How to Find Freedom in Your Medical Career

“If you start to think of freedom as a state of mind, it has a whole different meaning in your body,” says Dr. Lara Salyer as she explores redefining freedom within the medical profession. Recounting her journey from burnout to a revitalized career, Dr. Salyer shares how she reshaped her definition of freedom to extend far beyond financial wealth, emphasizing autonomy, creativity, and personal well-being.

Dr. Salyer recalls the traditional motivations that draw many into medicine—job security and financial stability—and challenges these conventional markers of success. She shares stories from fellow healthcare professionals who found greater freedom through unexpected avenues: one found joy and a renewed sense of self in dance classes; another realized that reducing their workload enhanced their personal freedom; and a third embraced the simple choice of selecting their breakfast as a symbol of autonomy.

By encouraging her listeners to discard limiting beliefs of what freedom must look like, Dr. Salyer promotes a reimagined approach to medical careers that prioritizes personal values and well-being alongside professional achievements. Her message is clear: reevaluating your concept of freedom can lead to more rewarding and sustainable careers in healthcare.

Quotes

• “Most of our conceptions around freedom, when you boil it down, it does pertain to financial wealth. And that's very narrow when you think about it.” (03:15 | Dr. Lara Salyer)

• “If we aren’t clear about what freedom means to us personally, we can run the risk of chasing after the wealthy dream of someone else. And that really isn't our unique definition of freedom.” (03:53 | Dr. Lara Salyer)

• “Freedom has a larger definition when you strip away just the end results of finances. If you start to think of freedom as a state of mind, it has a whole different meaning in your body.” (05:15 | Dr. Lara Salyer)

• “Freedom doesn’t just land on your lap, just like creativity doesn’t just land on your shoulder and inspire a book or a novel or an art project. You need to practice this muscle every day, the sixth vital sign of creativity. You need to look for opportunities to be playful and creative, just like you need to look for daily affirmations of freedom wherever it shows up in your life. You must initiate them. And the way I like to advise practitioners to look for ways of freedom is being mindful of how their body feels.” (06:18 | Dr. Lara Salyer) 

Links

Catalyst Archetype Quiz: https://3nb09zv7070.typeform.com/archetype?typeform-source=mail.google.com

Episode 6: Quick Interactive Core Value Exercise to Unlock Lightning Fast Decision Making: https://drlarasalyer.com/2022/04/01/episode-6-quick-interactive-core-value-exercise-to-unlock-lightning-fast-decision-making/

Connect with Lara: 

Website: https://drlarasalyer.com

The Catalyst Way: https://drlarasalyer.com/catalyst

Instagram: @drlarasalyer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drlarasalyer

Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlarasalyer/

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/DrLaraSalyer

TikTok: @Creativity.Doctor

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm