How to Avoid the Survivalist Mindset Throughout Medical School

when you go through life thinking “if I can make it through this, things will be better later,” you eventually forget what “better” means.

the despair that accompanies the perpetual postponement of an enjoyable life has a way of making its presence known.

I spent the last decade researching and writing books about students who defied the survival mindset… At the core of their strategies were three simple rules

Do Less.
These students revel in an open schedule and the ability to dedicate more than enough time to a reasonable course load and a small number of activities.

Do Better.
These students recognize that they’ll ultimately be judged not by the sum of their contributions to diverse activities, but instead by the magnitude of their ability in the one thing they do best …there’s another deep satisfaction to be found in the craftsmanship of slowly building skill, a thin layer at a time.

Know Why.
A life with both freedom and focus is a life well-lived.Consider, for a moment, someone whose life you admire…perhaps, for example, a respected writer or profound thinker — you’ll likely note that they, like these students, dedicate their time to a small number of pursuits (perhaps just one), but do those small number of things exceptionally well.

An Open Letter to Students on the Danger of Seeing School as a Trial to Survive [Study Hacks]