The author Anna Quindlen once said that “If your success is not your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good inside, it is not success at all.” Unfortunately, there is not a single all-inclusive definition of success for every one, or for any given vocation, because success is a very personal and relative concept. The definition of success even varies within the same profession, and is different for a person at various stages of his own life. In that respect, this measure for success as offered by Anna Quindlen is most intriguing.
Throughout my academic career, grades, research, and quality of extra-curricular activities certainly created the foundation for success. I also took pride in being associated with some of the most influential and interesting faculty on campus because of my association with academic journals. These things gave me a sense of happiness that I thought came only through society’s definition of success.
However, as I embarked in this life long journey of healing, public service, and altruistic endeavors, I find myself redefining myself in the image of Anna Quindlen as a successful person. I still believe that achieving and maintaining academic excellence and superior medical knowledge as a physician is imperative. However, now the underlying motivation is different. Now scholastic excellence is measured through my own satisfactions stemming from mastering the subject material for the sake of patients’ good, and through my inner convictions about becoming a great physician. I also think that a passion aimed at innovative scientific inquiry will be a measure by which I would judge the quality of my tenure as a physician. Whether a change in hospital efficiency or a small research success that contributes somehow to the larger cause of easing suffering, it will be sufficiently gratifying for me.
Some other measures- personal integrity, ethical behavior, and empathy for the least fortunate- also seem to percolate to the forefront. As a physician I will continue to assess success through my ability to cultivate a sense of love for humanity, which I am sure will be followed by a flourishing love for the art of healing.
