Imagine a brand new veterinary school graduate walking past you and out of the graduation ceremony, degree in hand. Just before they pass out of the building and into the blinding sunlight beyond, they pause and turn back to you. “Do you have any last pieces of advice?”
What would you say in this brief moment? I’ve been thinking about that for the last few days. I think I’d rattle off these five things as quickly as I could and then wish them luck. Here goes:
- Remember veterinary medicine is a journey – The person who loves to walk will go much farther than the person who just wants to reach a destination. Learn to love the walk, not the endpoints you think will make you happy.
- Don’t stress so much – He who suffers before he needs to, suffers longer than he has to. Whenever you find yourself starting to worry, ask yourself “What can I do right this moment to improve my situation?” Then do that.
- Be intentional with your attention – Your life is controlled by what you focus on. Resist making unkind assumptions, dwelling on the negative, and ruminating on things you can’t control. (These things include: the past, the future, and other people)
- Be present and part of the group – There is nothing better you can do for your happiness and your ability to do your job than to truly know the people around you. Don’t sequester yourself among the veterinarians. Become an interconnected piece of the fabric making up your practice and community.
- Take online veterinary medicine with a grain of salt – Social media incentivizes negativity, extremism, moral and emotional language, and in-group/out-group conflict. Your emotional energy is precious. Don’t let it get taken from you so some corporation can generate ad revenue.
If I could tick these 5 things off and then shake the new grad’s hand, that’s what I’d do. How about you? If you had this opportunity, what would you say?
