{"id":544,"date":"2020-03-03T15:47:51","date_gmt":"2020-03-03T15:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ehrreviews.com\/blog\/?p=544"},"modified":"2020-06-15T16:18:11","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T16:18:11","slug":"what-can-a-doctor-do-to-build-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ehrreviews.com\/blog\/what-can-a-doctor-do-to-build-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"What can a doctor do to build confidence?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The journey in medicine is a journey of goal setting.\u00a0 Doctors set goals all the time. We set the goal to become a doctor then strive to achieve it. Once we decide the chosen specialty, we set the goal for the residency training program we hope to match into, and we strive to achieve that.\u00a0 Match Day can be a day of great celebration for some, while it\u2019s a time of great anxiety and disappointment for others.\u00a0 Then we set our sights on our desired attending position and strive for that.<\/p>\n

Life becomes a series of goals that doctors strive to achieve.\u00a0 And in the process of striving to achieve the next goal, we miss the beauty, the power, and the blessings that are in the present moment.\u00a0 We are blind to the people, the experiences, and the opportunities in the present moment that are readily available to support us.<\/p>\n

Instead, we plan, implement, wait, and expect that the life and career we want will materialize when we achieve that next goal.<\/p>\n

This cycle of delayed gratification and sacrifice makes life in medicine a challenging waiting game. Happiness feels like it\u2019s just beyond our reach.\u00a0 We can\u2019t relax just yet because there is another milestone to achieve.\u00a0 Medical school didn\u2019t teach us how to appreciate where we are right now.\u00a0 We did not learn there is satisfaction to be had in making progress along the way.\u00a0 Instead, we are looking for what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n

Fellowship?<\/p>\n

Attending position?<\/p>\n

Academic appointment?<\/p>\n

There is absolutely nothing wrong with ambition and wanting to move to the next level in medicine.\u00a0 \u00a0But when the primary focus is on the next achievement and then the one after that, stress and overwhelm move in. We are never satisfied with where we are today. \u00a0We miss the joy in patient care and the sense of community that comes with collaboration with colleagues.<\/p>\n

The present moment is the only place where power lies.\u00a0 In the present moment, you celebrate yourself and all you\u2019ve accomplished.\u00a0 When you embrace the present moment, you discover a new sense of clarity and renew your commitment to those aspects of life that are also important: family, friends, leisure time, and spirituality. You begin to realize you don\u2019t have to do this alone.\u00a0 You can have support when the days are long, the acuity is high, and the waiting room is packed with patients waiting to see you.<\/p>\n

When you understand the value of the present moment, times of stress, frustration, and overwhelm, don\u2019t rock your confidence as much because you understand that it\u2019s only for a time.\u00a0 You can learn to shift your energy at the moment toward what you desire instead.<\/p>\n

Putting it in practice: In the present moment your confidence lives<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m often asked what a doctor can do to build confidence.\u00a0 There is no magic formula for confidence building. Confidence comes from within. The task is to remove the clutter blocking it.\u00a0 It is not something that\u2019s revealed once you achieve another milestone.\u00a0 It is available now.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s in knowing that in this present moment, you have access to what you need to be successful. Then take the action steps, whether that\u2019s reading more to increase your knowledge base, or volunteering to assist with a procedure to hone your skillset, or learning how to more effectively engage with patients and the team, so your confidence shines.<\/p>\n

Confidence is revealed when you:<\/p>\n