The Weekly Evolution
Your weekly dose of realness and inspo in vet med

Last week on The Evolved Vets Podcast, we sat down with Geoffrey van Zijl a ER veterinary technician of nearly 20 years and creator behind @aintdoingright  for one of the most honest, hope-filled conversations we’ve had on perfectionism, recovery, and rebuilding joy in veterinary medicine. Geoffrey’s story is raw and real… and it’s exactly the antidote to the “be perfect or else” culture so many of us were trained in.

Practice, don’t perfect

Perfectionism masquerades as “high standards,” but really is a form of force and control. And honestly, it's unattainable. Research links perfectionism to higher burnout and psychological distress in clinicians. But not to worry friend, as recovering perfectionists, we've been there too! Progress (not perfection) is what actually sustains performance, energy, and wellbeing. So what are the steps to get there?

The practice over perfect playbook: 

• Name the gray. VetMed isn’t a multiple-choice test. Real life is nuance and situational. It requires context. Give yourself permission to use do your best, ask for help, and choose the next step.  

• Find your accountability buddy. Progress sticks when we have people in our corner. This can come from many levels, coaches, mentors, peers, and “text-me-when-you-feel-spinny” friends. 

• Shift-shedding after tough cases. Short, repeatable rituals signal to your nervous system: “work is over; I’m safe.” Such as meditation, doing something you love to realign, or maybe just a good jam session after your shift .

• Make joy a discipline. Create a gratitude practice. Tiny daily wins compound. It creates energy that can propel you forward. It's the James Clear of it all. Momentum > martyrdom.

 Science We Love:

• Perfectionism ↔ burnout: Physicians with higher perfectionism show significantly higher burnout risk; similar patterns appear across healthcare pros. Translation to vet med: standards are good; self-punishment isn’t.  

• Post-traumatic growth is real: Processing hard experiences can increase meaning, connection, and strength. Healing isn’t linear, it's a journey, and the takeaway is growth is possible. 

Podcast Highlight

New in The Evolved Vets podcast a deep dive on all of the above and so much more!

 🎙️ Ep. 19: Practicing, Not Perfecting with Geoffrey van Zijl

🎧You can also listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts