My passion in life is helping healers be well. For some reason when I speak to many physicians, they seem to associate genuine physical and emotional well-being with some version of being broke.
The unspoken narrative is doing good work requires some level of either poverty or misery. Most people coming out of medical training today have far too much debt from higher education for the poverty option to be in play. Thus, they forego the idea of well-being as plausible and accept misery in exchange for money.
That makes me sad and prompts me to share the following four thoughts on integrating financial well-being into overall well-being. The first two are pretty standard. The last two may challenge your sensibilities a bit.
Know what financial well-being is for you. Many people think of money in terms of disaster planning. It’s what separates you from bankruptcy and bill collectors. What horrible things will happen if I have less money/income? Instead, I invite you to consider money as a useful resource. How much money do I need available on a daily/monthly/annual basis to be at peace doing both what I have to do and what I want to do?
Know the value for your level of expertise and experience and get paid accordingly. There is a difference between one particular organization/business being unwilling to pay you and not being able to earn what you think is appropriate anywhere. How well can you discern the distinction when negotiating a contract?
Figure out ways to get paid besides direct patient care. As any review of a medical school application shows, most physicians have a rack of skills and interests. We also have a love of learning that sustains us through training into our thirties. New or old interests can be a path to alternative streams of income. What else are you good enough at doing, or willing to become so, to make it a source of revenue?
Determine how much you are willing to invest. Depending on your current skillset, resources, priorities and values, it might take anything from buying a book to working with an attorney to hiring a staff to achieve what you decide financial well-being is for you. There is definitely going to be some element of time, energy and money beyond getting your professional degree to obtain and sustain it. How much of each are you ready to invest?
Financial well-being is an integral part of overall well-being. To have both, you must be intentional. How are you designing your life as a thriving healer who makes more than enough money? If that question makes you uncomfortable, that may be a good place to start.
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Dr Jattu Senesie is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, certified success coach, physician satisfaction specialist and speaker. She blogs about issues of self care and well-being in an effort to help her fellow altruistic high achievers find satisfaction in their success as early in their careers as possible.
