Defining Enough

What does it truly mean to have enough? It’s a difficult question to answer. It can mean different things for different people. As healthcare professionals, we typically don’t have the exposure to know what enough may actually mean. Compared to our finance friends, we see a mid-6-figure salary and are usually pretty satisfied. The jump from a resident pay to an attending pay is usually “enough”. But is it really? In this post, I’ll talk about what the concept of enough means and how setting a clear definition can provide mental peace.

You need a defined goal

You need to figure out what is important to you. Some people enjoy large amounts of zeros in their account, others like things, and some value experience. You're enough will be defined by your needs. If you want a lavish lifestyle with luxuries and fine things, then you'd better get ready to need more than the average physician. If you value time, you need to figure out how you can continue to earn without large time inputs. Once a goal is defined, you need to create a blueprint that will let you reach it.

Put time into what moves the needle

There are probably many things you do throughout the day and many things you put your time into. However, we are all aware that not all of these things actually get you closer to what you want to do. We have limited time and energy. We can’t afford to spend our precious time on things that don’t get us closer to our goals. For some, this may be the dream of traveling the world, for others it may be a reduced work week. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day that you forget about what is most important to you.

Wanting more

In my opinion, the goals post is allowed to change. You may think you have everything you want and are fulfilled, but then you come across something new or an old spark is rekindled. As humans, we are dynamic beings. Our wants and desires change. You may think traveling the world is enough, but then you may want to visit your favorite places again. You may think having 5 million in your brokerage account is enough, but you still have the capability to continue working. I don’t think we can actually define what enough means. You may have a sense of contentment at a certain point in your life, but that doesn’t mean your goals will remain the same. After all, just because you have tried ice cream once doesn’t mean you can’t have more later.

In conclusion

The concept of enough is abstract and evolving. It’s hard to define what enough actually means. Our goals change, our position in life changes, and what we want changes. I think what we actually want is contentment. And again, contentment can change based on our life stage. Find your contentment.

A.K,MD