When the drive to succeed leads you astray
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-blog/MY01247
- 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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March 19, 2010
When the drive to succeed leads you astray
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Throughout our lives, we're inundated with advice. Coaches tell us to keep our eyes on the ball and never give up. Teachers urge us to study harder and apply ourselves. Parents exhort us to live up to our full potential. The advice never stops.
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Several months ago, I was encouraged to put my hat in the ring for a highly visible position in our organization. I took the advice and went through the interview process, as did several others. In the end, the best candidate was awarded the position. Although I had a twinge of regret that it hadn't been me, life moved on in its usual rhythm.
Last week while I was on my way to the hospital to see some terminally ill patients, I bumped into the individual who received the appointment. He was frantic and had all of the equipment of the "road warrior" — the cell phone, the suitcase on wheels and the ever-present laptop. I wished him well and watched him sprint to a taxi waiting to take him to the airport for another meeting.
As I walked away, I was profoundly thankful that I wasn't in his shoes and that I'd taken a path that offers me peace and fulfillment.
I'm grateful to those who encouraged me to put myself forward. But I've learned that if I have an attitude of acceptance and, equally important, stay in the present, life unfolds exactly the way it's supposed to.
Are there any other lessons that I missed on my way to the hospital?
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