Jasmine Park, DVM, enjoys a challenge but thinks she made a terrible mistake when she came to work for emergency and specialty care six months ago. Before this job, she was on the right track in her career. Her first two years were spent at a general practice with a mentor generous with his time, and she had hoped to stay put. Then, her plans were upended when her partner received an important promotion, which led to a relocation and a job hunt. Ready to try something new, she felt emergency care would test her knowledge and develop her skills. Dr. Park had accepted a full-time emergency position after positive reviews from a classmate, but it had been a rough six months. Even though she was a quick learner, Park felt underprepared when presented with new or complicated cases. She missed lunch anytime she fell behind on her records. In her efforts to keep up, she made occasional dosing errors or confused case details in her haste. At her last check-in with her manager, Park expressed her frustration, sharing that she did not feel recognized or supported. She was anxious that her mistakes—regardless of how minor—would impact her job and career. Practice manager Maya Patel, DVM, worried about her newest doctor, sensing Park’s pressure to get everything perfect. In Dr. Patel’s experience, many doctors new to emergency care take a good year to gain adequate experience and confidence, but Park was at risk of burnout at this rate. Patel knew she could not provide the direct support Park was seeking. She decided to teach Park how to shift her perspective to feel more successful, satisfied, and resilient in the challenging emergency environment. Patel would teach her how to leave the scarcity mindset behind and replace it with a success mindset. Patel scheduled a meeting with Park to partner with her on a new development strategy she called “The Success Plan.” The objectives were to create self-awareness about Park’s mindset, help her recognize the positives, and set goals to measure progress. Together, they chose two action items: 1) delegating more record-keeping to her nurses so she could have time for case review and preparation, slow down to double-check details, and 2) taking a 30-minute lunch break every day. Patel challenged Park to journal three wins, opportunities, and learnings at work each day, no matter how big or small. Patel also encouraged Park to reconnect with her classmates so they could partner as peer mentors, committing to connect at least monthly. The classmate would be a source of camaraderie, support, feedback, and encouragement. “Every doctor here is on their own path, with different levels of skill and experience, and each is successful in their own way,” Patel explained. “Just like you, they make mistakes and don’t have all the answers, even if they act like they do. Don’t worry about them; attaining competence is not a competition but a constant journey. You focus on you and your path, and you will get there.” She added, “You have to decide you are successful today, even though you have a lot to learn. There will always be a lot to learn. If you’re waiting to feel successful once you’ve mastered this skill or completed that course, you never will, because the bar will keep moving.” Park’s struggle with perfectionism illustrates a common challenge many veterinary professionals face as they navigate their careers. Perfectionism and the scarcity mindset As overachievers, veterinary professionals seldom feel recognized. This is especially true in a medical field that demands perfection, and the risk of reputation damage feels high if expectations go unmet, where online reviews are easy outlets for unhappy clients to vent. Add to this a pervasive fear of litigation or license loss, and it is easy to understand why anxiety runs high in a profession driven by a passion that wants to help animals. For many in veterinary medicine, these moments of recognition are too rare—not because we do not achieve, but because we fail to notice when we do. Cases are treated, surgeries are performed, and patients get better. Yet, these achievements quickly fade and are dismissed as “just doing the job.” As humans, we are hardwired to focus on the negatives, such as problems, mistakes, and conflicts, when they are, in reality, a very small percentage of our experience. Given all this, it is not surprising our profession is plagued with this scarcity mindset which has real and far-reaching costs. The constant pressure to measure up creates stress and anxiety, leading to decreased performance, burnout, and lost joy in our work. We become trapped in a cycle where nothing feels good enough and achievement is overshadowed by perceived failure. Over time, this pattern erodes confidence and prevents us from taking the bold steps that lead to real growth. The success mindset alternative While having a scarcity mindset is hardwired within each of us, intentionally embracing a success mindset is transformative for our well-being. It reshapes more than our view of achievements—it completely shifts how we perceive our work. Through this lens, obstacles become opportunities, we grow from our setbacks and recognize how daily wins build toward larger victories. Focusing on strengths and achievements leads to more positivity, resilience, creativity, and confidence. This shift in perspective enhances our decision-making and empowers us to take calculated risks that lead to meaningful growth. Most importantly, this positive outlook creates a powerful ripple effect, inspiring our teams, improving outcomes, and fostering an environment where innovation flourishes. Such an environment energizes everyone who works within it. Conclusion Success in veterinary medicine is not just about an accurate diagnosis or a flawless surgery. It is about the countless lives you touch every day, both human and animal; you just have to look up and notice. Success is a mindset you cultivate and practice daily through small choices, consistent habits, and conscious awareness. It sounds simple, but new habits are hard to start and maintain. Create your own “success plan” by starting small. Share the plan with your team and supporters so they can help you reach your goals. As you expand your efforts, notice how your perspective shifts. Notice your confidence increase, along with your willingness to take bigger risks. As you learn to focus on the positive, your resilience to bounce back from negative events will grow when you realize those events are meant for learning. While a success mindset lifts your spirits, its true power runs deeper. It builds the resilience to weather challenges, the confidence to take bold steps, and the clarity to see opportunities others might miss. By learning to spot and celebrate victories, you create a blueprint for achieving even more. Your next success awaits—go seize it! Kelly Cooper, DVM, is a practicing veterinarian, author, speaker, and Reality Vet Coaching & Consulting founder. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, her experiences as an independent practice owner and corporate executive have given her a broad and unique perspective to write, speak, and coach about the realities of working with people and the business of veterinary practice. Dr. Cooper serves on the AVMA Council on Veterinary Services and is a past president of the Oklahoma VMA. Cooper lives outside Portland, Ore. with her husband, Paul, three cats, and a chi-rock-weenie named Nugget. Learn more at www.RealityVet.com.
