May 6, 2019

# 4: To the brink and back: a guide to surviving and thriving in veterinary science. Dr Oliver Liyou

# 4: To the brink and back: a guide to surviving and thriving in veterinary science. Dr Oliver Liyou
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Season 1

In this episode we speak to a vet who, in his 26 years in the veterinary profession, has experienced some fantastic highs , but also some of the very darkest lows. His journey has taught him crucial lessons on how to not only survive, but thrive in this sometimes challenging profession of ours, and we are very fortunate that he is happy to share those lessons with us with such honesty and openness. Dr Oliver Liyou graduated from the University of Queensland in 1993 with first class honours. He is the principle veterinarian and owner of Equine Veterinary Dentistry Services, which he started in 2002. He lives and works in South Grafton, northern NSW in Australia on a property with horses, cattle, and his family.  Since 2002 Oliver has co-ordinated and hosted equine dentistry training workshops for vets from all over the world. In 2007 he was the first Australian vet to sit and pass membership exams in Equine Dentistry. He has authored several scientific papers and lectured on equine dentistry throughout Australia and internationally, and regularly publishes articles to raise awareness of welfare in horses. Oliver has also co-designed several equine dental instruments, including the porta safe stocks trailer.  (EVDS.net.au.)  But it’s not all been smooth sailing for Oliver. Since graduating as a vet 25 years ago he has survived all of the following: lasting almost 10 years in his first business that he started the day after graduating; a suicide attempt in 2005; a divorce 5 years later; narrowly avoiding bankruptcy, and a business partnership dissolution soon after that. Despite these setbacks he has emerged happy and balanced, with a good business, and still remains positive about life, his career and the veterinary profession overall. This discussion is essential listening for many of us. We talk about what success as a vet looks like, the paradox of being exceptional, the importance of learning to say no with a smile and why it’s important to sometimes be shit at stuff. Oliver talks candidly about his suicide attempt - how to recognise the warning signs that you are in trouble, his journey beyond that period in his life, and how to protect yourself against things ever going this far. He also shares with us his his eight tips for surviving veterinary science.  Please join us, in fact - I urge you to join us, in this ultimately uplifting episode with Dr Oliver Liyou.

Sorry start again, and I was also a role.I know you would good evening.Ladies and gentlemen, this is Gerardo Polly. 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 veterinary world and squeeze them for their wisdom so that you don't have to learn the hard way.
With the help of August, we flipped 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.In today's episode we speak to a vet who in his 26 years in the veterinary profession has experienced some fantastic Highs, but also some of the very darkest loads his journey has taught him crucial lessons on how to not only survive but thrive in the sometimes challenging profession of ours and we are very fortunate that he's happy to share those lessons with us with such honesty and openness.
Dr. Oliver Li you graduated from the University of Queensland in 1993 with first class.Honours.He's the principal veterinarian and owner of the equine Veterinary Dentistry Services, which he started in 2002.He has three teenage boys a wonderful loving partner and lives on a 60 acre property with horses cattle and his business in South Graft in Northern New South Wales in Australia since 2002 Oliver has coordinated and hosted equine Dentistry training workshops for over 600 rates.
From all over the world.He was the first Australian wait to sit and past membership exams in equine dentistry in 2007.He's also authored several scientific papers and lectured on equine Dentistry throughout Australia and internationally and he regularly publishes articles to raise awareness of welfare in horses is also co-designed many high-quality equine Dental instruments, including the porter safe stocks trailer, which he distributes exclusively to vets through his e VD s website at EV DS dotnet that You will include links to this in the show notes, if you wanted to check out some of the cool things is developed.
But it hasn't been an easy Road for Oliver since graduating as a vet 25 years ago.He has survived all of the following lasting almost 10 years in his first business that he started the day after graduating a suicide attempt in 2005 and divorced five years later in almost going bankrupt and a Business Partnership dissolution soon after that despite these setbacks.
He is emerge as a happy and balanced individual with the Business it remains positive about life his career and the veterinary profession overall some of the topics we discussed today are essential listening for many of us, like what success looks like as a vet.
But Oliver calls the Paradox of being exceptional the importance of learning to say no with a smile and why it's important to sometimes be shitted stuff.I live it talks candidly about his suicide attempt how to recognize the warning signs when things are going wrong his journey.
Beyond that period in his life and how to protect yourself against things ever getting this far.You'll also hear Oliver's 8 tips for surviving veterinary science.So please join us.In fact, I urge you to join us for this ultimately uplifting episode with dr.Oliver Li you my Dorado over.
That's my key now.I'm just saying.Hello.How are you?Good.How are you going?A good text message.Hello and welcome to Oliver Our Guest today howdy gents have been major.I started this project.We thought we want to get inputs from from vets who are successful as veterinarians, but we learned very quickly that That's a hard thing to Define is what what is a successful veterinarian and let you get your input.
What does success look like to you as an individual profession?Yeah.It's interesting because I love us the same question, I guess of myself.And also those who I'm meeting.I hope I guess as an undergrad I thought you know, the Pinnacle of success in veterinary science was becoming a you know, a specialist and since then I've really changed my view on that a lot and Mayor now, I think it's more about you know, reaching that point in your career where you feel both confident and competent in your work, whatever.
It may be.So have that great passion and enthusiasm that you started off with in your journey as a new grad and undergrad so, you know, you still driven to really want to help owners to help their animals and or contributing to an overall Animal Health in your field.
And I guess the other key is to try and find a way to do that that suit It's you say you're competent and confident and doing good work, but also allowing enough time for you to have some sort of Reston play in amongst the work periods as well.And I guess the ultimate is then being able to give back to the profession.
Once you've got your own backyard nicely secure and you know set up and you've got a bit of resources and time and energy to help help the younger ones, I guess.Hmm.Yeah, I'd love it how it was how you talk about being And and confident but also still have that enthusiasm because success is not just been great at something.
It's also Still Loving what it is.Do you still do you could be a millionaire and and class that has been successful but then you could be a really unhappy millionaire and still be classified as successful based on the criteria and less useful and enthusiasm and passion.But but also would you said there was great with regards to like Like the the stool want and the the desire to help and contribute that's almost like contribution confidence and competence and enthusiasm or something.
You know, you still want to help him.We want to help animals.And yeah, it was a beautiful summary.Yeah.I think it is a look at life and I look at other people and I sort of think the older we get the more we want to sort of do what we wanted and we were kids and that's a crazy thing, but it's so simple and I think You can apply that to our careers as well and it's nice to be able to stand back from the Russian bustle of practice and think that's pretty cool that we can be helping little dogs and cats or horses or whatever, you know that we wanted to do when we were kids and we dropped about the dreams Harriet and all that sort of feeling because we're just chasing the feelings.
You know, that's what we're chasing.I think I'm too old to become a fireman now everybody else to take you on my butt.With podcast if you start putting out house fires, maybe we need a new version of a James Herriot or something like that.
Maybe that you know, his books of the time inspired everyone to go out and do it and do mix practice right?Exactly.Like when I wanted it when I was going to graduate my first who say my goal job or dream job was to work at a large animal practice, which didn't do horses.
And did say it was it was dairy in cattle and smallies onion.And the reason why I said you wanted your horses because I three pretty traumatic experiences with horses.I never grew up with them and almost got killed three times as a student or as a student.
Oh, really?Yeah.It's got kicked in the chest.I'm and then almost got slapped in the face by a horse.And then the last one I think I'll go kick again, and I just realized that actually I didn't know enough and Anyway to know enough is to despair more time in it.But then I thought there's no more time and I very be dead.
Yes, they're beautiful creatures.I just never quite skilled at them and that's a fact and I think that we need to acknowledge that as well.We can't put you know young vets in those dangerous situations where the workplace health and safety aspects of it are enormous and you see most really good F1 practitioners eventually get nailed and you know put in hospital I saw her.
Study that came out of New Zealand said the average time off work for a large animal vet in Australia after a work injury was the average injury was a broken bone.The average time of work is how much to think over a lifetime or put injury / injuries for that broken bone the broken bone being the average injury, you know scale of injury the average time of work with one day what and what that ridiculously dysfunctional, you know, the professional expectations are you know, and you can't putting new graduates and who don't have a lot of horse that's in front of a horseshoe.
Yeah, that's interesting that that statistic is interesting and I've often wondered is that a zit at a profession expectation or is it expectations that that vets put on themselves or they just those sort of people Luka, yep, I'll be right I could do it.
I could I can it's just a broken leg.I'll go back to it after 5 years.Maybe there's enough struggle and pain and torture than you just like that's just that's just how it is, you know your honor the struggle and and and this part of life I suppose but either that or is this no one to replace you and you're working by yourself.
Yeah, that's probably part of it as well.If you don't know somebody's got to do the job.Hmm.I'm going to jump a little bit too, sir.A big that that came up in our first conversations.I love you asked you four things you wanted to talk about and you gave me a statement that that fascinates me.
I'd love to I'd love to hear what you what you're talking about the quote.Was it like to talk about the Paradox of getting better at what you do and the add that better accuracy can be cooler than exceptional.Hmm.Please expand on that.Yeah, but something that I guess This little Epiphany came to me when I decided that I couldn't keep doing mixed practice after sort of ten years.
I realized that you know, I had a really good client Ellen following that the problem with that is that they all wanted, you know, high-level work up some treatments for their animals, but they didn't wanted me to treat him and not you know taking the Brisbane to referral center or something because they think you know, you're better than what you really are a guess or something, but so yeah, I just found myself having to read more and more on every in everything from a budgie to account to a horse horse neighing you know, and but it was more The Wider I said, yeah, I'll have a go and that the more stress comes on me, you know to get there the outcome there are after and I think that can be said for any any any professional job that we do that, you know once we're going well we've Smile on our face marketing goals.
We then become, you know looked upon by others as the person to go and see pers, I'll probably have the answers, you know, so whether that be a client coming to your colleague coming to you or your kids coming to you and the more you coping the more people are going to come to you to ask for help.
And when it's Veterinary help, you know, it's it's you know, it's more I guess more serious and that so yeah.I just sort of found that the wider I opened the door the more people would come in and And you know, that's which it mean and when I went to my own business I thought well if I say I'm going to do emergencies I'll be working 24/7 because you know, you just say well, yeah, I can do that.
I can do that.I can help you with that.Yeah, I'm a simple and it's very simple stuff I guess but you know unless you learn to say no with a smile and sort of set some boundaries you're going to keep especially if you keep getting results, you know, when people come deal with their problems or their request if you keep helping them then they'll tell her.
And I'll come to you and then yeah, but you know, I guess you can keep putting your prices up.But how do you put your price up for a colleague who's ringing you about a difficult case or you know where your kid wants to spend more time with you and that you know, you say yes learning to say no.
I'm learning to you know, but that's something something that's a little bit foreign to the helping and caring sort of nature that a lot of people who want to do vet science.They they do it because I want to help people so it's it's not something that we're in a born with most of us some some probably are but I wasn't yeah.
Yeah say yeah.Yeah, I get what you're saying with regards to being capable capable capability is something that we're all striving to be capable at things and when you build and become more capable, you intuitively then want to take more on or feel like you can take more on.
So there's a piling more shit on you start becoming more capable and you pile more on.Yeah.It's like it's like the that they that they can refer.What is referred to as a strong suit so it's it's kind of like your superpower, right?But it's also your Kryptonite at the same time.
We're your biggest strength becomes a weakness because you just eventually it's a thing that actually breaks you down.So yeah, we end up doing more things in a certain amount of time.And so you juggling more balls and then you know, you've sort of worked hard to get there and you have the expectations and the standards are set for yourself.
So when you start dropping balls, it hurts more than you You didn't have those expectations or you know levels of success that you were looking for.And and it's the same thing you stopped doing the basic fundamentals and that's why you make the mistakes you think you know, you haven't got time to do the basics anymore.
Then you drop a few balls.You make some mistakes, you kill the odd animal because you didn't do something fundamental and that yeah, and I think it goes for Specialists as well.You know that it's really hard for a specialist because they're being called so many times a day by General Practitioners That what do you do here?
What do you do here and often they're doing it for free the advice and takes time and if they don't give the really thorough answer, you know, there's going to be frowned upon if they forgot to they are committed to say something really essential and fundamental and gave that wrong advice and I'm goes if you're treating an animal.
Yeah, you might think why but yes get one skip packing as temperature or something in it.Come back and buy chips.Yeah.Yeah.I totally see what you're saying.What's this?Illusion.How do you actually provide them how to prevent the Paradox?So it's putting the boundaries up saying, you know, it's learning to say no with a smile, you know that, you know not feeling guilty about saying no guilty about and for me the big one was when I went out on my own and practice there was everyone just thought I was going to do emergency and I just said no can't do it.
I'm going to be busy doing elective stuff and as it turned out, you know, it's what our from the get-go just doing an elective stuff.So if I had it done emergencies as well, I Then a far worse trouble because I would have been running around like it, you know pretty nuanced boy and you know, just not really helping anyone especially myself.
So I think it's yeah just a trap for high Achievers in general that you know, you wanting to help you wanting to do your best you can just keep going and yeah, I think because people have to be careful at that and I see it all the time in these young vets who come through our training Workshop.
So just push themselves to the Limit and and then they fall in a big big Heap and say how did that happen?You think it's coming for five years, you know like yeah, absolutely.Can I build on that Oliver?So there's something that I've come across recently and I thought it was awesome.
Actually, you mean to say that word.I thought it was great and it's that average is awesome and and just you know, the generation coming through myself included, you know, we were told when words once we got into vet school.They were the cream of the crop we were The upper echelon of all of achievers at the University so acknowledge ourselves and I didn't have no issues with itself acknowledgement.
I think it's incredibly important in terms of building resilience and so forth.But but what happens is you start to feel this kind of feeling that you're exceptional right new instead of their exceptional is in your quote there, but then what happens is you start to put pressure on yourself exactly what you were saying there, so, Now it comes back to the circle and comes back now to actually being okay with being average and it's absolutely a fallacy to think that were exceptional because there are people out there who are so much better at all the things that we're not good at right we might be exceptional in one particular thing, but you might be completely shit at something else.
Yeah, right.So to think that we're exceptional as a whole I think it's an absolute floor because what happens then is when we don't do something good or we do fail at I think we have this unrealistic expectation of a cells being exceptional because of who we are and what we've achieved in and so for the University and we were working and so forth.
So the average average is awesome.Yeah.It's mediocre.You want to be in the middle of the pack.You don't want to be at the top.You don't want to be last.Well, even if you think of the top you're probably the top of a small little little Pinnacle of people right, but then you pop the worst at something else.
Yeah.Exactly.Yeah.And yeah.Totally agree.It's yeah and you're only as good as your last job and there's always someone better than there's always someone worse off than you so I just sort of think.Yeah.Keep it keep it real and embrace the failures.
That's my learning from your mistakes.Hmm.I really like that.Thank you for sharing that that is good.I'm sitting I'm sitting here trying to trying to get my head around it and I'm like, I think you have to meditate on this one a little bit.
I'm trying to I'm trying to apply to my own life and how I work and how I live in City again.Yeah, I thought I'd do the same you you think you have to be great at everything and I've purchased maybe identify the things that you did y'all good.I didn't and then everything else let yourself off the hook a little bit Yeah, I think you've got to enjoy taking the piss out of yourself.
Basically, you know like have a laugh and you know, don't lose your sense of humor and just, you know be shit at stuff and just laugh, but it's good, too.I go and fish.It's tough.But fashion sense or when you make mistakes, right and you learn from your space that mistakes in the people who have done something your people who are better at something than you.
They probably made a lot of mistakes getting there.So they are you haven't done as had as many mistakes as they've had.Yeah.So I'd want my favorite sayings is success is due to good judgment good judgments to to experience and experiences due.Bad judgment and I say you're not going to get anywhere unless you keep failing.
That's where you're learning best like failing good how to fail gracefully over good without wanting to I don't know dramatized about it happened to reference other well, so we talked about it by the world you're struggling well, Oliver you've achieved a lot but I look at your business and at the number of people you've helped train and send it to the veterinary world.
It is it's exceptional nothing not supposed to use that use that word but it has your journey to get where you are has been up and down and it has it at a stage taking you to some to some dark places to tell us a little bit about that.
It is much detail or as little detail as you want just to The scene for when things were how you learned about all these things and when things do go wrong and go too far.Yeah.It's interesting.I guess I have always been them.I've always probably thought too much which got me into trouble about myself or being self-critical or whatever and we always try to do my best and get it back up and sort of go again.
And when I started my first job the day after graduation, I was still there 9 and 3/4 years.Later, so I can quite get my 10-year long service leave but started my own business and you know, it's sort of boomed doubled in size.
We went from 250 to 500 per million turnover in the first three years and I had no clue about running a business.I was okay as a vet, but just it just boomed I just was lucky enough to fall upon a niche market that was ready to go.
And so before I knew it and at the same time Started young family and I read this book called raising boys.It was by Steve bit off and it's one of the key things.I remember from it was him saying that if if you're working more than 55 hours when when your son's hit six years to make it as a dad you're going to yeah.
Yeah, I've read that as well.It's yeah.Yeah, but I don't want to be a failure.I'm not a good dad.So anyway, my eldest son term 6 and I'm working a hundred hours method of this is she.I've got a it wasn't meant to play out like this but had and so I thought well put more people on, you know to get help me work less and but because I didn't have the systems.
I didn't know about business.I didn't have any good mentors or anything.I just putting more people on actually had networking more because I was having to you know, explain Ryan and all that sort of thing and I'd actually been also seeing a local clinical.
Just to ask yourself a life coach.I've been seeing her 18 months to try and help me be more efficient more, you know resilient or that sort of thing.So but anyway in the end she sort of Center on this day in November by my wife and she said go and tell her you're either depressed or you got bipolar.
So I walk in then in the good husband.I said, I'm either depressed about my Polo.So she said okay, we started talking about depression and pop.Well, mainly depression to was talking about and she said, Here get these pills from your GP and take them and off you go and you'll feel better in a few weeks, but you might have a bit of a belly upset.
So to start low and build up and so I did that and thought I was going to be Superman because I was already keeping a few goals and that but I didn't realize just how bad that can make you feel and on a warm.Anyway, I was in a psychosis about 10 days later and attempted suicide and yeah, it was a five days in a coma, you know.
Survived like the barbs on how that yeah series of Miracles.I managed to survive and here so after that have sort of got real and I started seeking some really good help after that.I learnt a lot about oppression and a lot about the whole suicide thing and suddenly came to life.
Just how present and common it was in our profession.And yeah, I just sort of I've lost a few mates to it as well and it really led to me wanting to try and get the Word out there and try to help others to avoid going down that pathway and just learning some key things that because it is you can't have simplify it.
But when you look back, you know anyone could have seen it coming for me and you know, I watch you know, some other really talented kids who are very energized vets and that per day just an overdose things and not stay balanced them up I think and burnout and but yeah, I learnt a lot about that and it's good to see things coming on but Yeah, I could talk about this graph basically, so I'm sure that's a thanks for sharing that that's an incredible thing to go through and and what a privilege for us to for you to have gotten through that and learn from it and teach us a couple of things from it.
Yeah, I mean it's it is interesting and I sort of feel it's my it's my duty to try and help others from it, you know, from what I learned and even just you know how to find a good sign.Psychiatrist or and I it's amazing how many vets reached out to me when after it happened and help me with what that experience but they said back in 2005 of wasn't in the Pressed much.
It wasn't so, you know that even things like, you know, I got a tip from a very very famous Professor who was obtained a vet school had been battling for a long time and he said to me you've got to realize that half the psychologists and psychiatrists out there only did the course to try and work themselves out so you don't want to use them.
And the other thing so little tips like that and it was he was spot-on to like.Oh, yeah.It's a fascinating thing but it's just a devastating, you know, and it was massively harmful to my family and you know, I think they're still suffering.
I was lucky.I was asleep through the whole ordeal.But yeah, just so devastating and yeah good met to visit with me hospital.He couldn't Not understand why and what I didn't all that and two years later.He did the same thing and doing lately.Wow, very proud and that's been one of the reporters for me, you know, the feeling, you know, he should he should still be great that great can only mean great guy and it's such a tragedy.
I love these you say it.You said earlier that Anybody could have seen it coming or would have seen it coming with the the problem is that it is so many cases.Nobody sees it coming and I asked these questions for for personal reasons because it does seem like it's people who are doing really well the externally and then suddenly they just not looking back at it or if you had to advise somebody like me or anybody else out there.
Are they are they warning signs because I think about it when we touched on this earlier about the weights of bondage its face, but it specifically our ability to put up with shit and just get on with it and go.Yeah, this is it is deaf, but it's part of the gig and I have done it through uni, and I've been doing it for 10 years.
What is the difference between yeah things are you know that I'm doing it tough or I'm now at the precipice of a crisis.It's any other Hallmarks of going.Okay.Should I really should be should be careful now?I think the questions are like like that's in the presses the IUI.
Kyk question.Have you thought about taking your own life, you know and I think the stats are that most vets have had the thought go through their head at some stage and it's often a suicidal thought is a very fleeting thought it often just comes and goes but if you can ride out the storm it'll go and then you feel better again first depression and anxiety and more chronic conditions.
So they'll they'll hang around longer, but that's when You're in that state.That's when you got to be at risk of getting this fleeting thought of suicide which may turn up and if it turns up in the in the wrong time when you're isolated when you've just had a major traumatic event such as a relationship breakdown or something and if you've got the memes to act upon it you're at higher risk if you're in that situation, so I guess it's the whole trying to as far as Kenya sit coming from my point of view as anyone who's really Out of balance.
If you see them looking really rundown really tired or really anxious or not themselves or just looking the they might keep working but and unfortunately, it's really hard and I know a couple of vets right now who are probably in that situation.
I've tried to talk to them about, you know back an offsetting a holiday saying that sort of thing and that's a stubborn bogus.They it's hard to talk them out of it.And that's something that you know, I don't know.Needs to that in how you try and because I have physically had to lead a friend who was you know talking about taking his own life and you know going home to do it and we had to intercept demon but yeah, it's just awful relational the scenario.
And so I think when you say what were the signs the signs are getting out of balance bad, you know, like in that can be working crazy hours, you know working to must not get getting enough sleep not getting enough social time with friends family because the three big protective factors are good exercise good diet and tribe.
So if you're not getting you know, if you have missing out big time on one of those three things and you know working too much you're going to start losing the social context social commitments and you know playing sport you're not going to get your exercise.You're going to start, you know, you're rushing around your pull over and you grab a Coke and a pie and you start doing that too much that's going to mess.
It you know it and it's only you know, I think I think the steps are around thirty percent of the population is prone to it.So that means 70% you know, I'm going to go down that path but the fact that thirty percent that means everyone's probably going to know someone that's going to go go there and you know, that's where I guess the push is to try and get that Mental Health First Aid as widespread as possible because it might be your brother might be your son might be a father.
You know that It becomes affected by that but in the veterinary profession, we've got the you know, the long hours low pay access to lethal means all the time and the isolation through working a lot and you know, so that brings with it more risk of relationship breakdown and that sort of thing.
So hell, yeah, that's a big problem and I hear young vets coming to our workshops and it is been talked about that universities now much more than used to but I had a comment last year from one of them saying We get it so much drilled into us now that we're almost feeling like when we become a vet.
We are going to get depressed like so it's a little bit of a risk of going too far on that as well.We've got to keep it in perspective.But I think the key is that balance the health, they get serious about your health and serious about you know resilience and what can a few mind and learning to control thoughts and that sort of thing because we never learned that stuff, you know, we're sort of just expected that we're good.
Uruz and high Achievers, but we don't mind the basic, you know, staying healthy and having good mental health and good thought, you know, I thought control controlling your mood benefits of exercise and those who are just it's inheriting them, you know, they just cruise through life and have a great life, but they're probably the 10 or 20% of the top.
I think it's important to point out as well that everything you say applies.Not just To the extreme example of suicidal.There's also a lot of in between just just just Nia exploding your career or your relationship or it doesn't it doesn't just mean that this is be talking about how to prevent the extreme case scenario.
It's also yeah for everybody in between as well.Yeah, it affects you change your decision making choices and I reasoning makes you more likely to snap at someone else and that something else must have thought with as vets we practicing we always get that unreasonable client comes in but it's the reality is that that probably just haven't there, you know got some mental health issue having a bad day, but they don't come in with the cast around the head saying, you know that my part was playing up or something like that.
They come in and abuse you and you got to learn to not take a personal at all.It's really about them as nothing to do with you as a veteran or as let's take it personally to get yelled and screamed at Totally on and I've seen that numerous times within that the veterinarians at work at our hospitals been emergency Mill the night and a fees are higher than they are then general practice or every day time fees.
So they're in a situation where their pet is sick and unwell, so that's stressful.They're in a situation where they're somewhere.They've never been before with a vet that never met before which is stressful and they get whacked with the whole fees which are higher than normal.
All that's even more stressful and it's kind of like as Melting Pot of just emotion that I suppose just comes out as as anger anger or mostly anger a lot of upsetness.
But the one that we that impacts us the most is the anger and when it does happen, there's a lot of discussions within the team is about how you look this is the situation situation has nothing to do with what you've said is just them Yeah, I need to figure out if it's just in processing the whole thing and sometimes Institute of the process hmm.
Ya gotta learn the ducking and dodging technique.Hmm, not really the keeper and works in relationships to the ducking and dodging.Hey your shoulders at least placing their way, but you just got a lot of kick and you wish fired selectively Dodge the Dodge that one I heard that the interest rate at the other side here.
We're not going to bite on that one.So I'll ever be if where you find yourself at a crisis point the way that with it is just I think I'm going to quit being a vet or whether more extreme than that.
What have you got any practical advice as to what you do which are all resources to reach for view even even you talked earlier about finding the right psychologist.What if Learnt in this regard.Yeah, I guess the big thing for me.
Like I did a cognitive behavior course therapy course CBT course and that was brilliant in and I wish I had started in about year 3 because that's when it started negative mental health thoughts and issues and that but that was really about just grabbing those negative thoughts that tend to gather a bit of momentum like, you know, a little fire that starts Gathering momentum and so It's a Bushfire and I think with if you're living with these thoughts and most people for me was from the age of 10.
I started getting these pretty negative thoughts on that and they could be going good and then, you know have one pop up and if usually in response to some adverse thing that happened by the be a case or whatever and they could just you know, gather momentum very quickly and go from zero to a hundred in a millisecond in the end.
So the CBT course was all about I need to grab those thoughts and say hang on brain.What are you talking about?Here?Show me some evidence that what you're worried about it, right?You have no evidence to solve than show, you know, go back into your cage sort of thing, you know get on with it.
Yeah, that was you know it in a nutshell was learning to grab those thoughts and you know, really say well, you know, you just being ridiculous here.So I guess there's a little bit about having that conversation with your own brain and not letting them run away that was that aspect to it.
I also have done look farther other resources and there's plenty up there now and you know audiobooks and that sort of thing and one of the things I learned from those was most of the time when you're stressed or it's usually comes down to fear fear that you're going to lose something fear that something's not going to happen or fear that it's going to be a delay in getting a watch your sort of chasing and have it comes down to that one of the best ways to sort of repeal or counter. except that fear of lawsuits reliable not achieving what you're after is to really focus on what you're grateful for in this situation that find a positive in that situation no matter what, you know, whether it be well she just killed that dog, but I just learned that you know should be done for next time and they were often things that Old-Timers you no grandmas and grandpas are taught the kids, you know over the years and that but just trying to find some sort of three things that you're grateful for when you're feeling really least rest and that can be a good antidote and sort of help you straight away and really, you know Focus hard on those things that you're grateful for because everyone on three things that they're grateful for and the other thing is just, you know things like don't sweat the small stuff because it's all small stuff and you know stuff like that.
I just realized that it's not worth getting stressed and that's what I say to my team now have a about nine staff and I just say that I'm not it's not worth getting stressed over this, you know, We do our best we make mistakes with lick our wounds we get up and we try not to repeat it.And you know, it'll be okay and it usually is yeah, it's almost world problems.
Mostly that we're getting stressed about sometimes it's difficult.When you're when you're really quite in there to really think of three things that the be grateful for but sometimes it's good to have some stock standard ones and for me Ox down and ones.
Our the sky is blue today.He's got his like the grass is green.So it's like sometimes even just simple things like that like Jasper or fundamental like yeah, so I've been in situations where I've been incredibly stressed and and pulled out the gratefulness to land and really struggled drugs he find gratefulness, but then what I felt then as I needed some rule some fundamental back up.
Ones that I can pull out and and the fundamental ones were family.Yeah.My partner sky is blue and the grass is green.It's okay.I heard a good good talk.Why is this a thing is a Benedictine monk who it's a whole talk is about gratefulness.
So here's another one for you Gerardo.He Siri or he still talk guys about that.You truly grateful when you receive a gift.Left.So if you if you receive something that you didn't pay for you didn't work for anything you somebody just gives you something that's a true feeling of gratefulness can arise from that every moment that you have is a gift you not do don't deserve it the moment the fact that you haven't just drop dead Israeli out of your control.
You don't deserve it.So every moment that you have is an opportunity to shit, that's really great.I am grateful that I'm that I'm still sitting here.Which is how it sounds silly but I think it is quite a useful one and then he ends the talk by saying and we're going to forget that and we're going to be ungrateful.
But the great thing is the next moment will be a long ride it right away.You can try again here.Try again through other.Yeah, there's another one, you know, if you think you're having a tough day, there's plenty of people in the graveyard, who'd be happy to swap places with.Yeah.
That's that's like yeah, that's entirely He drew actually true fish really takes it in one level.That's kind of more extreme.But yes, I throw those into last night just a story podcast and it's that guy who was talking to his sister who's on a deathbed.
It's a bit more but morbid background and he sitting there telling her how much he loves her.She says, she loved me enough to swap places with me and then he says I do and then he says, all right.Like a vegetable it is hated Craig.No worries.Are you crazy?But he felt too bad to say it's a say to it.
Do you really want to be married to my wife and raise my children?And she said if you put it that way, I think that that's really valuable.
I am at that's already great created.Vice the other thing, I guess some other sort of physical tips for in those situations are really making sure that you focus on what even things like changing your body language and breathing and you know, taking three deep breaths or change your stance, you know, instead of swiping down or you know, if you've got if no one's watching your do some extreme exercise for a couple of minutes, you know, they've can be powerful.
For changing the mood pretty quick.You probably can't do that in front of an animal.You know, that's all that my membership exams and all the sudden one of the candidates in the room got in the middle of the corridor and the middle of the aisle and just did like 20 push-ups stood there kind of like old Power posing and can step back down again.
It's just like, okay.There we go here.Let's say it's in your mood.Yeah, I love it like power posing exercise.Other than that the CBT the cognitive cognitive behavior therapy justjust in case anybody's interested in that is that through a psychologist or courses or where'd you find that?
I think there's I think there's a lot of options out there actually did it through a hospital in Brisbane and it was an eight week course, we went to mornings a week for eight weeks.So that was pretty intense that it really yeah, but Everything right down to You Know audio books and books about it.
And there's plenty out there.The thing it suited me is that it had a lot of science behind it was easy to understand the you know, the evidence of it.It wasn't to through the Airy fairy and it was taught by a professor or who's a Queensland University who was sort of one of the pioneers of it and I asked him at the end I said, why isn't this stuff taught in schools and primary schools, you know, they're also very useful.
Nice its reply was that that because depression and anxiety only affect about 30 percent of people in means that he thought that will 70% of the kids wouldn't have a clue what you're talking about with these negative thoughts and trying to get onto them.And yeah, so that was interesting but you talk to teachers now and they're saying the level of depression and anxiety in their Primary School students are much higher than they were 10 or 15 years ago.
So whether whether it will become more mainstream or not, I don't know but it has sort of Stood the test of time a little bit in that there's been other things that have come and gone but CBT seems to be still getting good, you know reviewers being beneficial but to be any websites, you might be able to share with us or a book or something.
You might be to share with us that we can put in the you might need to send send later to here and then we can add it in the notes here that's in the mindfulness stuff is also good.You know, it's the other thing that's and It's all about just try to switch your mind off for you know, whether it's for one minute one minute a day because vets have up and got very active minds and thinking about 10 things that one sort of thing.
So that's a good way to just reset the chemistry a little bit.And yeah, there's more and more evidence coming that that stuff is important, you know for our biochemistry and physiology of our brain and that, you know, trying to get your brain to produce some some good hormones and neurotransmitters.
Transmitters rather than the other than the stressed whole destructive adrenaline and cortisol and that sort of thing you want to be Valium and that's a skill that though either the mindfulness thing.
It's something I'm trying to work on as well.But I think what I'm trying to say is it's you can't just suddenly think you're going to do it when you are stressed or when depending situation.I try to practice it in between And I think that's one of the things that should be starting to.
I don't know how much the vet schools are doing but your little because they stuff things aren't skills that you learn home this early the more you can practice them before the emergency that more usefully they to you totally have of just think it's a waste of time and I remember in best of all we have Professor Heath and he was teaching us a subject about dealing with unreasonable clients and that sort of thing and we're in fourth year and everyone's a lot of thought it was a bit of a a joke, but it turned out to be probably one of the much useful courses with it in the hole, you know, one of the most useful subjects within the whole course as far as you know, helping you to survive on the outside.
Yeah.Yeah.They are you so focused them.I don't know that that's a large reason why we started this project Majuro toes everybody seems so focused and so concerned and so worried about the clinical aspect of the career and everything else.You think I will I'll get there one day.Yeah, and then those are the things that come and bite you in the butt.
At some stage, but listen is out there.There are numerous apps you can get on your phones which help with increasing mindfulness and one that I use is called headspace and it's a really good one too because it nags you to actually exercise mindfulness and there's it.
There's varying levels in duration of exercises as well.So some which only for like a minute two minutes.Minutes 20 minutes and then also there's various different types of exercises for different situations.
You're in when you're trying to focus when you're trying to de-stress when you're trying to relax and so forth.So it's worth investigating and if it wasn't for something like an app for myself, I wouldn't actually be doing it.There's quite a few I tried headspace for some reason.
I fell off the wagon with with Ed space, but I've found another one recently called.The waking up course with Sam Sam Harris that that resonates with me more I play I like that one.So here this that there are quite a few that that's what I'm that's what I'm saying.
It's a hard skill to learn because even with a guided the guided meditations and that it's still again.I think it comes back down to the performance thing.He said they thinking I suck at this I should be much better at falling asleep with them, but they exactly When you saying that I suck at this shoe.
I should be much better.This is the situation I'm came to mind for me where it started two years ago.I remember doing a cat leg like a kitten spay and these things you should take like I'm no 10 10 minutes 15 minutes our cameraman now like I remember taking very long.
I'm going to do them back when I was when I first graduated because you learn them pretty quick and then presumably very much and so forth and this Spade turned into an ex lap because I completely forgot normal Anatomy so used in GD vs resection and anastomosis skeptical at night.
Splenectomy and things that when it came to actually like a normal space a I was just like do I cut below the umbilicus broke up above?I'm Lucas but sirs turned into an ex lap and then next you know, how the guts out everywhere.I'm just trying to find the over it like it was it was actually pretty stressful than I have to stop and go.
Okay settle the fuck down.Yeah, you know, what's next?What's the next step?What's the next step?What's next?I've got through it all but it was actually the whole thing about.Yeah when you have these expectations Love yourself.And you don't match them.That's for sure.It wasn't a male kitten was it?
Oh gosh castration from the inside.I'll ever have you got any any specific tips for youngsters entering the profession at the moment of things that you've learned from from your whole experience and from your career that that you can advise him on.
Yeah, I I thought of five in the disgruntled seven.So I spoke to you yesterday was six one more.Yeah, I think it's learning from other successful people who are doing it and it's and they often, you know older people who have survived the test of time and life and that sort of thing but one of the big things is that right.
Four months and no matter how little or how much you have.There's always someone worse off than you in the world.And and I think we're just so damn lucky to live in Australia so safe.So, you know the worst comes to worst.You still got a roof over your head and can find food 90% of the world's population earning less than three dollars a day.
So, you know, we're pretty damn Lucky in Australia.But yeah, so that gratitude, you know, Be grateful for your ability that you can work with a lot of people who can't work because of a disability or injury or something and you know that you you wanted to do this as a kid and you know, a lot of people are 40s and 50s and they still don't know what they wanted to do.
They are and what they want to do is either so far from what they're doing.It's not funny.So I think we've yeah really going to focus on that gratitude.I've always worked on trying to give more than I've received and bears generous.
You came to others and you know, the experts say that the beauty of that is it feels good at the time but it also ends up coming back to you sort of tenfold and it might be in some strange way and I could give you a example of that through my current partner.
I actually met her indirectly because I was down doing some horses teeth than they lady who had them shared about five horses that self and And there was this other one that a little pony and said look there they can't afford to get it done and be in trouble if they get it done and spend money on the vet and I said walk just throw it in and I'll go for free and don't worry about it and then a few years later.
I meet this person and turns out that she actually owned that pony and she's now my partner.
But the thing I learned from that CBT Professor was and that you know, it's good to give more than you receive.But that was one of the things that that's always said you've got to make sure you only give away things you can afford to and whether that be in the way of time or money or effort or services or whatever if you can't afford if you haven't got a time, you've got to say no.
Sorry.I don't have the time to do that.Whereas I think as you know, service providers, you know compassionate people that topping our we give away more of our time.I can't really afford to When it comes back and bites on the bum, you know, it don't forget.You're right.
You've got a little bit stuff.Tell her that I was having to you're saying that's it.Yeah Sergeant Iraq.Yeah don't you know try and give more than you receive but don't give away what you can't afford to give away.That's kind of, you know lead to your burning in be useless to everyone.
So the other thing is the third tip Learners much.About being a high performer as you can and that's what's you know, all leading veterinarians are their high performance and they're like CEOs or Elite athletes or whatnot.Then they're the ones are really got that shit together from Health Energy resilience relationships intelligence wealth, you know, those guys have got it all together.
They've often do things their habits are different to what the status quo is and there's now plenty of information about how to you know, live your life like them through do The simple things and little things like, you know doing a little bit of exercise each morning, you know being grateful each morning talk about three things.
You're grateful for having a cold shower, you know stuff like that little little habits that you're studying how they do it and you know, because often they weren't the greatest or the smartest in that class or anything, you know, they just going to do things better and you know that that all leads to healthier more longer-lasting.
In careers and more successful rewarding often higher paying careers and often their skills that you didn't learn at University, you know, they weren't part of the curriculum.You didn't learn it from your mom and dad.So yeah learn as much as possible about high performance and that'll help you in many ways number four was doing goal setting each year, but make sure you review them daily weekly or monthly and makes a big difference in the long term outcome.
So if anyone's career or life And make sure you do them not just in your career, but it also in your health and then your relationships and your finances spirituality Hobbies, you know fun things that you want to do and keep reviewing them because if you know, if you're finding that it's not working.
They're not giving you the buzz, you know, try something else people prepared to change number five was treating your life in Korea.This is a big one that really gets me through a lot of those stressful times because I tend to to joke around a fair bit and do silly things at times and that so I'm off course, you know, like a plane flying from Sydney to La you're getting blown off course 95% of the time but so long it's nowhere you want to get backed, you know back on course, you'll get there in the end and you'll be happy and you know it fueled and proud of it.
So don't worry if you're getting blown off course, just hang in there and you'll get back on track and it'll all be fine because I used to get stressed about and get you know, disillusioned or down and out because it's you know, I've Doing those exercises of this of that now I don't tend to worry about it discuss the Viking off you go again.
And if you if you're seeing get them the other one, I think I've made a lot of bets in the courses and when you're talking to that you're sort of realized that they're doing it, but they don't really know why they're doing it and I think you need to sort of spend a bit.
We spend so much time learning about medicine and surgery and all this.But we spend very little time on learning about ourselves and what we really want out of life and it might come down to breaking it right down to the feelings that you want because some people are real Adrenaline Junkies and they want Adventure and all that so they can probably be doing the more risky that may work.
Whereas those who want safe and secure.They probably need the more, you know controlled environment, you know, high high level of low level of risk, you know more more routine sort of stuff.And that's one of the things I'm probably more.
I have to slice me.Sometimes I can be a bit risque and other times I'm looking for the more security and that's why Dentistry is good for me because it got a lot of certainty you're going to help every cautiously basically.Yeah, but you're also going to see plenty of variety so you don't get too bored with it.Yeah trying to find what makes you tick has a person what makes you What feelings you're chasing?
If so, yeah try to find the job description that will match What feelings make you feel?Field it's no good, you know being a real risk taker personality and being in a mundane jobs just not going to work.So and once you know, what type of person you are trying to find what you want to do and then look for role models who are good at doing that stuff and try and learn from them rather than trying to reinvent the wheel and that will certainly help you with, you know leap from a fair bit.
And the last one number seven was learning.To embrace failure and you know, a lot of vets to Med students are undergrads have been high Achievers, you know top and their class never the exam that sort of thing and then they're going to be launched into the real world where animals do die and it's not my condo bed all the time and they'll get better and you know, it's at saying that success is due to good judgment good judgment shooter experience and experiences due to bad judgment.
So you've got to embrace your Send just learn from acknowledge them.They'll they'll keep coming.And it's all part of, you know, growing your your comfort bubble around you, you know, you're not going to get anywhere unless you try more difficult things.
That's great.That's that's excellent.Dorota.Your sounds off Dorado you've committed yourself.Are you guys back?I didn't yourself someone came to the door and I thought the deliveryman all over that that that was a that was really good.
I love all seven of those a lot of those resonate actual than resonate highly with me because I do believe in every single one of those ones that the one about the finding an expert or Mentor.I do think that you know, sometimes you can Things sometimes you can learn things yourself but there's certain things which actually had so much more powerful if there's someone that can guide you through it.
That's so much quicker.So yeah, the one that I that interesting one that I like is the figuring out why you're doing it and who you are.The challenge is sometimes learning who you are how and how do you figure it out?
And when when do you do it?Yeah.Idea, where any input on that I was going to say something smart, but I can't think of it think of an answer.Yeah, I actually heard that concept first from listening to a Tony Robbins CD and he really got down into the nitty-gritty of it and just resonated with me and that it made a lot of sense that if that's the you know, if that's the because we're really after just feelings and whatever we do and you know, the feeling you're chasing, you know, if your job can deliver those Things are pure creation.
Then you're going to feel fulfilled.Whereas if you jobs if you're a real safe and secure person and you're in a job that's really chaotic and you know, lots of high risk and that you're not going to be very happy.So I think trying to find out which one of those and there's many different classes.
Of course, you know, we're not we're not straight down the line you want a bit of bit of variety and spice in there as well.But trying to find what fit you are for that for that position of for that career or for that job.Above that job placement.I think you can keep doing it in in various aspects whether it be what sport you play or whether you know, what nightclub you go to what restaurant you go to what car you buy, you know?
Yeah.Absolutely.Yeah.I think the one thing I can add 2 to that door.Yeah chip in there is it those sort of thought processes do take a bit of time?Yeah.You need to allocate yourself time.Yeah.Well the goal setting All of these things every now and again you need to set some time aside and to to spend on this you can't do it if you're working hundred hours a week and and all you doing is thinking about cases and just keeping head above water.
Yeah.That's that whole balance thing that you know, how much time does your average bet spend learning about cases reading on cases.And then how much do we spend on learning how to be a better father a better partner a better, you know a better brother, you know, we spend very little time.
Time but the ones who are very good at it.They do dedicate time to think about it or to study it or to learn how to do it better.Yeah, and that's I think yeah trying to find that balance and trying to build your skills to be able to handle the tough times when they arrive because they will arrive if you live long enough.
Yeah, definitely building the skills and practicing them.It's just like as if you're at the gym, right?Yeah, it doesn't put The heaviest he doesn't put your whole body weight on a chest, press and go do it.Right if you want you up slowly session after session.
So it's when you really do do need that that you can pull it up and it's yeah pull it out.And I think there's the same where you don't you don't rise to the challenge you fall back to your level of training.Yeah.Yeah.Yeah sure.So we'd like to think that we can rise to the challenge and sometimes we can write but it's only probably because we are subconsciously all or previously kind of been there before but I think it's unrealistic to feel that because if we can just ride rise to every single challenge we have to be prepared and practice and try to be better.
Yeah.Is there any particular book that you Offer our listeners any book that sort of resonated powerfully for you or yeah, I guess the first introduction I got two books about this sort of stuff was from a better visiting Kentucky in 1997.
He told me to get this book called 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.Yeah, that was a life-changing for me and that actually, you know stimulated me to start.Looking for other books and that and realizing that the world just wasn't as you saw it through the lens that you were, you know gifted by your upbringing that that there are many different ways to look at, you know, everything in life.
So that's sort of started my starting to look at things differently and other books that have been standouts more recent one the Predators the high performance Habits by Brendon burchard.It's you know, I think it really applies to veterinarians because to be a good bet.
Hold it together and all aspects of your life.You've got to be like an Elite Sport but or you know see those sort of level G and resilience and coping and all that sort of stuff.And here's these guys who are making it breaking it down into small simple Global sort of Parts just like learning at technique or surgical technique or something, you know, it's all about breaking chunking it down other book.
Unshakeable by Tony Robbins.That was a good one on finances and just resilience and that as well.The five love languages by Gary Chapman.It was a great one.My partner introduced me to and ethnics played a whole lot about relationships and how they notice is I've got their weight as well have your relatives.
Are you need to get it?Like I have it.I just need your address putting it out Dodge its books because we say books.I've got a terrible confession.I have that book.Somebody gave it to me as a wedding present.I've never actually it's actually really easy.Very simple and yeah, there's an audiobook was well.
Okay, that's good.I'll go for that.The one the one on finances are Barefoot investor, and I think that's one that's a big stress for a lot of its as finances because you know long hours low pay as the norm, but I think there's also plenty of opportunity to be wealthy as a vet and you know most about to become wealthy could have done it in any professional trade because they had the right mindset and use the Right techniques and skills than that, but I sort of say to Young vets now try and get your financial habits in order as quick as you can so that you're not having to ask you'll enjoy a professional whole lot more if you're doing some sort of as a hobby then as it is to feed your family all the time.
So try and get smarter how you handle and think about it.That's a great book.I I'm going to find a way to get Scott paper on to this podcast.It sounds yeah.Yeah.Talk about it and it's common said stuff.Yeah, but what surprises me when you talk to people is how how they just don't have that Common Sense knowledge available when it's no good is sort updating it each year and keeping it relevant to Australia and its was Australia's best selling book again over the Christmas period and the other one industries of the future was an interesting book and that was more that's trying to look ahead it, you know.
What's coming?You know, we're so much in Europe so much rapid change in that and I think always want to be looking out for opportunities on the horizon and just thinking and yeah and I think for young vets that is this the vet profession has such a broad profession has so many opportunities in many many different levels than that.
So I think you know, if you realize that the clinical practice isn't for you, you know don't despair.There's another having an absolute ya there.Fact of technology and and all the changing workplace things out I've heard ponder about that and then veterinary science.
I can't spot to put some is going to be smart somewhere and figure out clever ways of doing things better.Yeah.Yeah.It's a good on industries of the future.Do you have the author of that one?That's a lacrosse and across.Okay, cool.That's a good one, too to add to the reading list there.
Okay, cool.There are ever got anything else.I think that's that's been extremely valuable.I think if you if you don't we'll wrap up with the the final question that you may have already discussed one of these, but I'm going to make you pick one Oliver about our last question of all, the other interviews is is you're somewhere you're at a Congress that you've Got the Whole World Vision a new graduates in front of you and you've got a minute or two to give them one message.
What's your message?Be to you know, Embrace Life embrace the fact that you've been gifted with a mind and a body, you know, it allows you to work as a veterinarian that you wanted to do when you're a kid, you know, it's allowed you to be able to work hard to serve others and just keep reassessing your journey along the way and have some rest point scheduled so that you can stop and smell the roses and see what's working.
What's not working be kind to others, you know.Do others as you would have them do unto you and remember that life is a journey not a race.One of my favorite sayings is behold the turtle.You'll only go forward if you keep sticking your head out.
I think that's a good one.You've got to have a crack get out and get pixely awesome.So it can be put up with that at all of them was amazing.I really appreciate you.Taking the time Oliver and and being so open and honest I think there's a there's a lot to learn from that.
It's going to take me a couple of listens to to to get all the all the value out of that one.And I really appreciate it have a lovely have a lovely day.No worries Jensen.Yeah.Well done.Thank you for doing what you're doing.It's yeah, it's going to be this is going to be something go worldwide entire down with the what you're doing there.
I thank you so much for certainly hope so.I live it talked about cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness and what huge benefits it had for him both Jurado and I highly recommend developing some sort of a mindfulness strategic.
There are many ways to do this.But an easy start is using one of the apps that we mentioned during the episode.So download the headspace app all the waking up with Sam Harris app and commit to doing the 10 date free trial see if it works for you.They lots of other resources out there.These are not the only two but these are treated that I've known the joy that Joy I know Gerardo's Right before as well in the waking up at there's a section called lessons and one of the lessons on the is one called don't meditate because it's good for you which talks about why you should meditate and what the benefits are and I think that's a great start to listen to that point.
We put the links for those on the show notes on the website and here's a tip.It could take several weeks to start noticing any changes in your thought patterns.So try to make a commitment to try it for at least four to six weeks before you decide that minute.Ation and mindfulness is not for you.One of all of us tips to survive veterinary science is to become a high performer.
So what is a high performer mean a way where can you start?First of all for me?It's about Clarity clarity about what it is you want.What do you want out of the your Korea?What do you want out of your job?Don't be random or leave it to the with others think long and hard once you're clear on what you want or what's most important for you in the next one to two years.
So if you come out of University, then maybe the first six months of your career is about been really good at General.Is surgeries like Space Dandy sex scenes then use laser focus and make it a priority.Then think of the five major moves you need to do or complete in order to get there.
Once you are clear about what it is you want then bring the energy don't wait for motivation to strike or for the energy to come to you in order for you to feel like you have the energy to do something take action before your brain stops and gives you reasons for why you can't do something and then that it will bring motivation and then that will bring the mentum which will help you with your energy then with that energy and motivation, focus it and be intentional and deliberate with the actions.
You take towards achieving your five major moves.Then to take it to the next level think about the habits and behaviors or traits that you would need to demonstrate on a more consistent basis in order for you to become a more consistent high-performing version of you.
Sometimes it helps for you to think of a professional athlete or a specialist or someone you look up to and and admire and look at the traits that they demonstrate.For inspiration about what traits you need to demonstrate on a more consistent basis.
Another one of Oliver's survival tips is being grateful.There's a lot of evidence that shows how beneficial it can be to your emotional state and mental well-being by consciously practicing gratefulness note that I say consciously practicing it's one thing to know as into cerebrally know that you have much to be grateful for but that's not the same as being or feeling grateful.
Now we don't always feel grateful.Sometimes we grumpy or we die at or something happened that we definitely not grateful for.So how do you practice gratefulness then?Well, you can start by thinking it until you feel it just the act and this has been proven that just the act of thinking about being grateful can actually start producing feelings of gratefulness.
So here's your homework for the week start a habit of writing down three things that you are grateful for every morning have a notebook that you use just for this.To be creative don't just use the same things every day.Like I'm grateful for my family grateful for my health think wide and thinks more in other words.
Don't just focus on the big picture things, but think about the small things in your life and your life like how warm your feet feeling those slippers or how much you love your morning coffee.I've included a link in the show notes to a podcast episode that I really liked about gratefulness.
That's by Tim Ferriss as well with the listen to give you some inspiration on this.And that is us for this week.If you liked it and down about evil, then I would love if you would share with your friends and colleagues and also give us a five star review on iTunes until next week.
Take care and go smash it.

Dr Oliver Liyou