The Power of Purpose: Transforming Dread into Passion

I am definitely not the hero of this blog, but hopefully, you will be by the end of your read. You will go on a journey today to discover a gift that might change your world.

First, let me tell you a story.

When I was a young, wild teen, my father asked me to sit with him in his shop almost daily. I always dreaded every single minute spent at the shop. Although I was learning how to negotiate and sell to people, I felt I deserved to play around with my friends instead of wasting my time with adults. As years went by, my father continued to rely on me whenever he went to work. Until one day, he told me: “This summer, you are going to be running the whole shop on your own; I have other things to work on.” For a moment, I felt disappointed because my conditioned brain associated that shop with boredom, fatigue, and misery. However, as I thought of what was told to me, I realized that now I have responsibility, freedom, and a sense of significance that I never felt before. I spent every day of that summer at the shop, interacting with people, negotiating, and learning. My parents never had to ask me to go to the shop again; I was always there.

See, it is very difficult to become your best self when your brain is depleted, and I mean chemically depleted. You sometimes unintentionally put yourself in situations without significance, meaning, security, belonging, or freedom. It's in these situations that even minimal tasks can leave you exhausted. However, if you ask yourself: Why does what I am doing right now matter to me? You might find the answer that can spike your brain chemicals and help you love what you do instead of dreading it.

Lastly, for my medical students reading this, I know you are exhausted and might feel like this is too much for you to handle. However, I tell you this: You are here because you chose to be here. All you must do is understand that this is your journey; YOU ARE THE AUTHOR of your story. Refocus your vision on your end goal, and embrace the challenges as stepping stones to your success.

Thank you for spending your valuable time reading!

Until next week.