Hesitancy. Apprehension. Misgiving.
When we trade in our security, these feelings are our return. What do we do next? Trade our trepidation back in for comfort?
Last night, my wife and I watched Jessica Pegula versus Karolina Muchova in the women’s semi-final of the US Open. Two veteran tennis players, both crafty. Pegula, the American, more powerful. Muchova, the Czech, more various. In the opening set, Muchova landed blows at the net, volleying well-placed winner after winner into a 6-1 first-set master class. I looked at my wife and said, “Pegula has no chance.” She agreed. Before the second set, sitting on her bench and wiping her face with a towel, Pegula looked dejected, embarrassed, and confused. “Yeah, it’s over.” I repeated, an American would fail to win the 2024 U.S. Open.
The second set began where the first set ended with Muchova breaking Pegula’s serve, then holding her own. 2-0 Muchova.
“… I don’t know how I turned that around honestly,” admitted Pegula after the match, a match she ultimately won 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. In the post-match interview, Pegula was mystified, radiating gratitude. She was a different person than she was an hour before. Now, she’s into her first grand slam final.
When we play the game of our lives, we cannot expect a warm welcome. Hostility will greet us. This is how it works; how it must work. People will give up on us. Because with our backs planted against the wall, alone, with fear upon us, we discover who we really are; the reason we play the game in the first place.
To livin’ a life we love,
Ryan Fightmaster, MD
(Last week, I released a video Everything I’ve Learned Since Leaving Medicine, and this week, I released another How I Finally Left Medicine. Each video is aimed at helping you (and me) take action today toward owning our lives.)
