Here Comes The Sun

As I sit here looking out at the sun shining on the trees outside my window I am so pleased the summer has finally come. The last few weeks have been a bit grey and rainy but it feels today like summer is finally here, and what's really exciting for me is that I'm finally ready to enjoy it. 

For the last few years I've been grappling with a major life dilemma, and I've finally resolved it. I'm a psychiatrist: I love people, and I love helping them resolve whatever issues they bring. But I don't love working in the NHS and I don't love spending every day with problems that seem insoluble. What really brings me to life is working to help people make connections, see things from a new perspective and take the steps they need to change.  

Last year I finally made the break from medicine and moved into a management consultancy post, doing organisational development work. I loved the change but missed the one to one work on issues that are central to people's lives. So now I've decided to start my own business to deliver career coaching specifically for doctors and healthcare professionals.

Before I tell you about that though I'd like to tell you a bit about the journey I've been on and give you my top five thoughts on career development, that I've learned along the way.

1) I chose to work as a locum (freelance or temporary) doctor for a while, even though my seniors told me I should get on with my training. It taught me that I love working independently, running my own accounts and having the freedom to choose where and when I work. It also taught me that you can miss out on a lot of experiences if you only take the conventional route, and sometimes you should ignore the sensible advice you're given and listen to what your heart says.

2) I read a lot of books along the way, some of them helpful and some of them less so. I learned that if you've bought a book called "What shall I do with my life" or "I know what I want but I know it's not this" then it's time to take your career change seriously. I also learned that books are a great, and inexpensive, way to start a journey that requires a lot of thought and reflection to be really meaningful. I'll be writing some more about great career change books in a post in the next couple of weeks.

3) I used the books I'd bought to identify what I am really passionate about and the values that are important to me in my life. It was a revelation to realise that my struggle was not because my work was so wrong, but because it was so nearly right for me. I was almost in the right field and my passion definitely was for people, but I needed a chance to be more creative, entrepreneurial and self directed. I learned that the first step in making any journey is to work out who you are and what's most important to you in life.

4) I worked out how much money I would need to survive. Knowing how much money I needed each month to pay the mortgage, bills and fund my gardening habit was a crucial first step in moving towards freedom from being an employee, and becoming self employed. What I need to earn each month is my bottom line, it keeps me focussed and when I've earned it each month I can breathe a sigh of relief.

5) I spoke to everyone who matters to me about what I was thinking in terms of career change. To start with I thought they would laugh, after all who am I to go starting my own business? Sometimes I think I'm a bit delusional myself. But no one laughed, they were all supportive and they were all fantastically helpful and continue to be. They are the people who make up my network and I'll be blogging some more about networks in the near future, because they are the people who will help you on your way whatever it is.

So if you're a doctor or health professional thinking about career change I would say go for it. I have loved every minute of the move I've made and it has been a fantastic journey of learning and discovery. What has been most rewarding is that I've finally found out how to listen to my heart. A few years ago I saw a postcard in a shop that said "When your heart speaks, listen" I liked it so much I didn't buy it, but remembered it. What I discovered though was that my heart had been shouting, for several years, but my mind had refused to translate, and that was why I wasn't happy. Once I learned to listen to what my heart was saying, and translate it into something actionable, I suddenly got a whole lot happier.

My company is called Claritus, the website is in development, and our first course will be in September. 

Enjoy the summer sunshine.

Judith