My past self could have desperately benefited from seeing this photo.

Earlier this week, I walked to my favorite cafe down the street from my house and set up shop. I picked the ideal table for productivity and got comfortable knowing I’d be there for a few hours. I opened a text from one of my patients enjoying his first pain-free run in a long time and turned my attention to my computer and cup of coffee.

The text made me smile, as do all of my patients. It was a quick distraction from the residency grading and organizing I was about to do.

And that’s when it hit me. This was one of the moments where you sit back and wonder, “how did I get here?” A moment where you are so fulfilled, happy, and thankful that you can’t believe you ever doubted it would be possible.

And I realized that I wished my past self could see me now. There was a time when I felt like I was going through the motions and would be burnt out forever. There was so much doubt that I...

Stress is not always a bad thing. There are instances when using energy can actually give you more energy. Stress may not always be something to run from.

Phil:  All right, Jenna, I want to talk about good stress versus bad stress, good exhaustion versus bad exhaustion. You taught a continuing education course this weekend, which is one of your dream career goals. And it was a lot of stress leading up to it. A lot of stress in the weekend and left you completely exhausted. Tell me how that can be a good thing.

Jenna: So it's definitely a different kind of stress when you think about it, because yes, I felt stressed, but it was easier for me to reframe it as like excitement and nerves versus like feeling like I'm actually exhausted or like I'm getting burnt out because you know, all week I practiced and I practiced and it was like every minute that I had to think about anything, I was thinking about the course that was leading up, right? And that can feel stressful, but...

What if the problem isn't physical therapy? When work is lousy, or your job is stressful, it is only natural to conclude that it is bad everywhere. You talk to colleagues and it seems like no one is any better off than you. And so you start wondering if maybe you need to get out of physical therapy completely.

Getting stuck in your PT career is common, but it doesn't mean that you can't do anything about it.  We get so used to hearing about the bad things about PT that we stop seeing the possibilities.  If you are stuck, it's not hopeless. The possibilities are there.

Phil:  Okay, Jenna, one question that always . . . when I see people miserable in their career, it really . . . it hurts.  I mean, that's why we do what we do because, you know, you don't have to be miserable.  But what are the biggest barriers to change?  I mean, it's a huge deal.  Why do we struggle so much with it?  Why do we struggle so much?

Jenna:  I think two stick out to me.  I'm sure there's more than that.  I'm sure there's a lot of reasons why we get stuck.  One is not knowing what's next.  As you know, a group of individuals who have gone to school for a really long time, we have to be high achievers.  That's in us to some...

I haven’t wanted to write lately. It is frustrating, and I’ve found myself constantly saying, “I should just write.” I’ve said it hundreds of times in the last few months with very little to show for it.

Not wanting to write is a weird feeling because I’ve never had to force myself to write. Most of the time, writing was what I used to procrastinate doing other things.

I don’t think I’m alone in having difficulty motivating myself to do things lately (even things I genuinely enjoy). I don’t know if we blame the pandemic, if we blame the constant change, or if we blame the stress of it all. But I think I received some excellent advice the other day.

Someone told me to stop thinking about why I was having difficulty motivating myself, stop trying to figure out what is to blame, and stop beating myself up over it.

The solution is simple...

For all the things you say, “I should X” or “I should Y,” make them...

Is PT everything you wanted it to be?  For many new grads, it doesn't live up to expectations. You're not alone. You're not doomed to dislike your career.

You wish you had a better situation at work. 

You want to see more of a certain patient.

You wish you could have flexibility in your schedule for things that are important.

You want to make more money than you are now, but you aren't sure how to take action or what to do next. 

In this video, Jenna and Phil discuss why change can be so hard in our career.

Phil:  All right, Jenna, I've got a question for you.  A lot of times in people we coach and people we work with, it really takes a lot for change to occur. Meaning they'll be in a situation that they don't like, with patients they're not really excited about seeing, or they don't like their employer, they don't like their manager, whatever the case may be, but they don't do anything about it. But they're frustrated beyond all belief. Why is change so hard? What makes it so difficult to be able to make that leap?

Jenna:  I think part of it is knowing what the leap is. Okay, I don't want my caseload or I...

Dear PT Students,

Run toward something, not away from something.

PT school can get old.  You’re not making money, you can’t take vacations like your friends, and the work does not end.  It is only natural to WANT it to end.

I don’t know any PT student that wanted to stay a student forever.  Many are counting down the practicals, the exams, and the days until they finally sign DPT after their name.

But, focusing on PT school ending makes you miss some really great opportunities while you are there.  Rather than trying to get away from PT school, start looking toward life as a PT.  Don’t try to run away from PT school, think of it as moving toward PT status.

I know it is only a slight difference.  Yet, looking forward to starting life as a PT is more likely to get you to volunteer at the school clinic to get more reps, can result in studying MSK for your future patient and not just for a grade, or may...

“I would have contacted you, but I didn’t have any concrete action steps or questions, so I didn’t want to waste your time,” She replied to me reaching out to see if she wanted a mentor meeting.

I asked if she was stuck. She said, “Yes, I don’t know my next step.” We met and it turned out to be one of our most productive mentoring sessions.

I learned a lot through this interaction. Part of being on a journey toward your ideal career is that you frequently don’t know what’s next. And that is when you need high quality people who are on the same journey around you. That means that some are ahead of you, some are behind you, and some are right with you on the path.

That group, along with your guide, can see things that you can’t. I used to think that answering questions was one of the most important parts of mentoring. Actually it's not. It is being there and being understanding when the person is stuck,...