It’s a hard truth, but our brains tend to get in the way of having a fulfilling career. Most of us have these unhelpful loops of thought that play over and over again in our minds. Thoughts like “I’m so stressed out. I’m so overwhelmed.” These thoughts can actually create an unwanted identity and shape our behavior in ways that don’t serve us.
In this podcast episode, with the help of Dr. Megan Melo, a certified life coach, and host of the podcast “Ending Physician Overwhelm” we take an honest look at your mindset and how it’s getting in the way of your success. In this episode, you will learn tools and techniques for managing your mind so that it stops getting in the way of the fulfilling career and life you want to create.
Use the audio player above to listen, or tune in on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Megan Melo’s Career Journey
Megan went to medical school right after college. She chose Family Medicine as her specialization because she enjoyed working with families and children. She also got additional training to work on women’s health. In her clinical practice, she always looked forward to a time when she would find fulfillment and meaning in her career, but it never came.
The pandemic made her realize that she needed to go in a different direction to find a fulfilling career. Secretly, she got board certification for Obesity Medicine. Afterward, she resigned from her job to focus on helping people with weight loss problems. She met people involved in a coaching group and became a life coach to further help her patients.
Secrets to Finding a Fulfilling Career
Most physicians overlook the skills they have developed from their medical practice. They don’t believe they have note-worthy skills. It’s important to step back and think about the things you really wish to pursue, regardless of the salary you might receive.
The truth is that: “The more that we are able to be in alignment with those things that we really love, that really call to us, the happier we are in general and the more fulfilled and the more meaning we find.”
How Overwhelm Gets in the Way of a Fulfilling Career
Being overwhelmed refers to the “sensation” when we feel there is too much to process. Others may feel “stuck in overwhelm” indefinitely. This can happen when people have too much going on in their lives and can’t move forward with anything. It becomes a vicious cycle of overwhelm that we perpetuate through our language.
No good actions come out of that feeling. People who are overwhelmed tend to overeat, shut down and be unproductive. They won’t work on getting themselves out of the situation or finding a fulfilling career
The Key to Unlearning Overwhelm
You have to focus on the next right thing you can do in the situation. Zoom in and focus on what is right in front of you.
Then you need to examine your life as a whole. Step back and take a look at the choices you are making. Evaluate if the choices you have made are bringing you closer to the fulfilling career that you desire. Can you cut back or ask for some help? Can you make more intentional choices to eliminate/ reduce overwhelm?
Other mindset shifts to make for career success
Take note of the language you use to identify yourself. Acknowledge your feelings but don’t identify with them. For example, instead of saying “I’m so exhausted”, you could say “I’m feeling exhausted right now”. It’s a subtle shift that makes a big difference.
Give yourself permission to do your own thing and determine your own path. Tune into yourself from within, align with your choices and get out of your comfort zone.
Learn to be attuned with and explore your feelings. Know that you have to exert yourself to try out new things. You have to let yourself be a beginner and fail in order to eventually succeed.
Shifting from burnout to a fulfilling career
If you want to find a fulfilling career you have to tune in to what you are feeling. You could try journaling to write down your fears and apprehensions about leaving your current situation. You could speak with a mentor, friend or coach who could guide you through asking yourself the hard questions.
Finding a fulfilling career doesn’t look the same for everyone. For Megan, it’s about doing challenging things that are both satisfying and meaningful. Being aligned with your core values is also essential when it comes to career fulfillment.
