Cozad NE SELF topics

My mother was a social worker and my father was a teacher, both for the state of New York. I was kind of a weird kid, being that I knew exactly what I wanted to do from as early as I can remember.  

I wanted to help others on a massive scale. And to my younger self, that meant becoming a doctor.

I still remember when I knew that nothing would get in the way of me reaching my goals. It was my Junior year of high school, and my guidance counselor told me I should just go to trade school instead of pursuing college. I was pissed. I decided, right then and there, I would always succeed at anything I pursued - no matter what.

I knew that fear held people back from what they were capable of. And I vowed to confront my own fears, head-on. Through hard work and sacrificing my social life (not that I had one to begin with), I got into the 3rd ranked medical school in the country, Washington University. This was the biggest achievement of my life, up to this point anyways.  

Med school was no joke. Many of the doctors told me that I was one of the hardest working and best students they’d ever seen. But, exams have never been my specialty. After failing the same exam twice, I was threatened to be expelled if I failed another exam. The school even forced me to take an IQ test and go to meditation classes to prove I belonged. On my third try, I passed the exam with flying colors. I vowed to never fail another test again.

And I never did.

I took my residency at Emory, one of top ten residency programs in the country.

And after four grueling years of 90 hour workweeks, I graduated with the highest starting salary in my class.

For the next 15 years I lived my childhood dream - delivering babies, performing complex surgeries and serving in women's health care. But then five years ago, something very unexpected happened. While working for a hospital in Baltimore, I was called into the Department Director's office.

"Terence, you haven’t made the income we expected. We are going to let you go.”

Fired!?! My stomach dropped. This cannot be happening to me. I sat staring into the distance, my mind fixated on the ring I had just bought my fiancé. Complete devastation. I had no idea what I’d do next. I took a good look inside. I loved my career as a physician, but I could feel myself getting burned out by the business of it all. It was time to take my life’s work to the next level and help others on an even larger scale. It was time to take on my biggest and most difficult fear - going into business for myself.

Today, I get to better people’s lives by the thousands - emotionally, spiritually and financially. My purpose is helping others unlock their potential and walk their own path of greatness. And again, I am doing what I love with that fire in my belly. My fears are all behind me.

I was once afraid to fly. Now I can fly planes. I was once afraid to swim. Now I train for Ironmans. I was once afraid to talk to others. Now I am a coach, speaker and trainer. I was once afraid to start a business. And now I am an entrepreneur and business owner.