For years, decades actually, I was driven by an ambition that was never satisfied.
- National Research Scholarship, Tick;
- PhD, Tick;
- Medical degree, Tick;
- Pediatrics training, Tick.
Achievement after achievement, I would ‘get there.’ And ‘get there’ I did, but not before my health and well being tanked. I was over weight, stressed and hypertensive, pre-diabetic and chronically exhausted. Apparently the study and practice of medicine was not good for my health!
Perhaps you know what I am talking about.
Perhaps, after years of climbing the corporate ladder, you feel ‘Meh’ is this it? Surely there is more to life?
Or perhaps, a welcome challenge has turned into an obligatory grind;
Or maybe, it’s simply time to shuffle your priorities, moving yourself a little closer to the top;
Perhaps, like me, you feel trapped. Years of training and the sunk costs are high.
After 17 years of training, (4 years undergrad, 4 years PhD, 4 years medical school, 5 years pediatrics training), and 13 years of private pediatric practice, feeling utterly spent, against the advise of just about everyone I knew – I retired… without a plan.
Colleagues were stunned (envious or aghast, I’m not sure which), friends and family were worried and both my accountant and financial planner were cautiously skeptical.
For months I was restless, quite directionless – doing ‘nothing’ was not something I was familiar with.
Then boredom settled in…
“Well, now what?” Medicine is all I know.
“Should I go back?”
Instant nausea. Okay, I will take that as a ‘no.’
Then the what- if-regrets started to surface.
Then my inner critic chimed in – quitter, you’re such a failure.
Thirty years wasted… Shameful. How dare you?
If all you had to do to trigger a massive change in the course of your life was change your perspective, would you have the courage to do it?
Sigh… I hired a life coach. And with a lot of guidance and self-reflection, I was able to change my perspective and change my life. I lost weight, reversed my pre-diabetes and hypertension and most importantly, I started to create a life I love and a future I am excited about… NO GRIND whatsoever!
And so can you. It is possible.
