“Flowing with Purpose” – 2021

Gros Ventre River

Bridger–Teton National Forest, WY

Purpose and Relevance: Your Lifelong Companions

The personal feeling of relevance is closely intertwined with the actualization of your potential and more specifically, the fulfillment of your purpose in life.

Perhaps, it is most commonly thought of as a sense of pride in oneself, in part as a result of a lifetime of accomplishments, both personal and professional. This is particularly the case when such accomplishments were attained in the service of others.

The need to feel relevant is an integral element of the human experience. It is a desire that knows no boundaries: age, sex, race, language, geography, occupation or vocation.

It is widely experienced and yet it is ultimately quite personal.

The Companions on My Journey: Purpose and Relevance

My career as a plastic surgeon unexpectedly came to an end due to significant medical problems. Happily, years later, I am cured, healthy and well.

At...

Gibbon Falls – 2021

Yellowstone National Park, WY

 Your Path to Renewal, Growth, and Fulfillment After Your Career

One morning, as you sip your coffee, you take a moment to enjoy the tranquility. You feel a sense of satisfaction. But then, an unexpected thought enters your mind—your transition away from your career and the life that awaits beyond it. A smile forms as you imagine the possibilities; yet there’s also a flicker of uncertainty.

Mixed emotions—excitement and apprehension—surface, much like the sweetener dissolving in your cup.

You wonder if others feel the same way, how successful professionals navigate this shift, and when you should begin addressing these evolving thoughts.

One thing is clear: planning is essential.

From Success to Uncertainty: A Professional’s Journey

Meet Alex, a fictional character who embodies the experiences of accomplished professionals, whether physicians, executives, business leaders, or entrepreneurs.

Alex finds himself at a pivotal stage...

Upper Yosemite Falls – 2017

Yosemite National Park, CA

Your Career Transition is a Defining Process

Your career transition is one of the most defining experiences of your professional and personal life. While it marks the close of a distinguished career, it also signifies a new beginning—one that requires thoughtful planning and execution. Whether anticipated with excitement or uncertainty, the path forward is best approached with strategic preparation and clarity of purpose.

Understanding the Transition Process 

High-performing professionals—whether physicians, business owners, executives, or entrepreneurs—are accustomed to making complex decisions. However, transitioning from a long-standing career presents unique challenges that extend beyond daily business operations. This is a process, not an event, requiring careful attention to personal, financial, and professional transformation. The key to a smooth transition lies in having a structured methodology to guide your decision-...

 “Steadfast with Purpose” – 2010 

Courthouse Butte

Sedona, AZ

How Conviction and Clarity Sustain Your Purpose

It's common in our culture for individuals to define themselves by what they do—their title, profession, or vocation. This is often evident in social settings when someone asks: “What do you do for a living?” or “What kind of work do you do?” Rarely does someone ask: “Tell me about yourself?”

Why is this the case? The reasons are both cultural and personal.

Culturally, we are conditioned from an early age to associate identity with occupation. Consider how children are frequently asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” rather than, “What kind of person do you want to become?” Over time, this emphasis on “what” rather than “who” can obscure our deeper sense of self.

Yet, clarity of identity is not about titles or roles. You are not merely a “human doing,” but rather a human being, shaped by core principles and values. 

Life’s Exclamation Points 

We commonly li...

The Teton Range – 2010

Grand Teton National Park, WY

 Sometimes the Obstacles Are Not Financial

Professionals as well as business leaders commonly spend their careers mastering their craft, making critical decisions, and leading their enterprises successfully. Yet, when it comes to stepping away from their daily role, they may find themselves at an unfamiliar impasse. The concept of "retirement" seems foreign—an ending rather than a transition. The latter is a more accurate term that describes what it is: a process that has the explicit purpose of you experiencing fulfillment in the next great phase of your life.

While some embrace this change with eagerness, others find themselves hesitant, burdened by lingering impediments. These varied obstacles may be professional, psychological, financial, business-related as well as others. They can stall even the most well-planned transitions. By recognizing and addressing these challenges, you can move beyond reluctance and embrace your ant...

Sierra Nevada – 2023

Nevada

Crafting a Meaningful Legacy

Embarking on the journey of transition from your career as a plastic surgeon, is akin to sculpting a masterpiece. It requires pre-visualization, meticulous planning and effective execution. As plastic surgeons, our careers are marked by precision and transformation, and it's only fitting that we approach the transition from our professional lives with the same level of care and attention to detail.

The Surgeon's Blueprint for Transition

Your path to career transition is a significant life milestone, demanding thoughtful preparation well in advance. The complexity of this endeavor is not to be underestimated, and it calls for a dedicated, methodical approach. You may find yourself pondering:

• When do I initiate this process?
• Which steps are critical to my transition?
• In what sequence should these steps be undertaken?

From my own experience, I can assure you that the most remarkable achievements are born from thorough s...

Evergreens Amidst Renewal - 2010

Sierra Nevada, NV

 Embracing Change: A Personal and Professional Renewal

As a seasoned physician, the prospect of transitioning away from a life's work can be a complex and multifaceted journey. It requires a meticulous blend of personal readiness, professional realignment, and practice preparation. In this article, we delve into the nuances of preparing for this significant life event, ensuring that you, as a an accomplished member of the medical profession, are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary for a smooth and rewarding transition.

The transition from a thriving career to the next chapter of your life is not merely a change; it is a metamorphosis that requires introspection and strategic planning. The initial phase of this journey is deeply personal. It is the bedrock upon which you will design your framework as it relates to you professionally and your practice.

This transformative process is a testament to your life's work and an...

The Teton Range – 2013

Grand Teton National Park, WY

 How to Make Solid Progress on Your Path

Your career transition is one of the most significant events of your lifetime that marks the beginning of the next phase of your life.

It’s common to experience joy of anticipation, some apprehension and frequently, a blend of both. Whether you are looking forward to it or not, the creation and execution of plans is essential to your success. Regardless of your outlook, the  reality is that the planning and execution of those plans is time consuming and challenging for you and your staff. Here is an orderly approach to manage it successfully.

An early, critical decision on you part, is to commit to and lead your staff through the process. Become aware and manage challenges effectively through proactive, timely planning. This goes a long way to banish the stress of the unknown and help make the process a much more positive experience.

What are these challenges and related questions?

What...

Evanescence – 2018

Nevada

On Taming Time

To contemplate the passage of time and how you perceive it, is a subject of wonder since the beginning of time.

Early humans pondered the coming and going of the sun and moon while keeping warm by a campfire near their cave. In the twenty-first century, we ponder and wonder about the same rhythms of life as we mark time on a digital clock.

The rotation of the earth on its axis that creates day and night is the same now as it was in antiquity

The rotational march of the earth around the sun that creates the seasons and marks the years, is the same now as it was then.

So it is, that the objective march of time, was and is the same for all of us. 

But there are three things that differentiates you and I as individuals:

• How we choose to use the precious time of our lives.
• How those choices reflect how we value our time…and our desired lifestyle.
• How we perceive the speed at which time passes. 

These three factors are very much relate...

Waves of Snow – 2010

Bridger – Teton National Forest, WY 

The Influence of Language on Your Perspective

The end of your career is one of the most significant events of your life. It’s a time when you may feel joy, pride, excitement, grief, regret, uncertainty, and other feelings that are unique to you.

You may be looking forward to this new phase of your life with stressful uncertainty or joyful  anticipation…or perhaps both.  For many, it’s also a time when you may experience a sense of loss of what you are leaving behind. 

An optimistic view is that this is a moment that presents you with the opportunity for ongoing personal evolution manifested as renewal and fulfillment.

Life Lessons

I have experienced some of those feelings and more, including these lessons and observations:

• One, is my own end of career transition. It was difficult and painful. But it provided me the challenge to evolve and succeed again on my terms, in the service of others.
• The source of my second les
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