You’re Not Stuck, You’re Just Ready for More | Ep 0

[00:00:00] There's a version of you that's been waiting—not for another degree, but for the green light to finally live on your own terms. I'm Dr. Michael Hersh, and this is the Better Physician Life podcast.

If you've been quietly thinking, I can't keep doing it like this, you are not alone. And you are not broken. You're just ready for more. Ready to get started? Let's go.

There's something physicians don't talk about enough when it comes to reaching our goals.
We spend years—decades even—climbing the ladder and building the lives we've dreamed about. College. Medical school. Residency. Board exams. The jobs. The paycheck. The house. The family. 

Then one day, you look around and [00:01:00] realize... you’ve arrived.

Everything you set out to create in your life—you accomplished.
But instead of feeling accomplished, you feel off.
You're exhausted. Disconnected. Wondering, is this it?
How can the life I’ve dreamed of—and something that looks so “successful”—feel so heavy?

I know. Because I’ve been there.

A few years ago, I was deep into clinical practice.
From the outside, it looked like I had it all. I loved my patients, was working with a great team, had phenomenal colleagues, and was leaning into every physician leadership role I was offered.

My family meant the world to me.
But I was saying yes to everything at work—and that meant saying no to the people and moments that actually mattered [00:02:00] most.
I’d come home physically present, but emotionally miles away. There were times my kids would be telling me something important, and I’d realize I hadn’t heard a word they said.

Not because I didn’t care—but because my brain was still on the last consult. Or tomorrow’s cases.
Or whether I had cleared out my InBasket before I left work.

I was missing bedtimes. Missing conversations with my wife.
I was missing my own life.

And I thought, “Maybe once I hit financial independence, things will calm down.”
So I buried myself in FIRE blogs and podcasts. I figured if I just pushed harder for a few more years, I’d finally feel free.

But instead, all I found was more burnout.
I was chasing a version of success [00:03:00] that didn’t match the life I actually wanted.
I didn’t need more. I needed clarity—and a different way forward.

That’s what led me to sign up for physician coaching.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I was skeptical.
After years of being told that burnout could be fixed with pizza parties and a few deep breaths, I’d learned to lower my expectations.

I didn’t need another app telling me to meditate.
I needed something that actually helped me untangle the real questions:
What do I want? What matters most? And how do I build a life around that—not just a career?

That’s what coaching gave me.
Not quick fixes, but honest reflection. Real clarity. And a path I could actually walk.

And that’s what brought me here.

[00:04:00] Welcome to Better Physician Life: How to Get Unstuck in Your Medical Career.

This is a podcast for mid-career physicians who’ve done everything “right”—and are left wondering why it still doesn’t feel quite right.

You don’t have to blow up your life.
You don’t have to quit clinical medicine.
But you do have to stop pretending you’re fine if you’re not.

This is a space for honest conversations—about burnout, about who we are beyond the white coat, about showing up for our families in a way that actually feels real, and about what it means when life starts to feel like autopilot.

We’ll explore how to:
Redesign our careers without burning them down
Reconnect with our purpose and the people who matter most
[00:05:00] Build time freedom without waiting for some far-off “someday”

And no—you don’t have to leave clinical medicine to make this a reality. I didn’t!

Some episodes will be just me, sharing lessons I’ve learned the hard way.
Others will feature physicians who’ve found creative ways to pivot, slow down, start something new, or simply make room to breathe again.

We’ll talk about the mindset traps we fall into. The stories we’ve inherited. And the ones we’re ready to rewrite.

We’ll still talk about financial independence—but not just the numbers.
We’ll talk about what you’re really chasing, and how to stop sacrificing your well-being to get there.

We’ll talk about coaching. Confidence. Legacy. Identity.

Because you are more than your title. More than your call schedule. And more than your paycheck. [00:06:00] You’re a person. And you deserve a life that reflects that.

So let me say this clearly:
You’re not stuck. You’re not too late. You’re not broken.
And you are definitely not alone.

If you’ve been quietly thinking, “I can’t keep doing this like this,” this podcast is for you.
If you’ve been wondering how to reclaim your time, your joy, your clarity—this podcast is for you.

And if you’ve been looking for a space that speaks to the truth of what it’s like to be a mid-career physician doing your best to hold it all together—[00:07:00] you’ve found it.

If you like what you hear, I’d be honored if you subscribed.
Share it with a colleague who’s been grinding quietly beside you.
And stick around—we’re just getting started.

You’ve already done the hard things.
Now it’s time to do the true things.

I’m Dr. Michael Hersh. Thank you so much for being here.

And welcome to Better Physician Life.