Categories: On Experience Fragments

Why Gratitude Replaced Ambition with Dr Patterson Stark

There comes a point in many careers where ambition isn’t enough anymore. You’ve achieved things, built a career, learnt your craft and been rewarded along the way. But what keeps you going after that?

In this conversation, Dr Patterson Stark, reflects on the life-threatening experience that changed not only how he practised medicine, but what began to drive him each day. His answer wasn’t more discipline, more willpower, or a new productivity system. It was something far simpler.

This is a short extract from On Experience, a series of conversations exploring how our experiences shape the way we see and respond to the world.

Edited Transcript

“But I realized that I had bought the whole line, and sinker thing about being a young professional. You had to, A, graduate, B, try to be in the top of the class, C, have a successful practice, D, have the Mercedes. You know, have all the accoutrements that says, “I’m successful,” when in fact it was absolutely worthless day you get that diagnosis.

I realized that I enjoy the learning process and I look for inspiration. And sometimes it’s a little bit, you know, a little bit clunky and difficult and this and that, but you realize that at the end of it, you still have a deeper understanding.

…So for me, when I’m studying now, my motivation is, A, not to become the people I’m treating, and B, be so humble and in gratitude that I have the health that I do that continues to make me get up and go out and surf three-metre surf for the last five days. And I’m the oldest guy in the water and I’m saying, “This is great.”

And I’m doing a few cannonballs, getting bounced around, but I’m out there, okay? And I’m able to do it. So it’s like how fortunate am I? And that fortune brings me back to the consistency of the study, of the application.

…But for me, being up in an area where it’s so pristine in nature and being able to be reverent with the people who actually have the same humility being in the area. It’s life-confirming.

So, I don’t need any stimulation to get up early and stay up late and study and exercise and move and take time with people.

No, it’s gratitude, I think is the biggest thing that keeps you going. Oh, man, yes.”