@BlackSurgeon:
Based on your statements concerning "hard work," I commend you for working your own reality, for what you do with your own mind—whether favorable or unfavorable—are the results that will reflect your ability to bend or mold reality to your own will. In short, my experiences have allowed me to move past the platitudes of esoteric phrases and, has, therefore, allowed me to analyze what people really mean when they say things. My premise and conclusions tell me that one needs only to be productive and consistent around a certain subset of knowledge to achieve one's goals.
I'm amazed that you totally missed what I was deliberating in my statements. However, for the medical student, allow me to elaborate. BlackSurgeon, before I proceed, I would say that you have a firm grasp of what you want to do in life and how to achieve those things from your individually contrived perspective. Great! That is a rather common thing to do, but some of us—like me—approach things from a teacher's, philosopher's, and writer's perspective. With this, I take great care in how my words are presented on paper, especially when those words represent the thoughts that I'm attempting to convey to others.
You say that "the sky is the limit," and I say that in theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice, only application matters and theory goes out the window. You tell me to "forget about my limits," but I say that knowing your limits can eventually save you. When I say "know your limits," I was not speaking from a pessimistic point of view, but from a viewpoint that would allow the native to eventually develop and plan a better strategy for achieving the native's goals. BlackSurgeon, I believe in the form of education called, existentialism. In short, it basically says that one has to make decisions and strategic choices based on limited resources, limited skills, and limited time.
BlackSurgeon, I, as an avid student of psychology, am more than sure that at some point while you were tackling your studies on a specific exam and project you decided that you had prepared ENOUGH. Therefore, your hard work was sufficient and, therefore, limited in its outcome. My statements were simply to speak truth to light to what many (and that obviously includes you) consider a given in their approach to studies. However, my comments were not necessarily intended for individuals with your background. I was writing to high achievers, like myself, who may have issues adjusting with their own unrealistic expectations to accomplish their dreams. My perfectionism proved unhealthy in the past, but I overcame it with a different perspective—while nonetheless hard work, it definitely was more realistic and achievable. No need to feign outrage.
So, yes, BlackSurgeon, even if you will not say it, "You Have Limits!" As intelligent or ardent as you are, you do not know everything, and you—quite evidently, as everyone else—live your life and function via a limited amount of resources , whether those resources are presented through time, skills, and/or knowledge. Have faith with those limits, for which you are obviously doing, BlackSurgeon—even while not realizing it. Again, you do not have to be a Nobel Laureate or winner to become a doctor (see previous post). Many people who are successful doctors have a sheer survalistic drive--not necessarily an intellect worthy of a world-renowned academician.
Moreover, I would offer this notion that one should be cautious in expounding their seemingly motivational prescriptions to would-be inquirers if one does not prefer the light of constructive criticism. However, in lieu of getting into a tempest over alternate viewpoints, I would conclude that I respectively disagree on some aspects of your opinions, but your perspective is your perspective—and one that has definitely worked for you. I commend you on that. It, thererfore, does not make you or me wrong or right...just different. It's nothing more than a self-opinionated meandering on each of our accounts.
So, I believe we are basically coming from two sides of the same coin, albeit your side has a more grittier quality than mine, but it's sufficient for the task at hand: which is to become a doctor via hard work and determination. My approach was more cerebral, based on internal mental processes.
No one will give you anything—one must learn how to acquire what one desires even when others choose not to give what one may seek. That's my life, BlackSurgeon.
You said that you busted your butt off to accomplish your goals. Well, kudos to you! Sorry, I can not give out prizes, but I would if I could--not that you would be expecting it. Additionally, hard work is hard work, so your statement is actually encouraging to me--a person who had to learn how not overcomplicate things. However when I said that one must know what results are acceptable in each circumstance, I could add degrees of difficulty to the conversation (i.e. , easy, medium, and hard). Of course, you are not going to approach an easy task with the degree of difficulty used toward a hard task. That would not be an efficient and quite possibly an effective use of your limited resources. In short, one must maintain one's locus of control when challenging any goal. Thereby, I'm promoting practicalityin achieving one's goals--not degenerative, limitation-based cogitation.
Furthermore, I understand your angle in this matter. You are saying that, when faced with a dream, one should do whatever it takes or use whatever in their arsenal of resources to acheive their goals. However, at the end of the day, it is still based on discerning one's limitations. There is a difference in knowing your limits and limiting yourself. One is based on "can'ts and cannots" and various contractions while the other is based on finding another method to achieve the same goal or learning to be strategic in bringing an outcome to fruition.
To all future readers:
People with finite knowledge become great things everyday—including doctors. To use what's finite to achieve what is deemed infinite will require faith—or confidence, which ever you prefer. My goal was to encourage individuals to maintain their locus of control and to not permit others or circumstances the opportunity to seize that control. I know many professors who will give low grades (as a result of deliberately difficult tests) to the whole class as a way to weed out individuals, but in the end those same professors will correct the grades based on what actually could have been accomplished by the students. Some students will allow this tactic to derail their plans, because these students are focusing too much on the plan's of the professor. The key is to have faith in yourself regardless of limitations, and trust in your own abilities instead of jedi mind tricks of others. Again, know your limits, because reality definitely does. Great things can be achieved if given the necessary amount of time or resources. Do not defeat yourself before the challenge has begun. Give yourself the opportunity to suceed or fail on your own merit--not by allowing outside stimulators (whether people or circumstances) to influence your thinking to your detriment.
I'm only saying, "Be fair to yourself!" Know what you can achieve with the limited amount of time or resources given. It's called critical reasoning or thinking and prioritizing. Doctors will definitely need these skills. Also, while BlackSurgeon does not expressly indicate this with exact words, he has these skills in addition to a respectable level of tacit knowledge in abundance--at least, through his written content. However, to me "being fair" means, give yourself the opportunity to succeed or fail. Do not allow others to dictate your strategy to be productive and consistent! Many may, unwittingly, discourage others, because these would-be motivators only know how to speak in the terms, phrases, and words for which only they can assess in reference to the unique details surrounding their personal experiences. In the end, you can take no one but yourself through those medical school doors! Your actions determine your success.