Pressure

[Kofi Darko]

How do you cope with pressure to succeed..? Any ideas?

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[NuttyEngDude]

Exercise, make sure you get a good night's sleep and good nutrition. A beer or scotch every once in a while is nice too.

 

[Shjanzey]

I thrive on it. Without that pressure I wouldn't feel motivated to do anything...I'd probably just play video games all the time.

 

[Captain Sisko]

I thrive on it. Without that pressure I wouldn't feel motivated to do anything...I'd probably just play video games all the time.

I also thrive on scotch

 

[deleted480308]

I've gone bankrupt before, I just remember how much worse being broke is than any test

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Really good responses, lol

 

[TwinsFan]

Break things into smaller manageable chunks and remember to compare your outcomes with expectations along the way. Good and realistic planning with honest analysis allows your focus to be on continuous improvement and productivity instead of the "pressure" of succeeding.

Also allow yourself some room to unwind. Finally, you may be someone who folds under pressure, this may mean medicine is a bad fit. Do some soul searching...

 

[Darth Doc]

If it's pressure from other people, it's not their life, it's yours. If they want someone in the family to be a doctor, then they should go to med school.

If you're putting pressure on yourself, then see above - exercise, eat healthy with occasional chocolate indulgence, occasional partaking of alcoholic beverages, spend time with someone who loves you and tells you to stop stressing. Learn to reduce stress as much as you can. Good coping mechanisms go far in the medical profession.

 

[WaterCLurker]

I imagine myself triumphantly standing atop the bodies of my enemies. It makes me feel tall.

 

[Shjanzey]

Learn to reduce stress as much as you can. Good coupling mechanisms go far in the medical profession.

Thought I'd spice that up for you

 

[MedPhys2MD]

I've been making short term goals. When thinking abou the whole process I can get overwhelmed, but one step at a time makes things more feasible

 

[sindadel]

I would love the OP to define what he/she means by "pressure to succeed". Because, I don't think that pressure to succeed is all that helpful in life or medicine, at least not in the climbing Mt Everest/winning the Nobel Prize sort of sense. Doctors do like shiny things and there is an infinite assortment of them to be had along the way, particularly if you play the academia game. However, the joy of making a positive difference for actual people [substitute whatever your internal motivator is] is what keeps you going day by day in clinical medicine. Just read articles about burnout to know the powerful difference between internal and external motivation. Do medicine because you want to do medicine and because you enjoy most of the stuff along the way. If you're miserable all along the way, you'll be a miserable doctor and we all know we don't need more of those.

 

[Kofi Darko]

Thanks! it has to be my gf, lol I always do better when she's around. My good luck charm. Thanks guys!

 

[MedWonk]

Beer/Wine, Exercise, Traveling, Sex, Food/Cooking/Baking, Playing with my cat, a full night of sleep

 

[ejw5075]

Eat, Sleep, Sex, Exercise, EtOH-- all great things. What's key for me: Taking a day off every week. Usually it's Saturday but I do nothing academic, makes me work harder the rest of the time.

Also- chill out, no one but you gives a damn about the tiny details, don't kill yourself to be Perfect.