Doubt Me

“You may not think you can reach it.  Climb anyway.  You may not think you’ll be heard.  Speak anyway.  You may not think you can change things.  Try anyway.” 

- Maya Angelou

I am in.  It took me a decade of hard work, a bunch of luck, and unconditional support from family and friends to get into medical school.  Yet, like most epic journeys, mine was often tiresome and marred with doubts and temptations to settle for an easier, much more obtainable destination.  If I was able to write a letter to my younger self during those challenging stretches, this is what it would say:

Dear Younger Self,

"The secret of success is to be certain in uncertain times."  These are the words a mentor of mine once told me, words that I look back upon whenever I feel the way you do now.

I am writing to you to let you know that it is ok to doubt.  It does not make you less capable or less passionate than other physicians out there, so please do not allow this feeling to encumber you.  I think doubt is one of the few constants in life, an extra safety measure built-in to encourage us to carefully question our motives in any great pursuit.  I can imagine how incredibly difficult it must be for you to work towards something for so long and only see minimal results, while others have already made it, support back home is beginning to fade, and your age is starting to creep up on you.  

Still, I promise you that this is all going to be worth it.  What you are actually doing in this moment is conditioning yourself to be able to handle something extraordinary later on.  For now, you MUST trust in the process, continue to stay positive and surround yourself with good people whom you can draw inspiration from.  And MOST importantly, you have to put your Faith first.  It will get you through this trying time in your life.  You will see.  

Hold fast to your dreams and follow them with the certainty that they will come true.  I have little doubt that they will when the time is right.

Sincerely,

Humbled Self