Table of contents
- Life Update
- Tools and Tips
- Readers’ Favorite
- Stuff
Life Update
My days start early
Really early.
Every weekday I wake up at 5:00 am, and by 5:50 am I'm already in my office.
Everything is so quiet and my building is virtually empty.
From 5:50 to 7:30 I try to get stuff done.
More often than not, I'm successful.
Sometimes, I'm not.
Every day is a new battle. And it's not easy.
I try to tackle my most important task early in the morning, and it's almost always related to my research.
You see, I want to change the way we treat head and neck cancer, so the things I write and think about are REALLY complicated.
And my brain doesn't like complicated at 5:50 am.
Sometimes, I'm too exhausted to get it done early in the morning.
So instead, I do things that don't require that much focus. And then I'm mad at myself all day long— angry that I wasted those precious 90 minutes.
Has it always been this way?
Have I always managed to get up early to get things done?
Absolutely not.
It's something I started doing only in recent years.
With my crazy life pace, these 90 minutes in the morning are what keeps me going.
And that brings us to the question:
How can we make sure we're not sacrificing too much for our job?
Let’s find out!
Number 132 😎
Tools and Tips
The path I've chosen for myself is extreme.
It included 12 years in university, 7 years of surgical training, and 7 years of research training.
So when I ask myself whether I sacrificed too much for my job, the reason is obvious.
But today, I'm not talking about my years of training.
Instead, I want to tackle this from a different angle:
How can you make sure your job is meaningful enough but, at the same time, doesn't require you to sacrifice too much?
This discussion is relevant whether you've been at the same job for decades, or you're contemplating which job is right for you.
So today, I would like to share the three things I found most important for me in my job— the things that help me make the right decisions when balancing my professional and personal life.
How I balancing the time I spend with the money I make.
How I balance the effort I put in with my satisfaction.
These are the elements that, in my mind, transform a "job" into a "dream job."
And here they are:
🔵 Constant Challenge
When I was in med school, the chief of surgery told us something that I keep thinking about to this day:
"Even after all the years I've been a surgeon, I'm excited every time I walk into the OR."
I feel the same.
But let me tell you a secret— that excitement requires you to step out of your comfort zone.
To take on challenges all the time.
It's not exactly that your job will become more ENJOYABLE. It will become more EXCITING.
In my case, even when I do a procedure I've done hundreds of times, I want it to be the best one I've ever done.
I put myself in a state of constant dissatisfaction.
But that raises another question:
If there are too many challenges in your work, will it cause you to enjoy your work less?
Will it make you feel like you're sacrificing too much for your job?
That brings us to our next point.
🔵 "Enjoy What You Do" — Is It a Myth?
I assume there are people who enjoy what they do every single day.
Maybe.
I don't know.
In any case, most people don't enjoy everything they do every day.
But does it mean that your job isn't a "dream job"?
The answer is no.
A dream job is where, as the weekend approaches and you're more rested with time to contemplate, you look back at the passing week and are OVERALL SATISFIED with what you did.
(Wow, that’s a long sentence…)
And you can't wait to do it again (and better) next week.
But what about the money? 💰
🔵 Money
Oh, money.
That's a HUGE deciding factor that can affect your decisions.
Whether or not to accept a job offer.
Whether or not to take on more obligations.
Whether or not to put in more hours.
So the question becomes: Do you feel well compensated for what you do? Are you well paid?
This is the way I see it:
The more money you want to make, the more time you will have to spend working.
You have to find the sweet spot.
The point is when you feel you have enough money TO NOT WORRY about money.
But let's be clear here.
"Worrying" about money is waking up in the morning and thinking about money.
"Worrying" about money is not being able to sleep at night because of money.
"Worrying" about money is not whether you can upgrade your hotel room or car.
So, if you like what you do, and don't WORRY about money, you're there.
You're at the sweet spot.
You have a dream job.
Readers’ Favorite
Many people ask for my advice on whether they should pursue advanced training such as residency, fellowship, or postdoc.
Often, they're uncertain because of financial concerns.
That's why I wrote "Money, Fellowships, and Post Docs: Is It Worth the Money?"
You can read it here if you missed it.
Stuff
📚Book I read - Eleven Rings by the legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson.
Phil Jackson created one of the best basketball teams of all time, the Chicago Bulls.
Michael Jordan's team.
Phil managed to bring a diverse group of individuals together to connect on the highest level possible.
This book is great for people who value the journey towards reaching their goals, or dreaming about having a dream job.
I've listened to the audiobook countless times.
Highly recommended!
Epilogue
If you received this newsletter from a friend and would like to join Friday's Digest, visit https://newsletter.shaysharon.com
That’s it for this issue.
See you next week!
Shay
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