Understanding WHY we Undervalue Ourselves as Health Professionals

If you don't value your skills, you have self-worth issues.

And you have to stand in front of a mirror for 5 minutes everyday...

And practice positive affirmations...

Because that's what you need to do to overcome your self-limiting beliefs.

Or so... the self-help industry will have you think. 

Honestly, I don't think it's nearly as deep.

Or as complicated.

It's actually rather simple to me - and all you have to do is understand how people perceive value.

If you want to watch the video version - check it out below. Otherwise, read on!

 Let's do a thought experiment. 

The phone or computer you're reading this blog through right now...

Would you buy another one, right now?

Assuming your computer and phone work correctly, I'd think most of you would not.

Now let's look at your university degree. You paid for your degree once. If you had to pay for it again, right now, knowing all that you do - would you?

I'd also hazard a guess... that it's no.

Why? 

Because you already have a phone or laptop. And you already acquired the knowledge from your degree.

And this is how most value works. We value things we don't have or know. And we will pay for it if it's important enough to us. 

In the context of ourselves, would you pay an identical version of you $100 to do what you were going to do for yourself if you had an injury?

I know I wouldn't. 

But your patients? They will. Because they don't know what you know. 

You see, the reason we don't value ourselves nearly as much as our patients, or anyone else would is...

We can never value our knowledge from the perspective of someone who doesn't have it. 

In other words... you know what you know, 100% of the time. 

So how can you value it as much as someone who doesn't? 

In my experience, there is nothing to 'fix' when it comes to undervaluing yourself. It's just natural that we do. 

That's why I let my clients and patients decide on the value I provide for them. I present them the knowledge and skills I have, and if they value it, generally they pay me.

If they don't value it, they don't pay me.

That's about it. I don't think too much about it otherwise.

One thing to remember is this...

Price and value are NOT the same. 

Value is what the customer gets. It's a multitude of factors. 

Price is just what they pay. 

In the health field, value can be SO many things. It can be time saved. It can be quality of life. It can be social support. It can be clarity. It can be human connection. It can be independence. These are VALUE pieces of patients.

But that's for another time. 

For now, just remember that undervaluing yourself is normal. You will always know what you know. Focus on delivering your skills and services to people who VALUE it. That's the key.

Wishing you success,
Phil