Companions on My Journey: Purpose and Relevance

My career as a plastic surgeon unexpectedly came to an end due to significant medical problems. Happily, years later, I am cured, healthy and well.

At...

“Fresh Start” – 2023

Kauai, HI

Creating Value Before You Exit: The Power of Strategic Improvements

Optimizing your business or professional practice is the first and most essential step before considering a transition. While later stages will focus on the transfer to a successor, the foundation begins with ensuring your operation functions at peak efficiency and effectiveness.

The Emotional and Strategic Aspects of the Transition

If you are contemplating stepping away from your business or practice, you likely see it as a creation you have meticulously built over the years. It has been the backbone of your career, supporting you, your family, your team, and delivering value to your patients, clients or customers.

The pride you take in your work is well-earned, and it is only natural to want the enterprise you’ve developed to continue thriving under the guidance of a capable successor.

With this in mind, you may believe your business or practice is operating efficiently. Perhaps ...

“Planned & Purposeful” – 2022

Harriman State Park, ID

Key Considerations for an Effective Transition Strategy

For years, you have built and nurtured your professional practice or business, dedicating yourself to its success. Now, as the time approaches to step away, you reflect on the journey—your achievements, the challenges overcome, and the legacy you will leave behind.

With this moment of reflection comes an essential decision: What will become of your practice or business? Should you transition it to someone else, or should you close it entirely? While the question may seem straightforward, arriving at an answer is anything but simple.

Some find this to be a natural progression, an expected phase of their professional evolution. Others find it an overwhelming challenge, filled with uncertainty and difficult choices. Why such a range of experiences? Much of it depends on the circumstances surrounding the transition and how well one has prepared for it.

Planning Ahead: The Pow...

Gibbon Falls – 2021

Yellowstone National Park, WY

 Your Path to Renewal, Growth, and Fulfillment After Your Career

One morning, as you sip your coffee, you take a moment to enjoy the tranquility. You feel a sense of satisfaction. But then, an unexpected thought enters your mind—your transition away from your career and the life that awaits beyond it. A smile forms as you imagine the possibilities; yet there’s also a flicker of uncertainty.

Mixed emotions—excitement and apprehension—surface, much like the sweetener dissolving in your cup.

You wonder if others feel the same way, how successful professionals navigate this shift, and when you should begin addressing these evolving thoughts.

One thing is clear: planning is essential.

From Success to Uncertainty: A Professional’s Journey

Meet Alex, a fictional character who embodies the experiences of accomplished professionals, whether physicians, executives, business leaders, or entrepreneurs.

Alex finds himself at a pivotal stage...

Upper Yosemite Falls – 2017

Yosemite National Park, CA

Your Career Transition is a Defining Process

Your career transition is one of the most defining experiences of your professional and personal life. While it marks the close of a distinguished career, it also signifies a new beginning—one that requires thoughtful planning and execution. Whether anticipated with excitement or uncertainty, the path forward is best approached with strategic preparation and clarity of purpose.

Understanding the Transition Process 

High-performing professionals—whether physicians, business owners, executives, or entrepreneurs—are accustomed to making complex decisions. However, transitioning from a long-standing career presents unique challenges that extend beyond daily business operations. This is a process, not an event, requiring careful attention to personal, financial, and professional transformation. The key to a smooth transition lies in having a structured methodology to guide your decision-...

 “Steadfast with Purpose” – 2010 

Courthouse Butte

Sedona, AZ

How Conviction and Clarity Sustain Your Purpose

It's common in our culture for individuals to define themselves by what they do—their title, profession, or vocation. This is often evident in social settings when someone asks: “What do you do for a living?” or “What kind of work do you do?” Rarely does someone ask: “Tell me about yourself?”

Why is this the case? The reasons are both cultural and personal.

Culturally, we are conditioned from an early age to associate identity with occupation. Consider how children are frequently asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” rather than, “What kind of person do you want to become?” Over time, this emphasis on “what” rather than “who” can obscure our deeper sense of self.

Yet, clarity of identity is not about titles or roles. You are not merely a “human doing,” but rather a human being, shaped by core principles and values. 

Life’s Exclamation Points 

We commonly li...

The Teton Range – 2010

Grand Teton National Park, WY

 Sometimes the Obstacles Are Not Financial

Professionals as well as business leaders commonly spend their careers mastering their craft, making critical decisions, and leading their enterprises successfully. Yet, when it comes to stepping away from their daily role, they may find themselves at an unfamiliar impasse. The concept of "retirement" seems foreign—an ending rather than a transition. The latter is a more accurate term that describes what it is: a process that has the explicit purpose of you experiencing fulfillment in the next great phase of your life.

While some embrace this change with eagerness, others find themselves hesitant, burdened by lingering impediments. These varied obstacles may be professional, psychological, financial, business-related as well as others. They can stall even the most well-planned transitions. By recognizing and addressing these challenges, you can move beyond reluctance and embrace your ant...

Evergreen Guardians of Renewal – 2010

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Planning Strategically to Transition from Practice 

As you embark on your transition from practice, success requires clear vision of the outcome, meticulous planning and precise execution. As you begin to contemplate the transition from your cherished practice, it’s imperative to set the stage for an effective process that secures your legacy and financial future.

Personal and Professional Readiness

The initial phase of your transition is introspective. It involves aligning your personal aspirations with your financial readiness. Crafting a comprehensive lifestyle and financial plan is essential to determine if your assets can provide for your envisioned future lifestyle. This is essential in order to proceed with confidence. In the absence of such clarity, you’re likely to experience delays and obstacles that result from the lack of planning and uncertainty.

Once completed, it's prudent to undertake a thorough, ...

Toward the Light – 2023

Nevada

Navigating Your Career Transition

As a plastic surgeon, you've dedicated your life to the art and science of transformation. But as the sun begins to set on your career, you're faced with a transformation of a different kind – your own. Transitioning from your career is not merely about stepping away from practice successfully; it's also about ensuring the legacy you've built can continue to thrive, even in your absence. This transition involves addressing numerous matters that require thoughtful, timely planning in order to experience a smooth and successful outcome.

Unfamiliar Realities

As you approach your career transition, you're confronted with unfamiliar realities. The process of transitioning from your practice is complex and multifaceted. It encompasses not only the financial and operational analysis but also the emotional and psychological preparation for handing over your life's work.

Two major realities demand your attention as you chart...

Sierra Nevada – 2023

Nevada

Crafting a Meaningful Legacy

Embarking on the journey of transition from your career as a plastic surgeon, is akin to sculpting a masterpiece. It requires pre-visualization, meticulous planning and effective execution. As plastic surgeons, our careers are marked by precision and transformation, and it's only fitting that we approach the transition from our professional lives with the same level of care and attention to detail.

The Surgeon's Blueprint for Transition

Your path to career transition is a significant life milestone, demanding thoughtful preparation well in advance. The complexity of this endeavor is not to be underestimated, and it calls for a dedicated, methodical approach. You may find yourself pondering:

• When do I initiate this process?
• Which steps are critical to my transition?
• In what sequence should these steps be undertaken?

From my own experience, I can assure you that the most remarkable achievements are born from thorough s...