Decide First, Plan Second.

Changing your stressful work situation is often hindered by fear of risk and loss.

What will you do for health insurance? How will you pay off your school loans? How will you pay your kids’ tuition?

But planning before you firmly decide to make your change is perilous. Planning before deciding might prolong damage to your physical and emotional health or even cause you to give up on the idea altogether.

I was a guest at an event for physicians transitioning into entrepreneurism from clinical medicine. The fear of losing benefits was palpable and real. Financial fear can be so overwhelming that we stop our dreams in their tracks, resigning our change to a “right” time that may never come.

Although this and other responsibilities are real concerns, having a clear plan is not the first step.

Change requires a breaking, a severing, of the ties to your present status quo. Your new future demands a shift in attachments.

First and foremost, be committed to your change. How badly do you want it? Make a quality decision that you will have new Mondays no matter the cost, and you’ll find that each component of your downstream plan to do just that will be addressed.

Once your decision is made in power and intention, resources come. Ideas come. Seeking out answers becomes energized. What you need to do crystalizes quickly.

Decision facilitates action.

Decision frees potential.

Decision resets your subconscious mind on a new frequency.

Decision makes you responsible and accountable.

The additional magic of decision is persistence. Even if you discover you won’t be able to make the change for another six months, or twelve months, you won’t give up. You won’t stop scheming. And you may find your time frame shortening as you do so.

You can also craft a temporary plan that becomes more firm later. Situations are typically not all-or-nothing. Plans can evolve by degrees.

Regarding pursuing new work, the who, what, when, where, why, and how are at the intersection of inspiration and heart. But you’re 100% responsible for the If. Your firm decision is the If.

Decide first, plan second.

Change by its very nature involves uncertainty and risk. But it also involves serendipity, surprise, adventure, and adaptability.

Decide first with full intention of success and watch what happens.

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Are you a stressed woman physician who hates Mondays? You can make new ones! Visit https://evolvedphysician.com for job stress/burnout resources and coaching.

And snag the free Evolved Work Action tool to see where you are with your current work and get suggestions on your next steps: https://www.evolvedphysician.com/pl/279448