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Most of the limitations we experience in our life are placed there by us.
We limit ourselves with where we live, how and where we work, who we spend our time with, and how we treat ourselves and the people around us.
Because of our self-imposed limitations, we feel sudden bursts of urgency when we have to make decisions.
That is to say, we experience a feeling of (what seems like) externally applied pressure that clouds our judgement and induces stress.
The most common 2 pressures that we all experience:
– Time Pressure
– Money Pressure
Stop trapping yourself
Locum contract work as a clinician requires you to be flexible, disciplined, diversified, and prepared.
It also means you have to be brutally honest with yourself in order to determine your limits and values as applied to the intersection of your personal and work lives.
The worst thing you can do as a contract or per diem clinician is to artificially limit yourself because of fear.
You can’t be in a rush to get a lackluster contract and you can’t be desperate for the income.
Patience is a virtue, but you need the personality and the bank account to make things work.
That’s why the biggest limitation facing those that reach out to discuss their situation is financial.
Here’s an example of a friend of mine that I posted on LinkedIn recently:
3 car payments ~$2k + insurance (leased G wagon, 2 other financed high end luxury cars)
$15k+ mortgage (Very High Cost of Living area in NYC outer tri-state area)
average household monthly spend is ~$10k/month
spouse doesn’t work
If everything rides on you making almost $50k/month before taxes JUST TO BREAK EVEN then maybe this line of work isn’t for you.
When your income isn’t guaranteed and when contracts come and go… this is too risky.
There is no urgency
Any and every feeling of pressure is entirely your own creation: you could have spent less, you could have worked less, you could have better chosen your spouse, you could have planned your exit in advance, etc.
However you got to the locum contract world – SLOW DOWN. Time is on your side and so is the money, but not if you let the tail wag the dog.
Get your finances, family, and house in order first.
Disclaimer*:
This isn’t for everyone; do what’s best for your family and your risk tolerance.
Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help:
1) Let’s talk through what choosing your own path through medicine looks like. Over the phone, confidential, free:
https://calendly.com/tonyvullo/20min
2) Free Guides and Resources to Help You Reclaim Your Time and Autonomy:
