"Dreamy" – 2024

Hebgen Lake, MT

The Personal Experience

The upcoming transition from your career comes with a blend of thoughts and feelings that vary widely. They reflect the temperament, personalities and circumstances of those of you who are anticipating it or actually going through it.

Pondering vs. Planning and Acting 

The thinking that relates to planning can range from delayed and minimal to proactive and substantial. In the case of the former, the results are often evident as a much less favorable outcome than what it could have been with timely planning and execution. The latter approach is usually manifested by a significantly greater degree of success and satisfaction. 

The feelings that you will likely experience can also vary widely: from joy of anticipation to downright dread. The former is commonly experienced by of those who plan proactively, whereas the latter is more likely the outcome for those who do not.

How You Benefit

Proactive, deliberate planning to ach...

“Clear Path Amidst Shadows” – 2022

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Your Career Transition Is a Stimulus for Personal Development

The transition from a career is commonly thought of as an ending, so much so that it has the term “retirement” associated with it. Various dictionaries describe the term as to discard, refuse, banish, etc. Indeed, the inevitable connotation is that of an ending of something. It is clear that “retirement,” as commonly used, is about a career that has come to its inevitable end. Notwithstanding our anticipation for joyful fun, I ask: Is that all there is to it?

I have lived intimately through this experience and have had discussions with many professionals and leaders over the years. I affirm that there is much more to this than is commonly thought and spoken about. So much so that it is very evident that “retirement” does not accurately describe what this is about. 

Primarily for these reasons, I write and speak about “transition.” This is a term that descr...

“Which Way?” – 2010

Ruby–throated Hummingbird 

Grand Teton National Park, WY

 Empowered Choices Forge a Life of Freedom

The time to move forward from your professional role is approaching.

Your vision for the next phase is becoming more clear.

You are increasingly confident that the ideas you have imagined are ready to take shape.

Your smile reflects the joy of anticipation.

You take a slow, intentional breath that underscores the pride you feel for what you have accomplished.

You sense deeply that the life you are designing now is one you have truly earned.

To that, I say: Well earned, well deserved.

New Horizons, New Insights

This is your season to dream, plan and experience your new lifestyle. As you do so, you will probably experience a variety of profound feelings. 

You may experience relief and joy for what you will soon be leaving behind as well as a sense of loss and the grief that accompanies it. For most, it is usually not one or the other. It is common for these...

“Flowing Forward” – 2020

Madison River

Yellowstone National Park, WY

Foundations of Your Next Phase

The transition away from a demanding professional role, whether as an entrepreneur, executive, or business owner, is typically a long-term process. When approached thoughtfully, it progresses through well-ordered phases, each one building on the momentum of the previous one.The most difficult of these phases is often the first. This is when you begin to acknowledge that your active role is winding down and that your professional identity is about to evolve. Your reaction may be one of excitement, concern, or a blend of both.

Whatever your emotional response, it is common to experience a mix of anticipation and a sense of loss. The most productive mindset is to view this as a purposeful transition, one that invites renewal and fulfillment.

“Retirement” closes doors; transition opens new ones.

Action vs. Reaction

To gain the greatest value from this transition, you must take timely...

“Aiming High” – 2006

Yosemite National Park, CA

Renewal Begins with Reflection and Design

One fine morning, coffee in hand, you savor the last sip of your custom brew. Peace surrounds you…until a fleeting thought disturbs the calm: you have been thinking more often about your career transition and your new lifestyle. A smile emerges, but it is followed by a subtle undercurrent of angst.

These are mixed emotions: joy and apprehension. They swirl in your mind, stirred like the sweetener in your coffee. You wonder: How do others experience this? When should you begin preparing for it? How do successful professionals, business leaders, and executives manage this shift?

You sense that you must do something.

From Success to Uncertainty: A Common Experience

You may be someone who has excelled at building a career: one founded on vision, strategy and disciplined execution. Whether you are a physician, executive or business owner, your internal identity has been shaped by fulfilling resp...

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River – 2023

Yellowstone National Park, WY

As physicians, we are accustomed to meticulous attention to detail in designing treatment plans, their precise execution and providing exceptional patient care. But when it comes to envisioning our own futures beyond medicine, many of us falter. The transition from a long-standing career into an undefined next phase can feel uncertain, even daunting. Yet, just as the most breathtaking sunrises are experienced deliberately by those who wake early and prepare for them, a remarkable post-career life is not left to chance—it is intentionally designed.

Your transition is not about endings, but rather about crafting a new phase of life with purpose and clarity. What will your next sunrise look like? And more importantly, how will you ensure it is as spectacular as the life you have experienced so far?

Creating a Vision Beyond the White Coat

Too often, physicians resist thinking about the future beyond their clini...

“Paths Amidst Impediments” – 2022

Haena Beach, Kauai, HI

Finding Clarity in Complexity

The time may have come when recurring thoughts about transitioning from your career have begun to surface. These ideas may range from specific to vague. After reflecting for some time, you may realize that significant time has passed without clarity on what to do next, when to act or how to proceed. Yet, the challenge remains.

You are not alone in this common experience.

At some point, a strong internal desire will emerge: to make progress, to prepare yourself for what comes next, both personally and professionally. Hopefully, it is not too late to achieve the outcome you envision.

When You Know It Is Time

Over time, you will reach certain conclusions: when to step away from your current role, what you will pursue afterward, how to manage your ongoing responsibilities and much more.

Often, those answers remain tentative, since the transition process is largely unfamiliar. The deeper you explo...

Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides) – 2009

Florida

Your Future Is Built on Today's Decisions

Stepping away from a career you have dedicated your life to is a profound milestone — one that demands deliberate preparation long before the actual moment of transition.

Early in the process, you will realize the magnitude and complexity of what lies ahead. With this realization comes an understanding that achieving a successful transition will require purposeful focus over an extended period. Naturally, you will be confronted by a triad of pivotal questions:

•  What should I do?
•  When should I take action?
•  How do I navigate this path?

 The Starting Point for Your Journey

The first step involves preparing across three essential domains.

First, it is necessary to prepare yourself personally for the exciting next stage of your life. Equally important is recognizing that your spouse or life partner, and in many ways your family, will be transitioning alongside you.

Second, you must prepar...

The Grand Teton, Mt. Owen and Teewinot Mountain – 2022

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Your Lifestyle as Art

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.

There are some things in life like faith, family, country, etc. that require serious respect and appreciation. Then there are others that stimulate a special sort of devotion. For me they are,  among other things, fly-fishing and landsca...

“Pondering” – 2020

Mourning Dove

Nevada

Wise Choices Support Personal Freedom

The transition from your career is approaching.

Your vision for the next phase of your life is coming into sharper focus.

You feel increasingly confident that the dreams sparked by your imagination will soon become your reality.

Your smile reflects joy of anticipation.

You take a slow, deep breath, embodying the satisfaction of what you have achieved throughout your life.

You feel a profound conviction that you have earned the life you aspire to live, and it feels incredible.

Well earned, well deserved!

As I wrote these words, they came naturally. They mirror my own experience and that of others I know.

The Emotional Terrain of Transition

This is your time to dream, plan, act, and witness the unfolding of your aspirations. Amidst the excitement, it is also the perfect moment to apply the skills and wisdom cultivated over the course of your career to this new, exciting phase of life.

You will lik...