What do you expect?

It's getting kind of annoying that a few of my fellow classmates LOVE to complain about everything.  Why sing the sad song..of I'm so behind in my studying.  This is so much material.  I'm so burned out. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH...What do you expect?  You are in medical school.  By now, I would think you should be familiar with the heavy workload.  So, stop with the complaining.  Stop it, ALREADY!!!!

I'm putting  in extra effort to surround myself with opportunist.  People that take the opportunity to see the good in this temporary experience.  Don't think you are warning me with all your horror stories.  I dont want to hear it.  As Im waiting in line to get something to eat: complaining....As Im walking to and fro: complaining....If I hear one more person asking me the cliche question, "how's everything?" and I know they are in hopes that I crumble and join the band wagon of complainers...Im going to scream.  If they would spend that energy on looking at the bright side..things would not seem like a ton of bricks on their shoulder every day.

Today, one classmate that I have not seen all this semester, saw me in line and said, "so, how's everything, rough, huh?"  If you already have summed up my experience, please don't ask me about it..just continue to assume my world is like yours.   I try with all my might to talk about other things, like the beautiful scenery we have here, the nice breeze in the air, the movie that is showing this Friday, going tubing, snorkeling, what's for dinner? etc, etc...

I've decided, Im not going to complain about the lectures, the professors, the questions,  and all the stuydying that I need to get done each day, week, or month..I am going to embrass this as just a small piece to my bigger puzzle.  And it's just for this season in my journey.  The puzzle is coming together.

Im already looking forward to my next level in this journey.  I see myself making it to the other side.  I see myself accomplishing my dream.  I'm continually keeping that in front of me...I am going to enjoy this experience.  Because, I'm laying the foundation of, "remember the good ol' days, when I was in med school." 

That's right each day of our lives we are laying the foundation for the next level, the next floor that is being creating in our floor plan of life. If we lay a deep and solid foundation...we can build a taller building (DREAM BIG). The deeper the foundation the taller the building.  And believe me it matters what material you use to build your foundation...

Burj Khalifa - The Tallest Man made structure in the WORLD

What do I now expect, now that I'm here and this is not my first rodeo?  I expect new material to be presented to me.  I expect a lot of new but very interesting material.  I expect to make it through these basic science courses and move on to my clinicals.  I expect to do well.  I expect to reap the benefits of my labor.  I expect to live a good life.

So, no more band wagon mentality.  No more focusing on things that have no obvious successful consequence to where I want to go or be in life.  It's fruitile, incapable of producing any reasonable or useful result.  I will excuse myself from such conversations...and move on with excitement and great expectation about my future.

SO, what do you expect on your journey in pursuit of purpose?  Expect challenges..but, focus on overcoming them.  Expect people trying to lean on you, but learn to push them off.  Expect good and watch good follow you.  Expect a positive outcome in the midst of overwhelming circumstances, and a positive outcome is yours. 

Push through....Rest up ....and Push some more...After all, you are in pursuit of purpose...Purpose is definitely not a destination, but a journey...that can be built on the joys of life...You chooose....

I ask you again...What do you expect?