When you chose a career in audiology or speech-language pathology, chances are your focus was to help people and make a difference. However, building a long career that fulfills you takes intentional choices—especially around your values, strengths, and goals.
Time and again, I’ve seen that the clinicians who thrive are the ones who align these three factors when making career choices or navigating a change.
Think of values as your non-negotiables. They are the foundation for your career decisions. If you don’t know what your values are, then you risk saying “yes” to a job that looks good on paper but leaves you empty.
A client of mine—let’s call her Amanda—was deep into the interview process for a new role. On the surface, it looked like a step up in her career with the company. But, as she paid attention to the organization’s culture, she realized that it mirrored the same issues she was actually trying to leave behind: micromanagement, lack of respect, minimal collaboration, and very little support for work‒life balance and integration. She walked away from the offer. The surprising part was that she felt relief, not regret. That’s the power of listening to your values.
The research backs this up. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace (2020) report found that employees who feel that their job aligns with their values are more engaged, more resilient, and less likely to burn out. In the health care profession like ours, where compassion fatigue is prevalent and real, this alignment matters even more.
Tips for Clarifying Values
Try these strategies to help you define what matters most in your work life:
Your values act like a compass. When you’re clear on them, you’ll know whether a role is worth stepping into or steering clear of.
Another key piece to career satisfaction is playing to your strengths. This doesn’t mean ignoring your weaknesses—it means choosing a balance between what energizes you and what “stretches” you.
“Sam,” another professional I coached, took a role that was far outside his comfort zone. He was used to being the “expert in the room” and excelling right away. Suddenly, he found himself in an environment where he had to learn on the fly and admit what he didn’t know. At first, he hated it. But when he shifted into a growth mindset (Dweck, 2006) and found a mentor, he began to see the role differently. He discovered new strengths, grew in areas he hadn’t considered before, and actually started to enjoy the challenge.
The research supports this, too: Gallup’s CliftonStrengths research (Gallup, n.d.) shows that employees who use their strengths daily are 6 times more likely to be engaged and 3 times more likely to report excellent quality of life.
Try these steps to discover what sets you apart:
When you know your strengths, you can choose roles that let you shine and/or roles that push you to grow in ways that you’re ready to tackle.
Finally, let’s talk about goals. Many people move through their careers on autopilot without stopping to ask what they, themselves, actually want. Rather than emulating what someone else’s path has been, ask yourself: What path and goals do you want?
Do you want to become a clinic director someday? Specialize in pediatrics? Publish research? Or maybe your goal is simpler right now—such as having a job that leaves you with enough energy to be present with your family at the end of the workday. All of these goals are beautiful and valid.
Career research shows that people who set specific, self-concordant goals (goals that truly align with their personal values) not only are more successful but also report greater life satisfaction (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999). The “why” behind your goals matters as much as the “what.”
Use these ideas to guide your goal-setting process:
When evaluating a role, ask: Will this get me closer to my goals or push me farther away?
Your values, strengths, and goals help you make intentional choices that lead to long-term career fulfillment. Without them, it’s easy to get lost in what other people think you “should” do—or settle for roles that check boxes but don’t fulfill you.
The good news is that it’s never too late to realign. Whether you’re just starting out in the profession or are decades in, you have the ability to pause, reflect, and make career choices that feel like yours.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about a job. It’s about building a career—and a life—that you actually like and that feels true to you.
Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives. Management Review, 70(11), 35–36.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Gallup. (n.d.). CliftonStrengths: Discover what you do best. Gallup, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx
Gallup. (2020). State of the global workplace report. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/257552/global-workplace.aspx
Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(3), 482–497. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.3.482
AUTHOR BIO
Amy Badstubner, AuD, CPC, is a certified leadership coach, audiologist, and co-founder of dB Coaching Group. With more than 20 years of experience in health care, business, and coaching, she supports professionals and teams in navigating change, improving communication, and creating momentum without burnout. She has presented nationally, has written numerous articles, and has been featured on multiple podcasts.