Oct. 24, 2019

#16: Making moves fearlessly, with Dr. Cody Creelman

#16: Making moves fearlessly, with Dr. Cody Creelman
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Season 1

When we started organising this episode with our guest he was neck-deep, or shall we say shoulder-deep, into clinical cow practice. However, the last few weeks have seen some major changes in the life of Dr. Cody Creelman, Cow Vet.  Up until about 3 weeks before we recorded this episode Cody Creelman was a veterinarian, multiple practice owner, and digital storyteller based in Alberta, Canada. Cody shares his story in real-time on social media by creating entertaining and educational videos of his daily adventures. With over 20 million video views, he has created a very loyal following of ranchers, veterinary professionals, and the general public, and it's easy to see why: his videos are tonnes of fun, and his can-do positive attitude towards work is truly inspiring.  So it was a total shock to his fans (and to anyone trying to research him for a podcast!) when he announced that he was quitting clinical work and pursuing new adventures.  Join us for an insightful conversation about change, passion, fun, fear, and to hear what the future holds for Dr Cody Creelman. Enjoy!

Good evening.Ladies and gentlemen, this is Gerardo Poli. and this sorry one of the best bits of advice I've ever received was to find good mentors and to learn from them trusted people who have already done what you're trying to do.
Now.I've been fortunate throughout my career to have some fantastic mentors to help guide me, but I realize that they'd be hard to find and also hard to commit the time to 1.This is why we've gathered some of the best Minds from the Brittany world and squeeze them for their wisdom so that you don't have to learn the hard way.
With the help of our guests, we flip the veterinary profession on its back and explore its soft underbelly to find the tips tools and inspiration that you'll need to build the career that you've always wanted.I'm Gerardo Poli.I'm Hubert him strapped and this is the vent valve.When we started organizing today's episode with our guests, he was Neck Deep or shoulder deep into clinical cow practice for the last few weeks have seeds are major changes in the life of Cody crewman how that up until about three weeks before we recorded this episode.
Dr. Cody creelman was a veterinarian multiple practice owner and digital story teller based in Alberta, Canada.Cody has shared his Story in real time on social media by creating entertaining and educational videos of his daily Adventures.Over 20 million video views.
He has created a very loyal following of ranches bitter professionals and the general public.I will say that as someone with no clinical interest in production animal work live until recently never watched any of his videos, which is my loss.I've discovered that his videos are tons of fun and he's can do positive attitude towards work is truly inspiring.
It was a total shock to his fans and to anyone researching for a podcast when he announced he was quitting clinical work and pursuing new adventures.Join us for an insightful conversation about change passion fun fear.And what the future holds for dr.
Cody creelman.Well at this job did Welcome to the podcast Cody.Thank you very much.Thank you so much for joining us.I'm not sure.What do we call you at the moment?It's the pits Cody creelman calvet or what?Only what's your new title?
I haven't figured it out yet either.I like the sounds of retired vet.That's okay.Great creelman unemployed race on employees Works to somebody just did a blog spot on me.
What did they call me?They call me an entrepreneur former.Veterinarian.Oh, wow and family man.Oh, well, there were true.But for me.Veterinarian is it wrong?It's that's right.Yeah, exactly the not once a veterinarian always a veterinarian unless you lose your license, I guess so, let me see thing to do.
It is an extremely difficult thing to do.It is near I tell vet students this all the time.It is nearly impossible to lose your license in Canada.Yum.I've spoken to a couple young veterinarian to being taken to the board.
And yeah, they'd scares the absolute shit out of them.And and one of the the biggest fears when we asked them is like what are your biggest fears is like fears are getting sued fears can soon feed and be taken losing your lies.Yeah, I live.
There's not in Canada.There's not much of a litigation culture here certainly people get sued and there's you know, we have a very sort of British style type of legal system, but it's not anything nearly what it is in the states.So like getting sued is not something you know, that's only if I'm thinking about truly wrongdoing somebody within the labor code, you know, the personal damages emotional damages stuff like that.
That's the pretty difficult to do.Canada is possible.But yeah, the the our vet Med Association are complaints director.He's the nicest guy in the world.I was terrified of him when I was a graduate because that's that's what you think.
You're like.Oh, you know they're they're against us but that's not true at all.It's protecting the public interest but protecting the public so so there is absolutely it is it is very difficult.There was a veterinarian recently in my Province who Who did lose his license but he went to the tribunal.
I must be like six or seven times over the last seven years.Hmm.Okay, and then he sounds like as if that's probably a reason for wanting he lost his license.So I hope that was a legit reason.So but as we will come back to the place where you're at now but qubits shared with me that In Dave Nichols podcast blunt dissection you shared quite openly about your journey into vet school and and your journey through vet school in the I suppose we without recapping that what what kind of things did you learn about the about your journey that you could share to well mallesons.
Yeah.I definitely appreciated my conversation with David it always a kind of lends itself as kind of timestamps in your journey and career.R so I remember that conversation well and he's a great guy I've learned a ton is you know over over this this journey of you know, leaving my clinical practice leaving the place that I thought I was going to be for the next 40 years.
It has been I think the biggest lesson was what I learned from other people from sharing my story openly and as you guys know I typically share most of What's going on in my life through the various channels?
So what happened was is just the thousands of messages that rolled in when I when I announced that I was leaving my clinical practice of people telling me their story and how how similar it is to to a lot of people or a lot of people opening up to me and saying like I'm in a position right now and you've now just given me the little bit extra strength that I needed to move on.
On to do what you know to do what you know is right to do what you know, you should be doing is just I think the biggest lesson is just an appreciation for how many people live in fear for not making a move in life.
Wow.That's and it kind of like making a move or taking action on something and like how long did you and it's did you learn that through your It says because from what I understand your journey into vet school was because it was pretty hard and you tried and tried and tried but is that something you learned from vet school, like taking action and and you know backing yourself and well, no, I don't I guess you know in it.
It was part of the first step and I think my my superpower is just believing in myself right believing in investing in myself.So when I'm faced with two decisions and one is What is the one where I'm investing back into myself?
That's usually the right decision for me.So so, you know, I see seeds of that developing when I was in vet school, but it is still always hard.You know, we for me to start sharing my story on social media that that was a scary thing to overcome right believing in myself that I that I feel like doing the storytelling is the right thing for me and the same thing for for making the Since I made to leave my practice believe once again believing in myself, but it was not easy.
Like there was there was days there was a weeks where I was going to the gym at night.Just just raging listening to these like powerful motivational like YouTube videos, which I never do just trying to like pump my brain into a place of like face the fear and do what you know is right mmm, it's super cliche is like almost embarrassing to say say but yeah, that was like blasting in my eardrums lifting weights being like I need to just do everything.
That's scary because it's the only way forward we would you say that it was something he was really powerful and it's kind of like you made a choice aligned with your values as opposed to because some people live their lives and they think happiness comes from buying, you know, nice cars or or you know, awesome toys.
Things like that, but then, you know the spike happiness goes away and then they got to find something new or whatever, but when they take action alignment with their values, like it doesn't really matter whether or not the decision made them happy or not.It's the fact that they're living in accordance to what's important to them.
Is that kind of how it felt for you?Yeah.No, that's a hundred percent.Right and part of that is is maybe a little maybe a little too optimistic, but I put And I always talked about how I have never had a bad day.
I've never had a day in my practice career where I did not want to run out the door and get to work.Like it was a hundred percent maximal happiness.And then I remember the 1% day right?There was just one little sort of sliver of like, ooh, what the hell?
Is that?What is that?What is that feeling?You know, maybe maybe I would want to stay stay home today.That's you know, just that and I'm not expecting everybody to have perfect days all the time.But I did I was a hundred percent maximally happy.I was I was able to do everything I wanted to but as the practice was changing strategically I knew in my yeah in the core of my my ethics and beliefs that that just was not the right place and I there was a lot of times that I was ready to quash it down that I was like well maybe I could live with it.
You know, we got a family here.Here a lot of security here a big paycheck here, but I've always spoke to students to like just do what makes you happy.You'll find it.So, yeah, you're exactly right and and then that 1% of unhappiness turned to 10% during the 25% And then I knew I was like the last thing I want is for me to become a bitter resentful person. it's a very very bright very bright step to take because there's a I want to say a lot of people probably the majority of people just put up with it because of that in its very comfortable in that rat that red wine not be the best place.
But once you're in it, it's scary out that side of it then you go and you put up with a lot for a lot of people and I'm like, I can't myself with one of them.There has to be a pretty hard push to make you jump to that to that next thing.Congratulations.
It's a it's a it's a big Brave move.I suppose then the the next question is right.Okay, so you made the call and you find yourself now, right and is but what you said before was that actually it's almost like the epitome of confidence right in that you have faith in yourself to be able to work shit out, right?
So, how do you feel now?Is it a feeling of Freedom or is it a feeling of Of you know still uncertainty and so forth like is the the unleashing and untaken off the shackles of where you were was it liberating for you or you know, what?
What's your thoughts where you are now?Yeah, absolutely extremely liberating.The best part of it is to not have fear and what anybody else is going to think about any of my actions at this point, right?And I'm not saying it's bad actions, but just making those decisions and not not worrying about What what sort of repercussions there's going to be?
It's a hundred percent liberating and free.I remember the day after I heard back from my lawyer and everything was done.I just had this this feeling of I don't have to feel that anymore.I don't have to feel this sort of like expectation that that I could literally do whatever I wanted was very freeing.
So it was All worth it.You know that at that Euphoria I have this catch line.Everything good in life is hard right that becoming a veterinarian is really good.But it's also really hard having kids is really really hard but it's also really really good having a spouse is really really good.
But it's also very very hard.And and that was the same thing for this like you can't you can't have both you can't have you can't have good and easy, right?Mmm-hmm.Yeah.I must admit it's a hard thing.I'm sure of Most of your audience I said, I've been watching a bunch of videos to try and get to know you for this and they just just very entertaining and what strikes me is how much fun you seem to be having and it seems so genuine a I know you're on camera.
So as I initially I was critical going.Yeah, he's faking it out.Nobody can love work that much but you genuinely do seem to love it.How do you say that motivated ways that drive and that motivation. from Yeah, you know you're exactly right.
I've said this a couple times of like I don't need to convince anybody of my passion.I have 400 videos go watch and and see it for yourself me saying that I was extremely passionate and absolutely loved what I what I do, you know, there's there's a video documentation and you can't you can't fake it for 400 million goes exactly as I say, I I love it so much.
You know, I am in love with this profession right people peoples have asked me why cows right?It has nothing to do with being a cow vet.It is it is being a veterinarian.I am in love with the future with the past the history the politics the business small animal Orthopedics large animal medicine.
Like I just really really love all aspects of this profession.But the biggest room thing for me is is I've never forgot how great Hateful, I was to be in this position either because I remember how sick I felt every single day before I got that letter into vet school and I've always sort of lived with the thought of remember like remembering what that would feel like, but imagine if you had to do that for the rest of your life if you didn't get into vet school because there's a lot of there's tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people who've now live the rest of their lives that for whatever circumstance whether that be family or academics or financial that didn't get too far.
Their dream and I got to I got to live the dream.I got to fulfill it and I didn't have to live the rest of my life thinking what if so that level of gratefulness.I've always taken with me and I always try to talk to people about it of like, could you imagine if you didn't get to fulfill this out?
I I don't know where my life would have been but I'm incredibly grateful so that gratefulness I think.Is a lot of what drives that just smile at the end of the day and what it's got to be stuff.
You didn't well anything about bitches and up a big asshole.Yeah.Well, that's exactly what it's snowing outside.There's if coveted cow poo if it's a lot of people that's not super magic and yet you are really should get it over with Things that get get you down or got you down then the the only thing that ever got me down was in terms of not being able to be myself, right?
So that's sort of expectation anything that kind of held me back from from being what I am was the frustrating part but in terms of like the actual job, I loved every aspect I've gotten this question a thousand times from students or interviews or like what what do you not like about your job now is just refuse to answer it.
I'm like I like like I like all of it.I love all of it because it's all part and parcel.So yeah, it's there could be a somebody could say there's parts of it that are monotonous right standing there and Peg testing thousand cows.But like I'm not even thinking about that part I'm engaging conversation with my Farmers which are my friends my family, right?
So like there's there was always there was always so much more good in the in the bad that I never really thought about the bad but like yeah, So you smell all the time.It's about you.It's okay.You married you don't have to go.
You know, you don't realize how bad you smell until you're standing in line at the grocery store or the best one is if you go for a haircut and you know, when they spray your hair with the misting bottle and it kind of liberates all the days smell but it could read through it and it's like this city now bits of hair like bits of like grass.
Exactly, but by wife Cody is a V8 as well.And that is stage.She did tip small his work and then she did some work at the at the University cow work some pregnancy diagnosis work and she get home from work and my one son was probably about three at the time Wood Ranch her at the gate and it stopped before you'd like Grant your hunger and then stop and say which work where you at and then she'd say she'd say cow working at I'm not gonna hug you.
Yeah, so I just I love all aspects of veterinary medicine, you know, they're certainly there's there's difficult things but I kind of operate more in the the average is right and the average is always a way any any sort of the negativity and they always you know, those challenges are overcoming those challenges that provides us with a sense of achievement to write you overcome.
You practiced a thousand cows at -40 Celcius all day long that That that is a mentally challenging thing.But then at the end of the day you get to you get to talk about that that achievement right you did it you get to celebrate in that with your team you get to celebrate in that with your with your clients.
So there's always you know, there's always the Silver Lining.How did you actually I mentioned to know from vet school to practice ownership.Was that just a pathway you knew going to take or something you fell into like you You don't did tell us the details of what I what happened why you left and things but yeah, what was practice ownership for you?
Yeah, no not not part of the plan.I I'm almost a little bit embarrassed talking about you know, where I've ended up in terms of that plan.You know, my goal was to get into vet school, right?And then once I got into vet school, it was to be the best veterinarian or vet student I could be and then once I had graduated it was just to beat the best Cal that I could be.
Yeah, and and when it came to practice ownership, it was kind of like a vague sort of thought in the back of my mind but two years out into practice.I was offered a quarter of the practice that I was at.I did an assessment.
Everything looked good went to went to a few different banks.The first few said no and one said yes, and then it was a done deal.Right and the social media marketing a lot of that.They're like my social media involvement a lot.That was just based off of me trying to find my Niche within the business me trying to just find my strengths right looking looking in a mirror having self awareness and being like where do I fit into this picture?
I'm an okay numbers guy, but I'm not the numbers guy.I'm an okay operations guy, but I'm not great.But like I'm a great marketer right?I'm a I'm a good salesman.So so it was just in terms of my business.
It was just always me sort of Of looking at my strengths and and trying to double down on those and being a Perpetual Optimist looking for opportunities and and that just kind of snowballed into more ownership.
And now I am also partners that six other vet clinics.I'm not a it's not my clinical home, but I spend a lot of time running and managing those types of things and that's kind of My trajectory is on as well just because I love the profession.
So my I would have I would have never ever guessed in vet school or before or even immediately after that.I was like shooting shooting for this career in business, but it's just I really love I really love the profession.
So that's me investing back into the profession that you might reminds me of a quote.I heard the other day that It's basically with you.I think it says I'm dead worried about what to do with your life.Just do what's in front of you with as much elegans as you can and the next thing will show up.
There's Elegance.In fact testing maybe the reason this is this how he handles that ultrasound probe us.I just were not sound probe that has an IP that I can look at that is from the board from Star Trek or something right that He is spectacular you guys that I was just talking to the developer in Scotland this week about the technology that they have already inside of that thing that they haven't even turned on.
You're exactly right they could have they could have your real-time Twitter feed in there.They could they heads up display telling you the cows information.They've been able to spatially map cows uteruses and and train you like they could put an Oculus Rift on you with a hand piece.
And they could train you in Cody style of how he practiced like you could have like different veterinarians around the world training you in an Oculus Rift.It is spectacular technology.Anyways, I digress see I didn't so you got your head of the bot, right?
Okay, and then so they're like the wrong side and then Cody's voice comes in you hey, hey, but no.No, don't you no.No, okay.You absolutely failed get your hand back out absolute.Maybe they could invent.Haptic feedback as well as taking the guiding them along.
Okay, look this is going to go to full on Cody assist mode here.Relax.Okay, absolutely.That's incredible.It's a technology is amazing.Like, you know, when I when I saw that used a lot of Drone footage and I always liked Wonder like I'm a love filming and I love Tech around filming and try to think of different ways.
The Caps just stories from patients that are that help share the passion that I have for our profession.And yeah, so I was really engaged by your videos because of the technology around about half the time thinking about what kind of camera is using their what kind of camera is that started with a GoPro and fairly so it's time to go pro anymore now, it's like he can adjust it now.
So it's a flip-top kind of camera.And so sorry, this is probably the first time ever that It has has allowed me to ask questions.So I'm gonna I don't know if it's because it's the first time I've ever that you've done any reason so actually what one thing that I might ask in my maybe you got some insight into this but I think it's A how would you say Okay.
So we're veterinarians right?We we come and go to use to be Visionary.Yeah, that's right.You're a family man and and solve German knives.Okay.So so I guess we're veterinarians we come out and we trained to do day one competency skills and whatever and somewhat, you know, the first thing we tackle is the mindset around.
Oh my God, we're trying to sell something right then and then you've got to find whatever that means for you and how it aligns.The values and so forth, but then I think the thing that really then hit some next or at least what I see is whole leadership like you they all of a sudden they become people who are in charge of a team, then they're also then somehow the influence in a culture and then they then changing and influencing the direction of a business.
How did I don't know if you found there was a natural thing for you dealing with people as As a veterinarian or was it something you found?That was challenging?Yeah.I know.It's absolutely challenging.There is a lot to unpack there.
But you're exactly right there was there was never I would say and for me an easy part of that because the results can be so dramatic that it is a lot of hard work right there.There's always tons and tons of challenges to go along with those.
Things but I guess I just like I do and everything in my life saw what needed to be done and learned and and approached it with with as much Elegance is as I possibly could with as much passion as I possibly could so so you're right, you know thinking back in terms of the salesmanship of veterinary medicine not something that I set would have thought that I would have been a natural.
Natural person naturally good at I wasn't the kid selling you don't flowers door-to-door or you know some trading baseball cards like that just that just wasn't really my DNA.But but as as that opportunity presented itself, I saw it was a necessary part of business.
So how is that going to best fit my style the same thing with culture and Leadership?It was hard there.There's lots of challenging things is this coming in as as a young practice owner.Get you know get it earning the respect getting the respect from from older staff getting buy-in from from other people it is it is all absolutely challenging but it's something that you just have to work really hard at right?
It's it's I don't think any of us are born with that sort of natural behavior, but you just have to just have to recognize you have to put in the hours right as any skill just I wasn't great when I started praying testing and and I wasn't great the first time I did a cat's pay like there is there's just hours that need to go in in order for you to come out on the other side.
So yeah, it's it is always hard.It is always hard.When what have you learned in the last couple of years about yourself that that is surprised you that you at that's new knowledge to compared to Cody 10 years ago.
Yeah, I think just an interesting thing and I don't know where it really fits.But in terms of being a Creator I think is the most shocking to me to be you know, I'm was a relatively like decent student.
I had to work I had to work really hard but like this thought of being a Creator seemed very strange that it started to crop up like with my video stuff.I had no experience editing videos.I had no experience shooting.I'd never taken photography.
I I would have never viewed myself as an artist or a Creator but in the process of you know, telling myself, okay, I'm going to start putting out some videos because and the only reason I picked video format is because we only have three different modalities that we communicate grids.
Right?We have the written word we have video and we have audio so you only have three to choose from and and I saw that I had this this sort of affinity towards being able to talk on a camera that was kind of my I wasn't a great writer and and you know, I enjoy the audio format but but then from there it was like, okay, so you're going to do video.
So you have to figure it out and I had I'd never shot video on my phone.I'd never edited video.I'd never done audio modulation or color correction.I did know how to get the get the video from my phone onto my computer.I didn't know what I would iMovie was at the time.
I didn't know how to upload it onto YouTube, but but for me, Me, you know after doing all of that that like the process of vlogging the process of creating video of yourself is like changed my soul like it is completely changed the core of my being in a thousand different ways.
Like when you when you talk about self-awareness when you've watched hundreds of hours of yourself interacting with your staff or interacting with your family, Like gives you a level of awareness, right?You're like, whoa why I talk like that.
I said it like that.I completely ignored that question like like those types of things and then on top of that just like the beauty that I see in the world now because I've captured so much right just just that appreciation for that overall Beauty.
So like I see the sky differently now, I see a feel differently now, I I see, you know, somebody smile differently now as a Creator as somebody who wants to capture that and share that with the world.
I would have never ever guessed that in myself of being this.You know, that that sort of artistic part of me.I didn't think that existed at all.Hmm.What a great and I love that is it that's what that's what's supposed to be the key to happiness.
Is that being present in the moment and and Seeing what's around it seeing it for what it is.So what a great way to learn at this that's not something a be considered start vlogging everyone right?It's just this doing the scary thing.
But then also I guess keep reanalyzing of what parts of that do you love and and it has just opened a whole world and I whole world of opportunity for me right that that has become now such a huge part of all of the opportunities.
That now just oozes from life because I did that scary thing and reinvested back into the things that that I love like I I'm the phone calls I get and then you know the conversations I have in terms of of opportunity to be a video producer right like its I would have never guessed that something sometimes.
I think that that that you know, there's more opportunity doing that then as me being a clinical veterinarian at the Point right because there's just there's just so much interest and I'm and I have no idea where it comes from.But yeah the the week after the week after I retired I got like a thousand phone calls for to come do like video shoot projects.
I'm like, where is this coming from?I'm not I'm not even a video producer as it in front of the camera or behind the camera or but everything.Yeah everything.Absolutely and so do you still do all of your editing yourself?Yeah.That's awesome.I so currently yes when I was in the throes of practice.
I did have some help to break down the video.So like if you looked on my Instagram if you looked at my Instagram TV, I did have somebody who's taking my Vlogs and then was chopping them up and two more usable content, but in terms of the editing, yeah, I do 99% unless I have a second shooter with me then they would edit their part and then I would put that back into my Video, so I do have a videographer.
He's a good friend.He just lives down the street from me.So sometimes we'll go out and do some crazy projects together where I'm I'm looking for a more sort of I guess cinematic flare the last week just for fun.I just because I had this Vision this is so this is probably getting into the weeds too much and it's probably going to confuse everybody but I me and my buddy we went out to a ranch last week.
To recreate A visual representation of Virgil's G or Jex the poem G or Jex you guys familiar with with Virgil.I know that but I don't know so so so Virgil, I think it was in 63 ad wrote this poem called.
The geologic switch is a essentially a node and a textbook to agriculture.So it's a very beautiful poem but it also has very practical knowledge, but it's a Liberation of the whole of Agriculture, so take a listen to it.
It's on YouTube.So just look up The Gorge X by Virgil.There's a very great British version of it, obviously translate it and it's just so descriptive and beautiful and just captures the essence.So for fun me and my buddy, we went out to this Ranch and I had this Vision to recreate the geologic sin how I saw it for this specific operation.
And and there was no like there was no there was no sponsor for it.There was no brand associated with it.It was just like pure video art just because I just because I wanted to and that feels really really nice right?
That's that's me flexing my creative side, which I had no idea.I had just because I feel like this should be this should exist in the world.Mmm.Love with you saying around the creativity and it sounds like a journey to Mastery, right?
Because you never quite going to get to the level of you know, plateauing in your in your begin your creativity because there's going to be new piece of equipment that comes out that adds a certain another angle or some other kind of way of shooting something another way of editing something so it's just continual pursuit of Mastery, which is kind of like fueling at that.
Whatever that's what it sounds like to me.Yeah.Absolutely.I just I love I love capturing the things that I love capturing, right?I love sharing the story of Agriculture.I love sharing the story of veterinary medicine, you know, there's a reason I'm not going out and shooting like muscle cars, right?
It's just not something that I'm passionate about.So so I love capturing that in different ways and creative ways and I love sharing that with the world one question those those hey chopping me.Dean's right.You see those videos right?
Someone stands in front of it and then all the sudden they come out the other end in a cube of hey, does it actually do they get like you David?Hey, is that a real thing?It's a very quick end.
Absolutely.I probably saved someone's life.I still have a say that question.Okay, are you absolutely did never try that?Probably just saved.You probably just saved your out his life because he's Alec.Let's get the camera get the camera.
Leave that that was possible until right this moment.Thank you.Ha ha ha.No you would.Yeah, it wouldn't be good.So how did the vlogging thinks dad go died.I'm sure it's been asked and discussed before but what was the what was the trigger for that?
Yeah, so it was a lot of different things.You know, it was it was my Pursuit with in my practice to carve out my niche as a marketer, right?So I saw this ability this need within the practice to Market our services.It's what we were doing was great in terms of the services.
We are providing but with all good service, you have to Market it to some extent and I was not sort of involved with social media at all before that.I didn't have a cell phone in vet school.I didn't I was one of those holdouts for Facebook as why do I need a Facebook account?
I don't understand that but this kind of slow gradual progression of of okay, so this What Twitter is okay, I understand that is what Instagram was that kind of resonated with me a little more because it was the visual sort of Storytelling of it that capturing of that beautiful moment and sharing that with the world but it was really difficult for me to get my full story across right?
You take a picture you add some text but it's not always right there at least not for my communication style.I don't I felt like it wasn't complete and then Snapchat and And the video app Vine we're coming online at that point.So I was kind of an earlier early adopter with both of those just me not thinking they were going to be anything just figuring out.
Okay, this is a new social platform.Is there any opportunity within my business to be able to be storytelling on this and it was really with Snapchat where I just started this chronological story telling of my day that was the first time I turned the video camera onto my face, which is terrifying for most people.
Most people hate the sound of their own voice let alone seeing themselves talk all cross-eyed and with nose hair sticking out and right so so it was a scary thing to turn that camera onto my face and I just started very simple.I did this thing called the Schnauzer weather report.
So I would I would turn the camera on to myself and I would say now over to Phineas with the weather.So Phineas is my little miniature schnauzer that goes everywhere with me and then the camera were turned in the next scene would be him in some sort of inclined.I meant weather situation.So like we would get three feet of snow and I would say that over to Phineas with the weather and then I would open up the sunroof in my pickup truck and three feet of snow would drop on us in the cab or it would be it would be like, hey, it was be like a severe hail storm and we would be parked at a feedlot waiting it out and I would say now over the fit is with the weather and then I opened the window and all the hell would come blowing in at us.
So it was like a really stupid simple little thing, but that was just My start of you know, I'm I'm kind of a silly guy and and sharing something that farmers love which is weather reports.So it was kind of just the start of that and and the and this digital storytelling my day of with Snapchat.
So I would just turn the camera on to my face and say hey I'm heading out to practice 300 cows today and then I'd usually have a little bit of video on Snapchat of like the probe going in the cow's butt or the farm dog or the farmer and Then I would recap it on my drive home.
I would say.Oh that was a great day had so much fun really great conception rate really great grand chose.I had such a wonderful day.And then I would after that usually do a few seconds of me lip-synching to Taylor Swift on the drive home.So it's just like this this this this day this is was my journal entry of the day.
But with Snapchat it, you know, the story disappears, right?You have 24 hours.It disappears.There isn't great search for Discovery at that.Time there was absolutely no there wasn't even that our stories function.This was just me individually sending it to people that I had amassed the following two.
So that was like the start of it and then I got a phone call one day.And it was from the executive producer from the dr.Pol show.So the incredible, dr.Pol had called me or his producer and his wife was a social media manager and she'd been following me on Snapchat and convinced her husband to give me a call.
So we had a great chat and he had asked for he said typically we'd send out a production crew to do a Sizzle reel.So, you know this 30 seconds of three minutes sort of real of Of you, but you're already shooting videos.So why don't you just try it yourself?
So I did one and I really enjoyed the process right?I really enjoyed it.I edited it.I sent it off and then I never I never heard from him again.Hey, so a couple months goes by and and then I made the decision.
I now knew that I could edit one video.So I made the decision the day before.For my 31st birthday.My wife was like eight months pregnant and I was like, I'm going to start I'm going to start vlogging now this like four years ago.I'm going to start vlogging now.
So I shot video again all day sat down was that my computer till 3:00 a.m.And uploaded the video and and part of the story.This is the untold story.So you guys are getting exclusive content right now.So what I post a bit when I posted that video I sent that producer text of the Of the of the link.
Okay.No response.The next day goes by I shoot a video I edited I uploaded YouTube.I send them a link.I did it again and again and again and I finally stopped at like 35 days in a row of setting of a text every single day without getting a response.
I finally did end up meeting up with them.I was speaking in Indiana and I drove like I drove across like to three states.To have a beer with this guy and he said some very kind things to me.He said that I was great video producer that he was fearful for his job because if I got into video production, I would put him out of business and and and and talked about kind of my natural sort of I-44 capturing videos.
So that's like a bit of the behind the scenes.So some of it was kind of like a nephew back to him of like, how dare you never call me back, but but But in that there was some something so much bigger.So it was really really this hyper local marketing right that I wanted to become the calvet of my area.
I wanted to create enough media and content around cattle veterinary medicine that there was no other question that that you were going to call me.So when you were a farmer and you were pissed off at your vet or couldn't get ahold of your vet and you were thinking of hiring a new veterinarian that I was the first person that came to mind and so when when I said calvet you said Cody Wright like that was that was the whole point of it to show that I was personable to show that I practice high-quality medicine that I got the job done that I was somebody who wanted to be around.
So all of those things were very important for me to grow the practice and it was extremely successful.So it it did exactly that it got a large following locally.The clientele were were some of the largest fans of it it up.Sold a ton of stuff right?
So you doing this service at one Ranch and then the other Rancher sees that his neighbor's doing that so that he has to do it and you just go on and on and on right?So yeah, I was getting tons of clients calling in that were fans of Vlog that wanted to be part of that story that wanted me as their veterinarian and I had this great team behind me to be able to capture all of that.
So I grew the practice immensely because of it.So so that's you know The reason why I continued right you can only you can only do the fu move so long to somebody so there had to be a real tangible reason for that.Mmm, you know, so that was part of it.
But then there is this kind of creeping up of this this other thing that I did not expect and that was this like inspiration or this motivation for veterinary students young Veterinary professionals pre-veterinary students that I had no idea did not set off to be an inspiration by any means.
I'm just My own thing and it became a very big part of my professional and personal fulfillment getting these messages from people saying like I am at the I'm at the end of my rope.I am in a dark deep place and with studying and your videos are the only thing that's keeping me going not because they're seeing veterinary medicine, but because they see that there's a veterinarian who has gone through this that has had strong.
Ruggles and is still smiling at the end of the day that it still looks like it's worth it.Right and that's that's one thing that's missing in our profession to a great extent the mat level of positivity.Nothing kills me more than this negative culture with in veterinary medicine.You know, this Perpetual.
Woe is me complaining about clients complaining about staff complaining about everything and I'm still so incredibly grateful for what this profession is and what you know what his given me and my family and and I see that I'm one of very few that is this very positive light in the profession, you know, you'll never find me speaking ill of another veterinarian.
You'll never find me speaking ill of the profession of like, I think every sort of challenge brings us great opportunity for us and and it resonated that sort of attitude resonated extremely well with the community.So that was just another sort of personal thing and that turned into speaking engagements and that turned into just A thousand different things.
So there's a lot of why I've logged in again.This is a massive thing in that background there and that all that story right was the thing that you actually created your own influence, right?
You're like a person of influence on social media and on YouTube and and and having a massive impact on Veterinary students around the world and it wasn't because On actually kind of picked you and created you you created that yourself and and you're like so you created your own influence and and the message that I think is a key one is is that you didn't feel like as if you know, you were selfish in the process, you know, you did it for a greater good each time.
You're doing it you saw the impact the impact was on your practice.The impact was in the local community of the impact was on BET students impact so shit, man.Then let's see.What's new and what's the impact now like so you could I don't know like I do just sounds like as if the the not saying that you should be happy that where you're out now, but almost like you have the ability because you've spent and invested so much time in this to have a dramatic impact on the world and and I could be right thinking bigger zero though.
So you are you're ahead of your head of the curve.So Let me introduce you to accelerate DVM.Okay.So this is this is the the first time anybody is hearing about it.So you guys are good interviewers man out all the good stuff.
So in in so not going back to clinical practice and I do have some other, you know other things on the go but one of the main things that I'm doing in 2020 and setting up is is what's called accelerate DVM.So this is with several.
Different veterinarians that that are very in tune in and aligned with what I'm doing and then also people within the veterinary professional space.What we're doing is we're we have 12 us dates set for 2020 will be releasing in announcing those dates very soon.
And what we're doing is we are investing all of that knowledge and passion back into young Veterinary students or young veterinarian.So what the Get audience would be would be one year out to about seven years out and instill in them a lot of the things that we've been talking about this this identifying your strengths.
What is you know, what is the opportunity within this profession encouraging them to invest back into the profession back into themselves encourage them that you know, they can they can make a great life for themselves within this profession that there's so much.
So what we're doing is we're going to 12 different US cities.He's and we're talking to these groups of young veterinarians about how do you assess a Veterinary practice?How do you promote leadership?How do you promote culture?What are the challenges?How do you how do you you know read through a balance sheet a PL sheet.
How do you get the money?How do you talk to Banks as a young Veterinary professional?So just like all of the steps I think that you would be looking towards that you would have no idea if you were three year old graduate working in a Veterinary practice and wanting Invest back into yourself and invest back into the profession, but you don't know how to how to make that leap.
You're not getting that level of mentorship, you know, the top level mentors in this profession are the ones that are identifying the superstars within their practice and giving them all of this information so they can leave right so they can go and do their thing and follow their true Dreams.
They're not the ones that are suppressing that right because that's kind of the natural human tendency is to be like This guy's a superstar.So I want to keep him with me forever.You know this keep keep my precious whereas this is encouraging veterinarian young veterinarians to to really just have all of the tools necessary for them to take that next step.
It's incredible.That's a No-No why you have the exclude people older like me anybody here.Usually usually Rome is reserved for the people with eye problems.Yeah, usually by then they've they've either left the profession or they've just given up completely right?
So yeah, I think you'll be surprised aesthetic think I'm surprised.No, it is not.It is not at all meant to be excluder excluding anyone and it's much more than just then an event.
It truly is a and Mentorship in its hole of throughout that throughout that year where your people are going to have access to a high level of support to be able to make these decisions.So me my team yesterday alone.
We're talking to this young veterinarian.He's he's a brand new grad and wants to pursue practice ownership and everybody else in his life is telling him.He's crazy is telling him like it's too soon take your time and he Has all this opportunity and he wants to manage a practice.
He doesn't even necessarily want to be, you know, a clinical veterinarian seven days a week.So so we mentored him through that process of you know, what do you need to look for?What do you need to assess?How do you talk to Banks?And how are you going to create that leadership?
You know, one of his biggest things was was how am I going to get buy-in from the other staff?Because I'm so young and and I said, yeah, it's going to be hard right?Absolutely.It's hard for everybody.It's hard if you're 35, or 45 or 55 or 25, like if there's going to be these big challenges, so so there's so much sort of / and it is selfish.
There's so much I get so much like personal fulfillment from helping somebody like that.It's just part of what what I've been doing and and I found this team that's also interested in doing it.
Dr. Dan Mark welder.He is a veterinarian down in the us alone. 16 vet practices his he's part of this team.His number one question when he meets anybody any veterinarian is number one question says Hi, how are you doing?
Who are you mentoring?And that's that's really important takeaway from that of that mindset of calling everybody.He ever meets out whether you're a new grad or you're you're on You know on your way to retirement if we should always be looking to Mentor somebody in this profession because it is it is everything it that connection is so incredibly important, you know, like and I can understand the the the graduation year bracket because I was at a conference with hills and I'm only about two weeks ago and I talked about the plateau, you know when you've when you've reached this point where you like, is this it is this it for me right?
There's this.And for some people depends on your practice and then the the level of medicine and surgery that they practice at right you could you could reach you a plateau in 12 months, right?And then what does it feel for them?It feels like oh they feel they feel too comfortable at the early stage.
They're like, actually I like this.I like this feeling of security and comfort because I don't get worried about stuff anymore and then it gets to like this feeling of anxiety.It's like, oh my God, is this it, you know, and then they start re-evaluating whether at and then they get to This point whether it's unsettling it starts to affect their relationships outside of work because they really trying to decide whether or not this profession is for them in anymore.
And I asked the question and it was the from years from 1 to 3.How many feel like if they plateau and like a good chunk of and put their hand up and especially the second and third years out because they just reached the point where they've kind of exceeded their mentors.
Hmm.They've exceeded the the actual support that they had and then I ask the question how many of you guys I'm leaving in 20 percent put their hand up.And and I think it's been totally Cody.I totally agree with you.It's it's the stuff that they need to know.
It's even just highlighting the fact that you know there at that point, right?Yeah, and there is there is no Plateau the phone call that I was on right before you guys got on that's with my partner Greg Andrews.Greg is in his 70s.He's been spooked supposed to be retired for a decade now.
And and I own I own six other vet practices with him and a group of veterinarians.And that was our that was our weekly our weekly check-in as a management team, but I talk to him all the time and he has the passion and the Vigor of a twenty-year-old of just like what are the opportunities just insatiable there is absolutely Like he is the perfect archetype that there is absolutely no plateau in this profession.
It is anything you want it to be it is a hundred percent mental because he's in his 70s and he's running all around assessing opportunities assessing practices talking to veterinarians.He the reason that I partnered with with Greg Andrews was was I saw the exact same passion for the veterinary industry.
So if you're passionate about this industry re and passion about everything right passion about the business passion about the future then then there absolutely is no Plateau.There's no conceivable Plateau because he is proved it.He has been the CEO of Canada's largest equine practice.
He started software companies.He's own mixed animal practice has he's had a successful practice career and now still when he should have been long and retired.He cannot wait to get on the fault on the phone to make that next connection to Mentor that next person.
Support that next team member it is there is there is no Plateau.Absolutely and and then it's key that you say that because some people just think that this is it for them.Right?Right.Yeah.Yeah, there's no excuse to be bored in this profession and I and I was guilty of that I five years in I thought I'm bored.
I'm tired of it, but that's just laziness really.It's just it's just not using your imagination.It's what it creates so many opportunities.Unity so yeah, I'm the retired the retired calvet right but I've been doing nothing but doing stuff with in this profession from the second.
I'm way busier than I expected right eye.I started a a digital module based Consulting business the next day after I left my practice creating high-quality digital modules basically webinars for ranchers to get access to To really high value, you know high-level Consulting that I provided to my clients locally.
I just use the digital platforms to be able to reach scale with that.And now now I'm a consultant look like a consultant.I'm not one-on-one but I'm disseminating herd management welfare management beef cattle specifically in Lebanon and all across the u.s.
And all across Canada and in the UK and in Australia, like like it's it is There is no shortage of opportunity right?You have to think a little bit outside of the box, right?So so I'm a beef cattle consultant by trade and can do some really great things and provide a lot of value.
But my limitation was how far my pickup truck could drive in a day, right?You can only drive and meet with so many people so thinking outside of the box leveraging video leveraging what I've learned in e-commerce leveraging what I've learned in terms of Sales funnels in marketing now.
I can I can put hundreds of thousands millions of dollars back into the beef cattle industry back into agriculture worldwide.Like how how could that be boring?Right like you could you could put the Mind Set On of like, oh, I got to go talk to another farmer about what to vaccinate his cows with like sure you can make that boring if you want or you could blow that shit up and make it anything you want to be right?
Mmm-hmm.Just yeah.I love it.That's awesome.Because it's keeps on getting bigger and bigger Rod the scale and you know you the opportunity now, there's this Unleashed Cody is now having an impact that's even bigger than what he thought before right exactly and all aspects right and with a hundred percent maximum satisfaction, right?
Yeah sure.Am I going to miss the day-to-day some of the clinical stuff maybe but I still get a big kick out of it.Got a lot of veterinarians under me who are calling me all the time with clinical questions and I get just as much satisfaction being able to walk somebody, you know, one of my veterinarians through a case and then, you know finding that toe abscess or making that right call as I do with with clinical practice.
So it's still to me just as rewarding.So yeah, there's and it is never been better.But could you imagine you know, if it was the my birth year 84 right the opportunities that exist now in comparison to then and then if you take it back to say Harriet's time period right it's just it is never been better to be a veterinarian.
It was just truly has it because of the opportunity because of the connection because you can find the exact practice that you think, you know fits you the Jeep exact geography the ability to scale the ability to reach the you know, the ability to inspire it just is there's never been another time even with video production.
Like what the hell would I have done in 1984 as a veterinarian and wanted to share my story in a video format.Right?What would I do with cost hundreds of thousands of dollars every day?Yeah great in a traditional sense.So it is never been better even to mail me my VHS tape, right?
Well, that's this.That's really exciting stuff.When do you sleep Cody?Ha ha ha I have I think there's this genetic variant that you can get tested for like if you do 23andMe that that is like the Sleep Gene.
I I'm convinced.I don't need to take it because I have this sleep variant Gene where I can just get by on less, you know every single Vlog that I ever created.I was in clinical practice, right?So every single Vlog I had ever edited was created between 10 p.m.
And 2 a.m.I remember when I first started When I first started the video editing thing my wife looked over at me one night night and said so are you trying to say you're never coming to bed again?Like yeah, I think that's what I'm saying.
So like yeah, I just able to go on less sleep than some people and my kids which is like the worst thing about kids is they they distill all of your good qualities and all of your bad qualities and to one little annoying.
Human being so I I somehow was able to pass that on to my kids.They're they're absolute mutants when it comes to sleep.They can run on nothing and they're just perfect.They're just fine.Yeah, unfortunately my number my my number three is like that like my baby sleep is important.
I'm not advocating that people get sleep deprived and I'm not superhuman but the by by any means but yeah, I just, you know, I and a lot Other things right?I cut out a lot of stupid shit to I don't I don't watch Game of Thrones series.
I don't watch sports.I just try to focus on the high-value thing.So it for me it's either it's either my family or or this right doing doing things to promote the profession doing things that that I love and enjoy, you know, so so there's a lot of really dumb things that we can do as human beings that can suck up a lot of time.
There's there's 24 hours in a day like Okay, so you go and work 1014 you need six hours sleep you still have eight hours to do really great things with your life.So so a lot of it is also just kind of time management perspective expectation.
There's there's a lot of mental things.I think you can do to be a high performing individual.Mmm entirely.I've only seen half at an episode of Game of Thrones good exactly.Yeah, I get that question.All the time.I'm like from a vet suit.
How do you how do you how do you do what you do?How do you have enough time?And then I asked them have you watch Game of Thrones and they're like, yeah, like wow.Okay.There you go.You figured out what your key productive output was right.Another thing that if you produce a lot of that's the thing that's going to push you forward one was being a veterinarian to was producing video, right?
That's where you got to where you are now, so you found your Niche and you just produced and produced and produced that's amazing.How are we doing for?Time Cody, what's your day looking like so far so far so good.So yeah.Well, I have a little bit left and yeah sure.
I don't wrap up some some questions.I actually you met you go for some questions bro.No, no, we're gently wrap it wrap up with the food more generalized questions only.I'm just just loving this this conversation.I'm just thinking as anything we missing out on I'm sure there's a lot of a lot of stuff that listeners will be going are asking this asking this But we'll start with podcast.
So you're in the digital media.Have you got any any favorites that you could recommend?What do we need to talk boy?Yeah.Absolutely.I am so one of the things that I wished I would have taken more classes of we're just generalized business classes when I was in my undergraduate.
I really I took some and I really enjoyed it.But I am so grateful for business podcasts now that is something that I consume, you know, 90% of my My media consumption would be podcasts.
It is a huge space.It's just going to get bigger.So if people want to focus effort into creating any sort of media, you know podcasting is is the future audio is the future.So I love I love the business ones start up the startup podcast by gimlet media.
I love NPR's Planet Money and the indicator.Those are also fascinating ones.I'm really fascinated with just technology in general.So I like to listen to what's called.Twit.So This Week in Tech.It just is kind of like an overview of all of the great phones and computers and cameras and everything that's going on in the digital space.
My guilty pleasure is The Joe Rogan Experience.So, you know it just a great interview style.And yes, Joe is like the archetype bro, right?He's certainly is such a bro, but the the Guests and the delivery I think a really great for expanding, you know, expanding kind of things that you would never think about.
You don't want to get too much in your own lane by any means.What are some other good ones the garyvee audio experience.So Gary vaynerchuk it for my career was absolutely instrumental, you know reading his books crush it the thank you economy and Jab jab jab right hook we're huge and Gary vaynerchuk's podcasts.
Um, you know, they're basically just is Keynotes or different interviews that he's doing there's some really great business tidbits coming out of that man for sure dancing is heaps.Therefore people.Listen to no one is here.I need more time to listen to that and you got anything to ride.
Oh, I've got a few more actually that I've thought of maybe you go for my I've asked Cody because healing questions.I want to come back to your stuff are listening to you talk about podcasting.And that that what you like and what's popular why is your stuff so popular if you figured it out?
Why did it because there's a heap of Veterinary content out there, but at the end of it doesn't take off in a big way.What is it about your stuff?Do you think that people like so I think that well, I think tisza T and the I guess humanizing of a veterinarian I think is what's really messing.
You know just in general Society the veterinarian is somewhat kind of shrouded in mystery, right?It's more of a title than it is a human certainly it's hard for us to think about that.But but when were in the profession because we you know, we see everybody for who they are as people right, but the public really has not gone to many opportunities to really see behind the veil of us being humans.
And then I think that's what would Harriet's storytelling was.So beautiful it is he talked a lot about his vulnerabilities and about what he was scared about it and you know, it's just some extent even some of that was shrouded because if you know that this to true story bit behind Alf there was a lot more that he could have went into right Alf suffered from severe depression and Melancholy, which I think would have resonated even even greater with the public but Kind of kept that at Bay to some extent right?
So I think what I what I've done is just show The Human Side right that that that I have challenges and that I'm a human and I have a family and I laugh right just seeing a veterinarian laugh at an inappropriate joke is something that the public does not see very often, right?
So it is all of that.I think I think that's what those types of stories.With me, it's not specific that it's a vet that yes a veterinarian.I think it's just it's we just resonate with people's stories.That's part of being human is loving a good story.
Right but to tell a good story you have to lend a certain level of authenticity which you know, that's always been at the Forefront of not necessarily showing all of the good things but like talking about some of the struggles talking about the challenges, you know, I've taken Asian people along that's a pretty crazy situations within my with my own personal life, like both of my kids were born on the Vlogs right that really humanizes a person and people connect to that very very strongly when they see that you're just a human at the end of the day.
So that's what I think I've done is brought a certain amount of humanity to the profession.I like I noticed that you're not embarrassed on the part of the focus on the Vlogs to show to say that you don't know to go to be honest about your limitations ago.
Now I I I'm not sure about this which I find is often lacking and I professional there's lots of lots of people.I'm sure I've been killed here, but we have this thing about we have to be perfect and we can't show any weakness to anybody.So it's embarrassing to tell the client should I read?
I need to go I need to go Google the yes, where's that's reality nobody's perfect.And then we said that the dread that expectation for ourselves amongst our colleagues as well that that I'm above making mistakes which is which is ridiculous.Yeah, yeah.
Absolutely.I think I think that's also one reason that my like my wife as a character on the Vlog has resonated so well as well because I'm this this thing right?I'm the Cody which is all of this kind of, you know, insanity and thinking outside of the box and energy and creativity and all of this and then you have this Central character of my wife who is ready to cut me down at a moment's notice and put me back.
Place, right so so she's resonated so well because and that's part of it, right?That's part of that Humanity that that I think is that I think is lacking and it's not just lacking in front of a camera.It's exactly what you just spoke about is lacking one-on-one.
It's lacking in front of our clients.It's lacking in front of the people were supposed to be mentoring.It's lacking in front of the people that were mentees of this this false front that the Session has put on to some extent has been at our detriment because that to me is the true.
The best thing that has ever happened to me in this profession.Is that community in that connection?Right?It's that connection with my clients that has been the biggest thing the connection with my staff the connection with my team the connection with Veterinary students is is what is so rewarding to me it is it is not about the animals.
It is about the people.And I think that is why we have a lot of negative things in this profession because we're looking for this ultimate life satisfaction from saving animals lives.And then we realize that they're in that animals are incredibly ungrateful that we've all performed absolute his heroics and and the animal has been just as just as liable to turn around and bite us or kick us is they are to thank us, right.
So so what what the true value with the true life satisfaction form our profession comes from is that human connection?That's because we're humans, right?That's it's not because we're veterinarians.So you have to you have to act like a human and be a human in order for you to really benefit from that human connection, which is then the true secret of life that I think that would it take to few boxes and hubris checklist.
I didn't I did a talk.I jurado's Online conference earlier in the year and the title of my talk was it's all about the people.Yeah, that's it.Right.That's that's actually I went through a phase in my career where like I became a bit narrower because all the science and then all of a sudden they took this human-animal Bond store bought a dog love my dog, and then it was all about treating the dog and treating the pets and patience, but then what got me back and what actually has is fueling my passion now, oh is actually client connection now, you know I'd like when I reflect upon the the moments of the day when I have a biggest highs it was the moment when I really connected with a client and were able to develop a plan and the treatment plan and overcome barriers and and in order like so in the process of connecting and building that can that Rapport and Trust I was able to then obviously help the pet and I feel like as if and And what you said resonated with me is like the the emphasis or the the where you're going to start is not necessarily about what you need to do with a pet but it's all states but it all starts with the client and all starts just really kind of really wanting to know and connect and be with them.
Yeah, absolutely.Imagine taking that in isolation of like this would be the ultimate example, let's say you had a fully like amazing stocked all the equipment in the world Vet Clinic.Okay, so you had every tool at your Disposal and and you just walked into your clinic and you were the only person there and there was just a dog or cat that just like dropped onto a conveyor belt and you just did your job and then you fixed it and did the surgery did whatever you needed to do and then you put it back on the conveyor belt and how terrible a job would it be right?
Hmm, like it would be it would be fun for the new grad for like the first week and then you would be like what you know, what am I doing?What is this?This isn't sad?Fi like I get why it you know why I get the fun parts of that right totally get the fun parts of that.
But if you broke it down into pure isolation and you just staring at a dog and he was like, hey buddy, like you just you would go insane, right?So, why do we expect that?Even when there's humans around us that that's supposed to be the fulfilling part that we've you know dedicated her life to this and we've improved this animal's life like I get why that's nice and and we certainly get a little piece of something from that.
But it the humans are everything.Mmm-hmm.Yeah, that that description.I think they'll be people listening to this crying when you've just described my dream job, but I agree with you.
I want to speak to anybody.But but that's a problem at that means there's something you missing something I think so.I was missing something at that stage and the and exactly like you guys are saying that the satisfaction is come after I got over there and start noticing what is actually where that where the true value is.
And where the true satisfaction is.Anyway becoming very philosophical ha ha ha this might be a two-parter podcast dude.Yeah.Oh, yeah, let's not open up your a put up generator.No, no you wrap it up.Okay.He always be.Okay girl, you always finish with this one.
I feel like you give it a lot of advisor a lie, but you're at a conference.You have the world's new graduate veterinarians listening to you and you have a couple of minutes to tell them one thing.What's the one thing they need to know from go to creelman?Absolutely.So I think the biggest thing is Well, it's two parts.
But the first part is is truly believing in yourself.There's gonna be so many challenges that that are going to rock that for you.But at the end of the day, you've got yourself this far and you're going to get yourself the rest of the way so nobody else is going to do that for you.
You truly have to believe in yourself invest in yourself, you know in your heart what is right, you know in your heart, you know where you're To derive that happiness from there's going to be fear.There's always fear and that's the biggest thing that's going to hold you back is the fear of what your mom thinks the fear of what your spouse thinks the fear of what the practice owner thinks that it is that fear does not come from within it comes from without right?
So you need to recognize that invest in yourself.Don't worry about the fear.And then expectation for me is something that is just so incredibly huge you have to Recognize that your expectation is what setting up a lot of sort of frustrations in your life.
You expect somebody to behave this way because you behave this way you expect you don't think somebody's gonna make this decision based off of how it affects you living life without expectations sounds super cliche, but it is so important and it's not even just like expectation of other people.
There's so much sort of mental things within that even the expectation of like if you I expect you're going to have a really shitty day going into practice today before you even get there.What's going to happen right?If you if you have this expectation because you had a bad sleep and you say oh, well, I'm going to be grumpy all day or I'm going to be tired all day.
I was well, I was talking to his vet student yesterday about about being tired.Right we had talked about the how do you get everything done in the Sleep Gene and stuff like that, but like being tired, I feel like 90% of being tired.
Is because you expect to be tired, right because you had a short sleep because it like it's so mental life is so incredibly mental.So if you like if you only got two hours of sleep, but you've told yourself that you're going to have a great day.This is going to be a great day.This is going to be awesome.I'm going to have all the energy in the world.
If you're going into life with that mindset you're going to be able to move mountains.So that's an expectation from yourself.You expect you're going to be dog tired and you're going to feel bad.Oh, I expect I'm going to have a headache at 1 p.m.I guess what's going to happen?All of that's going to happen, right?
So so living life without expectation or at least living life with a positive sort of expectation is is for me so important because life is just a mental game at the end of it.So I think that is is really the biggest advice that I think is missing from Veterinary students or young veterinarians.
Perfect.Okay, you're a gentleman I got away to see what what's next and to see what comes out of out of what you produce for us.That's fantastic.Thank you so much for your time.So if people were watching listen to this podcast in the future, is there like a website that they can go to to find out more about you or is it?
Yeah, just go to just my first name last name.com.So Cody creelman.com will have all of my information.I pride myself on answering all my DMs and emails.So if somebody has any question at all, my email is Cody at Cody Grimm and.com.
It is the most pretentious email in the world to have your email being Cody at Cody Grimm a.com.I totally get it but it's easy for everybody to remember suit.Nobody should ever forget my emails to just drop me a line and I would love to connect and that's why I do what I do because I enjoy checking in this profession and in this life, so thank you guys so much for for having me on anytime.
We'll do it.Again.Thank you for joining us again for another episode of the bit below.And remember if you are enjoying this to tell at least three of your friends and it over to the iTunes Store for that five star review.
We'll see you again next time.

Dr. Cody Creelman