By Dr. Sean Orr
In my old life, I believed that I was alone. Like a classic Greek tragedy, all that I had built came to ruin at the hands of my hubris. My arrogance and pride blinded me to the real source of my power, the real reason for my existence. And as with all tragedies, it was inevitable that I would fall. Do not make the same mistake, my fellow Physician, do not lose faith. For you are not alone.
In my old life, I believed I was the rainmaker. I was so proud of my eighteen-hour workday that was needed to keep everything together, to be a good bridge-builder. Balancing four administrative jobs; seeing enough patients to sustain the overhead-heavy practice; attending numerous department meetings; making media appearances; traveling to conferences; participating in research; managing the practice; socializing with colleagues and donors; working with administration, marketing, finance, risk management, utilization review, quality management, recruitment, credentialing, philanthropy, medical records, IT, architecture and physical plant, and the Board of Directors.
The demands on my time were “self-imposed,” and the rigorous schedule was the price to pay. I thought that I alone was responsible for my success. And I thought there would be time to sleep after I would die.