BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

It was a bright sunny morning in August of 1990.  It was one of those top of the world moments when I put my crisply ironed bright white coat on my shoulder and stepped into the gates of my new college – into this mighty world of Medicine.  I was intimidated as I sat among many young excited school kids with big dreams of become life saving doctors in a few years from now.  A guy who seemed nice at first glance on first day turned out to be a terror for the 1^st year of medical school.  They called him the Dean.  We had to have our coat on from the moment we got out of the bus and stepped into the portals of the college! On the first day I heard many of the new students were state rank holders and my intimidation became a sinking feeling. Where am I going to stand among these geniuses?  I don’t know if it was my sheer luck or God’s Grace that I got a medical seat to one of the prestigious professions in the world!

Well, I didn’t have much choice – I have been dropped into the pool and I better swim to get to the other side!  So each day, all I did was to give it my best – each day, everyday.  Amidst ragging and threats from seniors, insecure feelings, boring way-above-my head lectures, chatterbox friends, other distractions (you know what I mean – this was the first time I was in co–ed environment with boys) I kept digging in.  My dad always said “That that day that that work”.     Easily said than done ….right?  

Then there was the third internal exam and I had to represent our college for  Basket Ball. Yeah! I know it is hard to believe looking at me now …..but just believe! I thought this was my chance to escape from the exam and approached my favorite anatomy teacher and Head of the Department Dr TSR and asked him if I might be excused.  He very politely said “June, we only take best of 3 exams results out of 4 .  So just write this exam.  We will leave this one out if you don’t do well”.  It turned out I had solid fun a whole week at the inter medical college meet at Coimbatore medical college and came home to take the internal exam the very next day!  Obviously had hardly any time to brush up but to my surprise scored the highest in class – not just for that exam but on the past record for Anatomy marks by the department!

That’s when it started: Believing in yourself! You never know what you are capable of.  I really surprised myself that day.  Those marks also helped to be the Best Student of Anatomy of the year!    You really have to try to be all that you can be.  How would you know where you stand if you did not even give it a shot!  So first point: Believe in yourself!  If you think you can do it you most probably can.

I had a friend who was fell from his bike just becoz he tried to avoid someone who cut across his bike like a whirl wind to cross the road. Realized he couldn’t move all 4 limbs just by a trivial fall.  Quadriplegia at 23! When I visited him a couple of years ago – he was doing pushups with the little recovery he had only in his upper limbs saying “ Kamal Hasan rangeukku vara vennama”.  He was emulating a popular movie  hero from India.  Mind is a battlefield – To win you need to think like a winner first!

BELIEVE IN GOD

It took the second phase of life to Believe in God more than myself!

Now with my new winning formula,  I charged at life feeling “ I’ve got this “ and  kept doing my best.  When I landed in the United States for a PhD I found out that my formula did not work . I worked hard. But nothing worked!  Not for one day, one week but for 8 solid months.  Now how many of you know when you finish  medicine or PhD they give you a “Doctorate” degree at the end.  Now let me tell you its not the same.  In medicine you put in the effort you reap the benefits. In research it is totally a different ball game!

I had this crucial experiment to nail before my candidacy exam by the end of 2 years and even though I tried meticulously all permutations and combinations it would be a failed experiment at the end of  8 hours of work.  There was a new building they erected in our campus at that time from ground level up: They called it the “Neuroscience Centre” I called it ‘my monument of failure’ .  Because that’s how long it took for me to do the same experiment everyday and taste the bitter sour taste of failure at the end of the day!  I had a month before my candidacy exam and my entire career was on the line.  If I fail, I get back home! Somehow during moments like this when you have tried everything out you realize there is someone above your arena of control.  That’s what I did I cried out to Him and then all of a sudden just one fine day it worked after 8 months! PhD was just walking downhill from that point.   I graduated with a 4.0, was recognised as the 8 th in the world for my contribution in research for the field of Endocrinology that year.  No. 8 ectasy washed out the 8 months of agonized effort during my 4 year PhD. No matter where you are in life: On the mountain top or deep down in the valley remember You are unique.  You are special.  Remember that you were ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ by your Creator.  Just like parents sitting by the beach, however intimate or serious their conversation is , they always have one eye on their kid playing by the shore – He watches over you. He is your Father in Heaven. Through the storms, through your challenges, life’s curveballs He is there with you through this journey.  Even if your situation is not good at the moment – just Trust in Him that everything turns out good at the end.  If its not good ….its not the end!

 BELIEVE YOU ARE HERE FOR A PURPOSE!

How many of you know by now that you are not here in this world for yourself, your kith and kin alone?  That would be so boring a life … I mean, anyway you have to be with yourself every single day and to imagine you lived only for yourself would be so pathetic!

Everyone wants to be happy.  Feel good.  Have you ever noticed everytime you finally get the thing you really want the ‘feel good’ slowly vanishes. 

I was poised with this question by an eminent speaker and author “ It’s not only what you do while you are here that matters but what you leave behind after you are long gone.  If today was your last day, what would you be doing? ”

On hearing this, that very same night after long hours of walking to and fro, I figured that I can give 10 tips to those who take the USMLE medical exams.  Quickly made a video and put it on you tube so that it helps doctors to pass this exam and get to their dreams.  Students call me from across the world to thank me for that free video even now almost 5 years later, which  now has over 100,000 views. One student called  from Los Angeles one day and said “I ve not taken your course but your You tube video helped me have the confidence to face the exam. I passed.  Just wanted to share the news with you’. This “feel good” is totally different than buying a new house or a brand new Mercedes Benz.  I haven’t met these students but have made a palpable difference in their life.

Each one of you have that capacity to make a palpable difference to those around you especially in this profession as doctors, healers.  There is so much in the world (you hear in the news) to weigh people down, to discourage them, bring in strife, stress and depression.  People around you are hurting though they might be smiling on the outside.  Take a little time to get to know them, encourage them, give them hope.  Just a smile or little pat on the shoulder or a hug can save someone’s life.  For few years my dogma has been – Be good. Do good. Feel good. Because He’s good!

Having said that, each one of you has something special which ONLY you can deliver while you are here.  How do you know what it is?  It is that which resonates with your heart, challenges your mind and makes your soul sing!   Once you know what is  that one area you are good at, hone in on it, sharpen your skills and give it all you got.  Be better tomorrow than what you were today.  Be the best in the world at what you are designed and designated to do.  No one else can do what you are called for.  When you find IT, as Nike says “Just do it”…Each day – make it count!!! 

Life is beautiful.  We, as just human beings ( I mean being human not necessarily having to be a doctor) have the power to heal, to influence the society – Be the Light, the Ray of Hope to ailing people out there. One word, one encounter with you can be life changing for the person sitting across the table.  Don’t miss the chance!  Life is short.   There is no path to happiness: Happiness is the path.

 So …today is a new day….restart your engine, turn the music on, put on your shades, roll your window down and enjoy the ride of your life!