In the course of working with hundreds of clients and prospective clients, we run into what we call “The Doctor Syndrome” more often than we would like. You probably know this person, even though they may not be a doctor. Here’s how The Doctor Syndrome works.
A person has tons of drive and smarts. They set their sights high on a particular career since an early age, possibly even since grade school. Because they are the driven type, they make the sacrifices needed to get into that career. And they indeed make it into that “dream” career…
isn’t that fun after all.
We call this The Doctor Syndrome because doctors often fall into this pitfall. However, it can just as easily apply to teachers, attorneys, clergy, stockbrokers, accountants, pilots… almost any career with some prestige involved.
Why does this happen so often? …
Here’s a real life example of The Doctor’s Syndrome that explains how this happens, only instead of a doctor, this is with a pastor.
Pam set her sights on becoming a pastor. She went to four years of undergraduate school followed by four years in a Theology Graduate School. Then she did on-the-job training at her church.
She loved the training and excelled in school. After almost eight years of training, while she was an assistant pastor she found out she didn’t fit. This wasn’t just a problem of fit in her church. Her basic makeup didn’t fit being a pastor. She wasn’t a pastor at her core.
Here’s why Pam and many others fall into this trap. Typically, people make decisions about their career for the wrong reasons… prestige, money, what their parents did, job “opportunities”.
Once they make the selection, they then put the blinders on and line up their education and develop their skill sets to qualify themselves for that career. On paper, they look great. They have the skill sets. They have the background. The only problem is, even though they acquire the “skills” to become that occupation, they can’t hide the fact that their core is screaming for something else.
- STEP TWO – Once you know your core (your Given Talent), then get very clear on what careers encourage and embrace your Given Talent. Don’t choose careers for any other reason. Obviously, find a career using your Given Talent that will support your lifestyle, too.
- STEP THREE – Then and only then, begin narrowing down your career fields using your Given Talent as your compass. If you’re thinking about being a doctor, meet with a doctor and tell them about your Given Talent (you at the core). You’re looking for whether your “raw natural you” fits the position. Resist the urge to tell them about the training you intend to take or have already taken.
- STEP FOUR – Finally, once you’ve found a career that fits your core, then it’s just a matter of lining up the skill sets and certifications to make that happen.
Most people select their career around their accumulated skill set, instead of accumulating their skill set to support a career that uses their Given Talent. They typically completely skip completely steps one and two which are the most important steps.
That’s the cure for the doctor’s syndrome. Know your core first, and then find the career that fits you at the core. Finally, fill in the skills and certifications you need to get into that career. Don’t get those steps out of order, doctor, unless you want to catch the common career.
As always, have some fun with just being YOU!!
Author:
Dave Dutton – Founder of Dave Dutton – Founder of stuckinarut.com – Answering the question for all ages, “What do I want to be when I grow up.”
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Dorothy Tannahill-Moran 
Harry Urschel 
