Managing Expectations
One of the first things I remember my director telling me during orientation was that it’s okay to be meeting expectations in the internship, not exceeding them. I know many of us are type A personalities who have become accustomed to the familiarity of getting A’s on tests and possibly even graduating with honors. We’ve been so used to exceeding expectations that it can feel like exceeding them is meeting them, and often times (at least for myself), anything less than that is a failure.
I’m here to tell you that in your internship, all of this changes. There will be times when you will be only meeting expectations. This can be completing a project you worked super hard on, and your preceptor telling you that your outcome is just ok, or checking off that “meets expectations” box on your project evaluation. It may come when you least expect it, or when you thought you were doing your best. For me this has come when my preceptor recommended significant edits to a nutrition education project that I had worked hard on, or when the management team lacked enthusiasm about moving forward with a project that I pushed myself hard to create.
What’s important to remember is that:
“Meeting expectations” is not the same as failing
“Meeting expectations” does not devalue your worth
“Meeting expectations” does not mean you aren’t doing your best
“Meeting expectations” does not mean you aren’t developing important and beneficial relationships
So, how do you rise above the unrealistic thoughts?
Remind yourself that you are here for a reason – you were chosen for your internship for a reason
Continue to do your best and realize that “your best” is all that you can ask of yourself
Be kind to yourself and forgive yourself like you would forgive a friend
Remind yourself that “meeting expectations” is a high achievement in the context of a DI, and it means you are performing at the level you should be
Understand your mistakes, learn from them, and use them to grow as an individual and as a professional
Something else that has helped me rise above the unrealistic thoughts has been the involvement of my cohort as a valuable support system. Not only are they in the same boat as me – sometimes having the same thoughts – they can also be a useful sounding board when unrealistic expectations start to creep in. These friends have been the ones to help me see my value and the value of what I’m doing, and have been there to support me when things don’t go exactly as planned (or if I just need a good laugh). They can also help me break down my thought process and have even had the courage to tell me when I’m being too tough on myself. In the case of my nutrition presentation that my preceptor wanted me to edit, my roommates were the ones to tell me that I should be proud of what I had created. They also helped me see that my preceptor's suggestions shouldn’t be taken in a negative way (and they were right!).
Even though the internship may lead to a change in how our type A brains view outcome expectations, that isn’t to say you should lower your own standards. The internship is meant to challenge you in the best way, and setting high expectations for yourself – i.e. the quality of the projects you submit, your work ethic, your time management skills, and your overall professionalism – will get you a long way in terms of relationships with your preceptors, your director, and other professionals you come in contact with.
Do your best in the internship, but understand that “meeting expectations” is an indicator that you are where you are supposed to be! Checking off that box means that you are performing at a level appropriate for an entry level dietitian, which is something to be proud of. Also remember that you are valued, you are there for a reason, you are growing as an individual, and finally, “meeting expectations” is one step closer to becoming a Registered Dietitian. Cheers to success!!
