Filling Your Buckets Before Going It Alone

In recent years, I’ve noticed a growing trend of early career psychologists stepping out to start their own practices soon after completing their training. I deeply admire the courage, drive, and passion this takes. Psychology is a vocation that asks much of us, and the willingness to create something new and independent speaks to the commitment and heart of our emerging professionals.

At the same time, I feel a sense of concern. Not because ambition is wrong, but because without the right support structures, going it alone too soon can leave psychologists vulnerable to isolation, burnout, and ethical risk. More importantly, it can place undue strain on the therapeutic work we all strive to protect.

Filling Buckets in the Right Order

Stephen Bartlett, in The Diary of a CEO, describes professional growth as filling a series of buckets in order:

1. Knowledge
2. Skills
3. Networks
4. Resources
5. Reputation

He reminds us that “the sum of your buckets is the sum of your professional potential” and that “you can’t fill from empty buckets.”

In psychology, this resonates deeply. Knowledge is where we begin, years of study, theory, and evidence. But knowledge alone is not enough. Skills are forged through practice, supervision, and feedback. Angela Duckworth in her book Grit, talks about skill acquisition taking around 10,000 hours of practice. Networks, our colleagues, supervisors, and peers help to protect us from professional isolation. Resources, including business systems and support staff, allow our work to be sustainable. Only then does reputation emerge: a reflection of consistently ethical and competent practice.

When we try to fill these buckets out of order, for example, prioritising independence and reputation before networks and skills, we risk imbalance. And imbalance, in our field, has consequences not just for ourselves, but for the clients who place their trust in us.

Anchored in Our Professional Standards

Our codes of ethics and professional competencies reinforce this idea.

• The APS Code of Ethics reminds us of our responsibility to practise within our competence, to seek supervision, and to prioritise beneficence, acting in the best interests of those we serve.
• The AHPRA professional competencies (including those being introduced in 2025) emphasise reflective practice, ongoing professional development, and the capacity to work within systems and teams.

These aren’t just formalities. They are reminders that psychology is not a profession of lone practitioners, it is a profession of connection, reflection, and accountability.

The Risks of Isolation

Running a business requires skills and resources that most of us don’t yet have straight out of training. From managing finances and compliance, to navigating referrals and Medicare systems, to creating psychologically safe workplaces for staff, these are areas where gaps in knowledge can quickly become sources of stress and error.

Without supervision, mentorship, or a peer network, psychologists can also become isolated. This not only threatens our wellbeing but undermines the quality of care we offer. As Bartlett’s buckets suggest, we cannot give to others what we have not built within ourselves.

A Call for Support, Not Discouragement

My intention in raising this is not to criticise ambition, but to call for support. Early career psychologists deserve opportunities to grow their skills, connect with networks, and access supervision and mentorship before taking on the full weight of business ownership.

There are many pathways to independence that are supported, sustainable, and ultimately safer for both practitioners and clients. Joining established practices, engaging in structured supervision programs, and building networks through professional communities are all ways of filling those buckets in order.

Reflecting Together

This is not just a message for those starting out. It’s a reflection for all of us. At every stage of our careers, we can ask: Which of my buckets are full? Which need more attention?

If reputation is outpacing skills, if resources are stretched thin, or if networks are neglected, we all risk imbalance. And if we can name it, we can address it, together.

Closing Thoughts

As a profession, our strength lies in connection and support. By acknowledging the importance of filling our buckets in order: knowledge, skills, networks, resources, and reputation, we honour not just our own wellbeing, but the trust that clients place in us.

Let’s encourage ambition while also encouraging patience. Let’s celebrate independence while also celebrating supervision and community. And let’s commit, together, to ensuring that none of us has to fill our buckets alone.