As an early-career equine veterinarian, you’ll face decisions that test more than your clinical knowledge. From choosing a practice that aligns with your priorities to navigating ethical dilemmas, your personal values can help guide your decisions and shape a fulfilling career.
What Are Values?
Values are the principles, beliefs, and philosophies held sacred by an organization or individual. Typically, a child establishes values before starting kindergarten. Individuals absorb their values from their earliest experiences in their nuclear families, and these core beliefs shape them throughout their lifetime.
Our values are our personal truths that feel undeniable. They are our most dearly held beliefs about how the world should be. Conflicting values can create unsolvable disagreements between people.
Values serve three very important functions:
- They provide ethical guidelines and boundaries for your choices.
- They simplify decision-making. If one choice does not align with your values, it is much easier to reach a conclusion.
- They help you resolve conflicts, because they become the standard of acceptable behavior.
Always think about your values when making important decisions or facing uncomfortable situations. For early-career veterinarians, your values can help guide you to the right practice when making job decisions. They can also help you navigate difficult conversations with clients.
How to Discover Your Values
Ask yourself questions to help you discover your most important values. What actions or behaviors make you feel good about yourself? What news stories or behaviors inspire you? Which stories make you angry? What would you change about the world if you could? What would you change about yourself? What are you most proud of? When are you the happiest?
Here is a brief list of values to help you determine what is most important to you. It is not a comprehensive list, and your most highly held values might not be on it, so feel free to add them. Choose the 5-8 values that resonate with you most, and consider ranking their importance to you.
| Generous | Frugal | Fair |
| Family | Trustworthy | Faithful |
| Good provider | Consistent | Grateful |
| Healthy work/life balance | Honest | Flexible |
| Environmental preservation | Innovative | Charitable |
| Excellence | Creative | Independent |
| Doing good for the whole | Fun-loving | Strong |
| Dependable | Adventurous | Intelligent |
| Reliable | Motivated | Common Sense |
| Loyal | Positive | Compassionate |
| Committed | Optimistic | Healthy |
| Open-Minded | Inspiring | Spiritual |
| Passionate | Respectful | Altruistic |
| Courageous | Well-educated | Successful |
| Kind | Respected | In control |
| Caring | Hard-working | Powerful |
| Authentic | Integrity | Self-sufficient |
Living Your Values
After identifying your values, the challenge becomes living them every day. Be clear and open about what you stand for in order to attract the right people into your life. Author Simon Sinek said, “The goal is to do business with those who believe what you believe.” When choosing where to work, having shared values is one of the principle predictors of job satisfaction.
Your values inform your priorities. As your career in equine practice unfolds, regularly revisit how you are spending your time, and make sure you are walking your talk when it comes to your priorities. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Action expresses priorities.”
Related Reading
- The Business of Practice: Overcoming Burnout in Equine Practice
- Business Briefs: Inspiring Your Team
- Early Career Insights: Choosing the Associate Position That’s Right for You
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