Career and Life Planning Guidebook for Medical Residents

the needs of my patients.” But what’s your purpose beyond becoming or “being” a physician? What about the other roles in our life, such as son/ daughter, mom/dad, friend, community member, colleague, employee, employer, physician, mentor/ mentee? What type of life do you want to lead? So, howdoyou identifyyourDefinitenessofPurpose? First, you need to think on an entirely different level – a deep and meaningful way. The second habit of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is “Beginwith the end inmind.” In the excerpt below, Covey takes you through a mental exercise to help you identify each of the roles we play in life. In order to get the most out of the metaphor, clear your mind and open your heart: In your mind’s eye, see yourself going to the funeral of a loved one. Picture yourself driving to the funeral parlor or chapel, parking the car, and getting out. As you walk inside the building, you notice the flowers, the soft organ music. You see the faces of friends and family you pass along the way. You feel the shared sorrow of losing, the joy of having known, that radiates from the hearts of the people there. As you walk down to the front of the room and look inside the casket, you suddenly come face to face with yourself. This is your funeral, three years from today. All these people have come to honor you, to express feelings of love and appreciation for your life. As you take a seat and wait for the services to begin, you look at the program in your hand. There are to be four speakers. The first is from your family, immediate and extended —children, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents who have come from all over the country to attend. The second speaker is one of your friends, someone who can give a sense of what you were as a person. The third speaker is from your work or profession. And the fourth is from your church or some community organization where you’ve been involved in service. Now think deeply. What would you like each of these speakers to say about you and your life? What kind of husband, wife, father, or mother would like their words to reflect? What kind of son or daughter or cousin? What kind of friend? What kind of working associate? What character would you like them to have seen in you? What contributions, what achievements would you want them to remember? Look carefully at the people around you. What difference would you like to have made in their lives? Designing Your Life and Career in Medicine 15 WWW.PHYSICIANCAREERPLANNING.COM