292. When Physicians Stop Believing in Themselves: Burnout, Skepticism, and the Hidden Cost

Physicians are trained to believe that skepticism keeps us safe, and that belief is risky.
Over time, this quietly erodes trust in ourselves and what might be possible.
What once felt protective slowly narrows our lives and choices. We notice growing stuckness, disconnection, and often a subtle loss of aliveness. This cost is rarely named, yet it is deeply felt across medicine.

PEARLS OF WISDOM
• Medical culture often rewards certainty while sidelining imagination, hope, and belief.
• Not believing in ourselves can feel protective, yet it frequently keeps us confined to versions of life that no longer fit.
• Belief is not naïve optimism. It is a skill and a gift that can be practiced and borrowed when our own feels unsteady.
• Imagining what is possible, even without a clear path, is essential for healing, leadership, and sustainable change.
• Practicing belief does not abandon logic or science. It creates the spaciousness and courage to move toward alignment.

Reflection Questions
Where have we organized our lives around not believing, perhaps to avoid disappointment?
What have we stopped believing in, and what did that belief once offer us?
Who has offered us borrowed belief, and how did it feel to receive it?
What might it look like to risk a small disappointment in service of something more alive or more true?

If you are ready to gently begin believing again, mindfulness and coaching offer grounded places to start. Slowing down allows you to notice where fear has shaped your choices and where belief may still be quietly present.

Whether you are navigating burnout, transition, or a longing for more meaning and spaciousness, coaching and retreat spaces can support this remembering. Coaching and retreats offer a compassionate, practical way to reconnect with belief and possibility.

Enjoy a yoga class on this topic on Jessie’s YouTube channel - Mindful Yoga to Grow Trust and Belief with Dr. Jessie Mahoney

 Read more about this topic on Jessie’s Blog - The Gift of Belief

The Connect in Nature Retreat is also a meaningful space to rediscover awe, wonder, and belief—in ourselves and in what is possible. Partners and colleagues are encouraged to join. Shared experiences often deepen connection and clarity.
www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats

If we would like to bring this work into our organizations, Dr. Liang and I both offer speaking and workshop experiences that support belief, healing, and connection in healthcare and beyond.
www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking
www.awakenbreath.org

Nothing shared in the Healing Medicine Podcast is medical advice.