Mt. Moran & Leigh Lake - 2022

The Teton Range

Grand Teton national Park, WY

One fine morning with coffee in hand, you still savor that last sip of your custom brew.  You feel peaceful. Then a fleeting thought stirs up an awareness that you are thinking more and more about your future career transition and your new lifestyle. You smile and feel warmer inside…and then you feel a twinge of angst.

These are mixed emotions: joy and apprehension. They swirl around your mind stirred up much like the sweetener you blended into your coffee.

You wonder whether this is a common experience, how successful people deal with it and perhaps when you should begin to resolve this emerging dilemma. 

You sense that you must do something. 

A Fictional Character that Reflects a Real Person 

The following is the gist of the story of Alex, a fictional character like many accomplished physicians I am familiar with.

Alex is at that time of his (or her) career when he sees his end of career within an im...

Grizzly Situational Awareness - 2011

Brooks River

Katmai National Park, AK 

Practical Considerations

When the time comes that you begin to seriously consider ending your career, you will find yourself thinking about a variety of personal and professional concerns as well as matters related to your practice.

The myriad of issues that you will have to address will vary significantly according to your type of practice. Nevertheless, across the spectrum of practice types, there are some common matters, duties, and tasks that must be accomplished. 

In order to do so, you will need more than just knowledge about the known and unknown you will encounter throughout this process. You will need and greatly benefit from applying a method for planning and executing a successful end of career transition.

My  Insights Into the Model

In this article, I discuss a triad of plans that comprise my methodology with an emphasis on the sequence in which the various tasks are best accomplished. This ...

Henry’s Lake - 2022

Idaho

Sometimes the Obstacles Are Not Financial

There are a myriad of major matters that are important to consider as you contemplate your career transition.

For many, the primary concern is whether or not they are financially ready.

Whether you are or not, there are other significant concerns that are important to think about and deal with.

There is More to Prepare for Than Financial Planning 

Sometimes there are certain obstacles to ending your career voluntarily that have virtually nothing to do with financial matters. 

Three common concerns often seem to take a backseat to financial matters.  They are critically important and should not be ignored. They are:

What will happen to my identity?

Will I be relevant anymore?

These are common concerns, and for some, a source of stress. This can cause you to hit the pause button, for the time being, on the whole idea of ending your career.

There is yet a third element in this triad of topics.

The Third Eleme...

Haena Beach - 2022

Kauai, HI

How Fulfilling Your Purpose in Life Fuels Your Relevance 

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

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

It's widely experienced and yet it’s quite personal.

Why Is the Need to Feel Relevant So Important?

Because it’s inherent to our nature.

Because it’s closely related to the degree we desire to fulfill our purpose in life. To the degree that we succeed at actualizing our potential. 

This is particularly true when we serve a benevolent purpose.

How do we succeed at relevance?

Persistent Needs and Sources to Fulfill Them 

There are two sources of personal and professional relevance. The primary source arises from within ourselves. The secondary source is expressed to us by others...

The Teton Range and Snake River - 2022

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Practice Matters 

Your end of career transition is an universal challenge we all face. It affects us as physicians in common and individual ways. This includes personal, professional and medical practice matters.

This article provides an overview of practice considerations that have significant importance. A previous article discusses the rationale and benefits of undertaking proactive, preparation. More to the point, it includes the question of when and how to begin. I encourage you to review it as it presents the foundation for this and subsequent articles that I’m confident you’ll find very helpful.

The Big Picture…

There is a very close association between your professional concerns and practice matters that you must identify and consider as you begin to prepare.

These are common, significant issues for you to consider. It’s not a complete list and presented in no particular order of importance. Feel free t...

Path to Swan Lake - 2022

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Professional Matters 

Your end of career transition is a new challenge we all face. It affects physicians in common and unique ways. This includes personal, professional and medical practice matters.

This article provides an overview of major professional considerations. A previous article discusses the rationale and benefits of undertaking proactive, preparation. More to the point, it includes the question of when and how to begin. I encourage you to review it as it presents the foundation for this and subsequent articles that I’m confident you’ll find very helpful.

The Big Picture…in Part

There is a very close association between your personal and professional concerns that you must identify and consider as you begin to prepare. There may be some overlap, but on close consideration, it becomes apparent that there are substantial differences. 

These are common, significant issues for you to consider. It’s not a complete lis...

This painting by John Trumbull (1756-1843), depicts the moment when the first draft of the Declaration of Independence was presented to the Second Continental Congress on June 28, 1776.

The Seldom Declared History of its Writing

The summer of 1776 was a time of escalating conflict with England.  It was a dangerous time for the American colonies and in particular, its leaders.  Military and political uncertainties abounded.

The conflict between the American colonists and British soldiers that began in April, 1775 had grown into the Revolutionary War during the summer of 1776.

In the meantime, there had developed a significant movement in favor of independence from England.  Delegates to the Continental Congress were faced with the necessity to vote on this critical issue. 

In order to do so, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia for the purpose of voting on the question of independence. To accomplish that, there was a parliamentary and political need to draft a resolution up...

Facing Half Dome - 2008

Yosemite National Park, CA

Challenges and Leadership

Great, existential challenges have a remarkable way of evoking different reactions from individuals with diverse personalities. The responses may range from cowering fear to towering bravery. The latter is witnessed in men known for their genuine boldness as well as the man who has been perceived as quietly meek. This seemingly outward meekness is sometimes misunderstood for a quiet, steadfast resolve. 

Who Are These Leaders?

Exemplary leaders may be found at a humble home, small and large businesses, hospitals, churches and government bodies. The list is virtually endless. 

Some have a long record of leadership service; others seem to arise to meet the challenge that confronts them.You may have witnessed, as I have, a range of behavior of individuals in the face of crisis:

The usually, boldly verbose that remains uncharacteristically quiet. Or the quiet man that emerges confidently from the shadows whe...

Turmoil and Calm - 2007

Gulf of Mexico

How to Prepare and Overcome

The end of career transition process is an unfamiliar, major undertaking that we all face. It affects physicians in common and unique ways that include personal, professional and medical practice matters.

Most of you have the ability to plan and prepare in a timely, proactive manner. This is the optimal approach that provides you the most flexibility to deal with matters you know about now, as well as those you don’t…for the time being. It also creates some room to deal with matters unexpected and unwanted.

This is the essence of a planned transition, one that you can choose when to initiate on your terms.

In contrast, a reactive transition is one which begins when life thrusts upon you a surprising change that is often unwanted.

My Circumstance

A reactive transition was what I had to deal with, despite having made initial, preliminary plans for my own end of career transition. I can attest that it’s an unpleasa...

Daring Dreams to Reality

The Teton Range and Jackson Lake

Grand Teton National Park, WY - 2022

How the Making of a Photographic Masterpiece Relates to the Creation of Your Future Lifestyle 

Grand art born of great, visionary artists often arises from a spontaneous idea, an image in the mind’s eye.  The evolution of an idea that culminates in a tangible work of art, whether a painting or a photograph of a spectacular landscape, requires a blending of grand vision and the execution of exceptional technique.

Similarly, in order to create a masterpiece that will be your new lifestyle, you must imagine a clear vision of your future before you begin to create it. The path to doing so is to prepare yourself by creating and executing a realistic post career lifestyle plan that will guide you to making your new life an exuberant reality.

I am, by nature a serious person, yet strive to not take myself too seriously.  Certainly, there are some things in life like faith, family, country, etc...