Why Are You Considering a Change? You believe it’s expected of you.

You’re smart, so others expect you to be employed in a career that requires “brains.” In my generation, for example, you were expected to be a doctor or a lawyer if you finished at the top of your class. Maybe you have a certain skill set, like being artistic or musically inclined, so people expect you to pursue a career path that matches your skills. That niche skill may be something you thoroughly enjoy.

For some, however, that special skill can become a burden due to other people’s expectations. You may have a great voice but not enjoy singing in public.

Your happiness is the most important happiness, so if the expectations held by others don’t make you happy, think long and hard about going down that route. The fear that you’ll disappoint someone by choosing a different path shouldn’t stop you from going in a direction you’ll enjoy. Also keep in mind that what you think other people expect of you may not be accurate. Perceptions are often not the truth. A discussion with the individual(s) you believe you are disappointing can lift a great weight off your shoulders!

Let me provide an example of this based on my own experience. Dr. Daniels provided me with an opportunity, yet I decided to leave that role for financial reasons: I’d been accepted into an MBA program, and I couldn’t maintain a full-time position as a medical director in both an urgent care setting and in an emergency department. With college tuition looming for me and both of my daughters, I chose to resign the urgent care role and keep the emergency department medical director position because it offered a higher salary.

I was very nervous and upset, thinking I was letting Dr. Daniels down by leaving my urgent care directorship. I called him and, in a shaky voice, told him my decision, dreading what he would say. I was so surprised by his response! “What took you so long?” he asked me. “I’ve been waiting for you to get your MBA!” You might likewise be surprised when you find out that you’re not disappointing somebody, after all!

Maybe staying in the family business is expected of you. It’s hard to turn your back when someone has worked so hard to grow a business in the expectation that you’ll take it over someday. This is a difficult conversation for sure, but keep in mind the common theme running throughout this book: Be honest with yourself when you answer the question of “What really makes me happy?” You have one life to live. You should not wake up each morning and do something that doesn’t support your personal well-being.

Excerpted from Career Prescription Guide: A Physician’s Guide for Career Transformation or Advancement (American Association for Physician Leadership, 2025).