Borders bookstore on Tottenham Court Road was my sanctuary.
I felt lost, confused and uncertain about who I was and where I was going after being kicked out of medical school.
So I headed for the bookstore to find answers and spend time with hundreds of advisors and alternate universes on the shelves of Borders.
One of the worlds I collided with was the world of Chris Gardner, author of The Pursuit of Happyness.
I didn’t read the book from cover to cover, but I skimmed it for a couple of hours like a pebble skipping the entire length of a pond.
And one of the parts that stuck with me was the idea of enrolling in God’s university. I took a photo of that passage that is still one of my screens avers. ..a photo that outlasted the now extinct Borders bookstore.
Here’s the photo:
Photo.
And here’s the excerpt:
Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. But what is inside you no one can take from you or tarnish. This is your worth, who you really are, your degree that can go with you wherever you go, that you bring with you the moment you come into a room, that can’t be manipulated or shaken. Without that sense of self, no amount of paper, no pedigree, and no credentials can make you legit. No matter what, you have to feel legit inside first.
With all the pressure that medical school/family/the world puts you under to earn their approval and validation…just imagine what would happen if you spent even half that energy on approving yourself first.
This is a taster from Escape Velocity: a personalised email course that guides medics step-by-step in how to successfully make the transition from being stuck in medical school…to living a life of happiness, freedom and fulfilment. Admission is by invitation-only. Click here to apply for your FREE invite.