While all our careers are sure to encounter different twists and turns along the way, remembering your core values and knowing what drives you are things that can sustain you even in the most uncertain and challenging times.

This sentiment is outlined powerfully in this week’s edition of the Faculty Factory Podcast with our first-time guest, Andrew Dwyer, PhD, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN.

Dr. Dwyer is an associate professor at the Boston College William F. Connell School of Nursing (CSON) and is a principal investigator in the Massachusetts General Hospital and G.H. Harvard Center for Reproductive Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Dwyer is a Macy Faculty Scholar (Class of 2023).

When it comes to professional identity formation, it’s all about reflecting on the things that fuel you, and taking the time to discover what truly aligns with your values to build that foundation for long-term success.

To jumpstart this self-reflection exercise and foster self-awareness, one of the things Dr. Dwyer shares with the graduate students he works with is the importance of asking a few fundamental questions:

• What is it that you love?

As Dr. Dwyer helps us navigate the intersection of personal values and professional identity, he emphasizes the theory of Ikigai. This is a concept from Japanese philosophy that inspires individuals to identify what is genuinely important to them and to lead a life rich in purpose and happiness.

For more resources: https://facultyfactory.org/