The "What If" Game

What if you gave yourself permission to dream bigger?
We spend so much time answering questions about our patients, our practice, our responsibilities. But when was the last time someone asked you questions just about you? Not you as a physician. Not you as a professional. Just... you.

In this episode, we're doing something different. I'm inviting you to sit down with me—imagine we're in a cozy space, maybe sipping something warm—and explore seven powerful questions together. These aren't clinical questions or administrative puzzles. These are the kind of questions that crack open possibilities you didn't know existed.

Why this matters now
Recently, I attended a celebration of life for a neighbor who died far too young. Her wife, a physician, shared how cardiovascular disease took her suddenly. As I sat there, I couldn't help but think about how we spend our time, what we prioritize, and whether we're living in alignment with what truly matters to us.

We're so practiced at ignoring our own desires, our own needs, our own dreams. We've been trained to see self-care as selfish and ambition as ego. But what if that's exactly backwards?

How to use this episode
This isn't a typical listen-and-forget episode. I want you to actually engage with these questions. You can:

• Speak your answers out loud in the car
• Journal through them in a quiet moment
• Discuss them with a trusted friend
• Schedule a call with me to explore them together

The magic happens when you let yourself answer honestly, without judgment, without immediately jumping to "but that's not practical."

The Seven "What If" Questions

1. What if I didn't need to make any money? How would you spend your time if income wasn't a factor? This opens up what you'd choose versus what you feel obligated to do.
2. What if I couldn't fail? What would you attempt if success was guaranteed? This reveals the desires you're holding back because of fear.
3. What if I chose to love myself more? How would your daily choices change if you treated yourself with the same unconditional love you give others?
4. What if I knew when I was going to die? Would you spend this much time at work? Would you over-perfect everything? This question cuts through to what you don't want to regret.
5. What if I believed their actions? Whether it's believing when people show they don't value you, or when they show they genuinely want to help—what would change?
6. What if only my desires mattered? Not to ignore others, but to remove the external noise and hear what you actually want. You're not the only solution for your patients, even though they've told you that you are.
7. What if I chose to keep it easy? What if you didn't make everything so complicated, so perfect, so systematic? How would that simplify your decisions?

The exercise that changes everything
I challenge you to pick just one of these questions and let yourself really sit with it this week. Don't rush to the practical answer. Don't i