I’m super grateful for a professor I had while I was earning my undergraduate degree. His name was Dr. Michael Webster, and he helped me change the way I thought about myself and my potential.
One day, he sat me down in his office and told me he wanted to have a talk.
He told me he felt like I was an A student, but I was behaving a lot like a C student. This was because of one big problem: I never took the time to prepare. He was right — I never prepared. I always just showed up and winged it, and he could tell.
Not because I was failing. He told me he really thought I had a lot of potential because I did well despite NOT preparing. I had heard this kind of thing before, but it really hit me differently this time because I could see he really believed in me. He saw something in me, and he thought I could really accomplish something bigger.
This meant so much to me because I didn’t think a lot of myself and my ability as a student up until that point. I doubted myself and my abilities even though I knew I was passionate about what I was learning.
Dr. Webster helped me change that perspective. This new perspective helped me not only challenge myself to become a doctor but to take on the process of being the best doctor I can be, and to give the best care and focus to my patients possible.
There are mentors, teachers, and professors like this all around us in our lives helping change perspectives. Who are the mentors like this for you? Please feel free to share, as I’d love to hear your stories.