Look inward to find fulfillment
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/finding-fulfillment/MY01902
- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Nov. 1, 2011
Look inward to find fulfillment
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
While on a long distance flight, I had an opportunity to read and reflect about a number of prominent individuals:
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- An iconic entertainer who was a household name in the entertainment industry.
- A 67-year-old former world-class athlete who carved out an incredibly successful second career as a general manager for a professional team.
- Another famous American athlete who was revered by colleagues and peers for his athletic prowess.
But the article did not stress their strengths and their accomplishments. The article peered into the souls of these individuals, and each was beset with demons of loneliness, self-doubt, depression and anxiety. Their fire for competition was an attempt to fill a void in their souls that could never be filled by the spotlight or the applause.
They realized early in their careers that glory in the entertainment and sports arenas fades very quickly. None achieved peace in their post-performance years. We can draw a few lessons from their experiences:
- We need to be who we are and to be faithful to our own values and truths.
- We need to recognize that accomplishments and acquisitions are important but can't fill the void that's created when we lack inner peace and serenity.
- We are all, by virtue of our humanity, troubled by the issues of recognition and validation.
May we spend each of our days in peace, comfort, and security.
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