Grand Prismatic Spring – 2022

Yellowstone National Park, WY

Who Am I Now? 

The end of your career doesn’t just signal a change in how time is spent. For many, it calls forth a deeper question: Who am I now that my role is has ended?

This is not a theoretical question. It is a deeply personal experience. For those who have invested decades in a role that influenced how others saw them and how they may have seen themselves, it can feel like something essential has been lost. But what if this moment isn’t about losing your identity, but reaffirming it?

You Were Never Just the Role

For many professionals, their role was both practical and symbolic. It offered structure, recognition and a sense of belonging. Being a surgeon, professor, executive or leader wasn’t just a title. It became a sort of identity shorthand. Amidst the rush of life, it was often easier to relate to that than to pause and ask yourself: Who am I, really?

Letting go of that role, whether by choice or by circumsta...

“Solitude” – 2019

Lake Tahoe, NV, CA

When Structure Disappears

Many professionals imagine that the day their career ends will feel like a welcome exhale: time to rest, reflect, and enjoy long-awaited freedom. But when that day arrives, some find that the quiet they hoped for feels more like a pause they didn’t expect. Instead of calm, they may encounter disorientation. Instead of relief, a lingering uncertainty.

It’s not uncommon to find yourself rising early, as if preparing for work, only to discover that the urgency is gone, but the habit remains. For years, even decades, your time may have been devoted to others: patients, clients, students, or teams. When that rhythm disappears, the blank space can feel foreign.

The shift can be surprising, even for those who have looked forward to it. It’s often not the tasks or the pace that are missed, it’s the comfort of being needed, feeling relevant  and knowing what comes next.

You Didn’t Choose Your Schedule, Your Career Did

Over th...

McArthur–Burney Falls – 2020

California

Exploring the Key Factors That Influence Your Transition Journey

It is common for individuals to look forward to their transition from their career. There are others who, for variety of reasons, do not look forward to it. Both have in common some degree of apprehension born of many concerns that coexist with their positive aspirations. Yet, this is not an either/or perspective. Indeed, there are varied attitudes that differ greatly, as they reflect diverse personal and professional concerns.

Amidst these seemingly opposite viewpoints, there is yet another major one that is relatively common. It is that of colleagues that derive so much satisfaction from their professional role that they just want to stay with it for as long as they are able.

I know professionals that have each of these major perspectives. It is common to see a blend of these as well. As I reflect on my personal experience, understanding of human nature as well as that of the...

"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...