The Maze of Life

July 04, 2020

I didn’t always want to be a Doctor.

In fact, I didn’t know what I wanted to be.

As I started my journey at University, I was spat out of my cocoon into the real world, forced to navigate the maze we call ‘life’.

Finding the Centre of the Maze

At a first-year medical student, I thought the rest of my life was laid out for me.

I’d be some form of doctor for the distant future, develop financial security, settle down with a family and maybe enjoy a holiday every now and again.

The problem was, I began to develop this sinking feeling that there were other careers I should be exploring, too.

In recent years, I’ve noticed that a lot of university students feel this way.

They question whether their degree is right for them and whether they’re taking steps towards a future they’d be satisfied with.

To name one example, medical students specifically ask me how I’m so set on a medical specialty; they long for that same conviction.

Ofcourse, the true answer is that I’ll never know where the true centre of my ‘maze’ lies.

The centre of our maze is where we’d feel most content and secure.

And to find the centre of your maze, you simply have to get up and start navigating it.

When you approach two paths, take the new one.

When you hit a dead-end, turn around and keep moving.

Some will quickly find a spot in the maze they’re happy with and call it a day.

This becomes their ‘middle’.

The other type of person keeps hitting dead-ends, but by navigating a larger part of the maze they encounter more spots in which they’d be comfortable settling down in.

The latter person ends up with a better idea of what’s available and can settle down somewhere closer to their perfect ‘middle’.

So if you want to find your middle, bounce off walls and know your dead-ends.

Take note of your favourite spots but don’t let that stop you from exploring the maze.

I don’t know if I’ve found my true middle yet, but I’m a hell of a lot closer.

And if you ever find yourself lost in the maze, get up andstart moving.

🔗 The Weekly Link-Up

Links to things I’ve enjoyed this week and think you might enjoy too:

  1. My friend Dr Chris Lovejoy is starting a Youtube video course on Machine Learning for Healthcare! Medics, get clued up! If you didn’t know already, I’m super interested in the idea of making a living from doing what I love. Learning about marketing has been one of my best investments over the last few years. I’m just finishing up reading ‘Positioning - The Battle For Your Mind’ by Al Ries and Jack Trout. It’s an amazing book. If you’d like to know more about what I read, hit reply to this email or tweet me below.

If you liked this article, you might like this one too: The 5-Year Rule

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✏️About the Author:

👨🏽‍⚕️Faisal is a Junior Doctor working in the NHS and the founder of YoungAcademics, a Collaboration Platform for Students and Researchers.

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