How Steve Jobs changed my life

Steve Jobs changed my life.

You may be thinking, well, duh … he changed the world by co-founding Apple. And you would be 100% correct.

But, truly, he changed my life. And he did it post-mortem like many great thinkers do.

Just about one year ago, I found this Steve Jobs quote:

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been, ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” - Steve Jobs

And reading these words from his monumental Stanford University 2005 commencement speech kinda rocked my world. 

At the time, I was 38 (I’m 39 now). I was (and still am) a wife, mom of three, and a vascular surgeon. And while I am a wife and a mom, 24/7, being a vascular surgeon dominated the vast majority of my waking hours. And those waking hours seemed less and less fulfilling.

I found myself pausing longer and longer before getting out of bed. I found myself sifting through the prospects of the day that would offer a little glimmer of something … joyful … that would catapult me out of bed. And then, one morning, with Steve Jobs’s words on repeat in my head, I knew. I knew that I needed a change. I couldn’t wake up feeling like that everyday … indefinitely.

But, to be honest, I had to sit with this revelation for a bit. I was (and am) so grateful to be a surgeon. I was (and am) so honored to doctor my patients. I couldn’t help but think about how I had worked throughout my entire young (and not-quite-so-young) adulthood to get to that very place. I had gone through so much schooling and so much training. I had sacrificed so much of myself - physically and emotionally. And doubting where I was in my career, briefly, made me second-guess my entire journey up to that point.

Now, that my sound a little dramatic but that’s how I felt. And I felt that way because I couldn’t fathom how I could do it differently. I felt unhappy. I felt misaligned. I felt stuck. Some days I fantasized about running away and becoming a barista! I’m not even kidding. A barista. All I knew was that I didn’t invest so much of my time and so much of myself to feel like that. 

So, I made my confession to my husband. I need to make a change. And he handled it like he always does when I go to him for support ... like a champ. He said something forgettable like Ok, you’ll figure it out. And that’s just what I needed. Because, of course, he was right.

And then I talked to my dad.

Now, before I tell you about that chat, you should know - I’m a total daddy’s girl. Don’t get me wrong. I adore my mom. We’re BFFs. But there’s just something about my dad. He can kinda do no wrong. He always has a smile and a reassuring word for me when I need it.

My dad also just happens to be a black man who grew up in North Carolina, USA, during the 1960s and wanted to become a physician but became an electrical engineer instead because he felt like he needed money immediately upon graduating from college. (As a doctor, he wouldn’t have made good money for at least 7 years.) He holds doctors in high esteem and he’s pretty darn proud of his daughter-the-doctor.

One last thing about my dad - he hated his 9-to-5 as an electrical engineer for at least 15 years. FIFTEEN YEARS! But he never allowed his 9-to-5 to make him an unhappy person. Instead, he got a side hustle. And then his side hustle got a side hustle.

So, back to my conversation with my dad. I made my confession: I need to make a change. And he listened as only he can listen … so intently that I have to pause and ask Dad, are you still there? Eventually, he asked me, So, you’re not going to be a surgeon anymore? To which I replied, Dad, I’ll always be a surgeon. Before our talk ended, he said, Well, honey, I think you’re right. And I needed to hear that because … #daddysgirl.

There aren’t many decisions that my parents have made that I can point to and decide to do the exact opposite. Actually, there are two. Putting a television in the master bedroom is one. Staying in a position that doesn’t set your heart on fire for a decade and a half is another. I knew the way that I was doctoring just wasn’t for me anymore. 

“Your time is limited; so, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” - Steve Jobs

So, I did some serious soul-searching, and reading, and listening, and even more reading. The details of all of that could be several blogs posts. And all of that lead me to coaching, specifically health coaching. I learned how coaching is a powerful adjunct to doctoring, and I got excited about patients having access to a coach who is a doctor. You can read my thoughts on Why You Need a Health Coach here.

I became more and more enamored with the field of coaching. That’s why on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of 2019 (fitting, I thought. MLK Jr. Day signifies freedom to me.), I started my blog. I followed my heart. I began coaching one-on-one and then I began running group programs. I created an online nutrition course and coaching program for professional moms that I call The Sugar Solution Lab. And it completely lights me up! I love it! I look forward to this work. It’s meaningful, powerful and fun. It’s what I was missing! I love it!

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.” - Steve Jobs

I found my great work, at least for now. My previous Type A, overachieving self has been replaced by my curious and creative self. And, for the first time in my adulthood, I feel very open to the future. When I was 26, I was incredibly attached to a well-detailed forever plan. Now, that I’m 39, I’m much more open to my plans being fluid. I’m much more open to experimentation and change.

“I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” - Steve Jobs

So, I took the big leap!

As of today, October 1st, 2019, I’m no longer a full-time vascular surgeon. Over the next 30 days, I’ll say farewell to the lovely patients I’ve had the privilege to doctor for the last 5 years. And I’ll say “see ya later!” to the staff members who have become much more like family.

I’m looking forward to a new beginning. I'm excited and inspired to really dig into my purpose, the business of nutrition coaching. I’m here to help you build real-life, science-based eating habits that will help you lose the frustrating bloating and gain much-needed energy right now in your oh-so-full-life.

Ready to get started? To successfully improve your eating habits, start with discovering what type of eater you are now with my fun but insightful quiz. It’s got 5 questions and it’ll take you less than 2 minutes. Click here to learn your eating type and you’ll get some curated info and tips from me just for you.