I have noticed over the years that our lives are so full of comfort that we have become less tolerant of discomfort.

Our cars have air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows, DVD players + more.  Our houses are designed to be comfortable with instant hot water and all the mod cons. I remember as a kid, being in our car in the summer with the window down and very hot air blowing on my face.  I can recall the smell of freshly mown grass and hear the the birds. (I also didn’t have a flush toilet, or one inside the house, until I was 10.)

I faced a lot of challenges as a kid that made me resilient.  I had a lot of rough and tumble times growing up in the country riding horses and falling off motorbikes.  It was much easier for me to stay on a horse than it was a motorbike!

My kids don’t have the same privilege as we live in the city.  I am very lucky that my parents have acreage where my kids go on the holidays.  They learn to function without devices or TV and when the power goes off, it’s pitch black and the toilet won’t flush!  They get dirty and enjoy the rough and tumble of the animals.  They are exposed to birth and death.  I know my kids have a comfortable life so it’s important to me to ensure they are exposed to situations to build their coping skills.  Don’t worry, there are no Survivor style challenges.  I couldn’t stand the moaning about being hungry!!

The feedback I am hearing from the universities is that an increasing number of students are lacking resilience.  They aren’t coping well with the pressure and challenges.  I think there are many factors contributing to this.  I know the pressure to succeed has increased and so have expectations.  The pressure from the university, from friends and family and most of all, the pressure from within.

When you need to have the highest result to even gain entry into the veterinary degree, the students that are selected are high achievers.  Have they ever failed or made mistakes?  Have they ever faced adversity?  I hope so.  I don’t want their first year in practice to be the first time they experience a fear of failure or making mistakes.

The older generation of veterinarians comment that the new generation are risk averse and not willing to give things a go.  The fear of litigation and the Vet Surgeons Board does contributes to this.  I know clients have higher expectations and are less willing to tolerate unexpected outcomes.  I can understand being risk averse.  Recently, I’ve been hearing from very experienced veterinarians who comment they are becoming more cautious.

What is important isn’t the mistakes, failures or adversity.  It’s how an individual copes with them.  How they rise from the challenge.  How they internalise the event.  That is why it is so important for our new and recent graduates to have support in the first few years.  To help them understand what is out of their control, what they could have done differently and to identify if they are making a ‘mountain out of a molehill’.  The perspective of an experienced practitioner is so important to help new veterinarians recognise what is significant and what isn’t worth worrying out. 

When we are challenged, we must believe that we can cope with it.  We are veterinarians and have a tough training and tough first few years in practice.  You must believe that you will get through it and you will grow from it, becoming a more resilient veterinarian in the process.  It is also very important to recognise when you need to seek support and help and this applies to every veterinarian.  Even the strongest person can be depleted with prolonged and/or overwhelming challenges.

Your mindset is critical to your success.  How you interpret events and what you believe about yourself.

We need to learn to tolerate discomfort.  Not just as a student but in practice and in our lives. 

Watch the short video below from Dr Robert Biswas-Diener where he discusses how harnessing the darker parts of our personality can make us wiser and in certain situations, more effective.

Natasha

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