True story: A few years ago, I felt really disconnected from my purpose and my passion. I was soul searching and trying to figure out what I really wanted in my career. In 2017, I was experiencing burnout and I was pregnant with my 3rd child. I decided that the burnout was bad for me and baby so I quit my job and decided to spend a few months with the kids. I ended up experiencing significant challenges when it came to finding reliable, nurturing childcare for the next 9 months. And that was probably one of the most physically exhausting periods. I started advising early stage healthcare startups and taking on consulting work which was really rewarding and intellectually stimulating. But there was something missing— I was torn. I wanted to use my talents and skills to work on an important mission, but I didn’t want to experience burnout anymore. Every opportunity I evaluated was missing something that was important to me— I wanted the perfect job and of course I couldn’t find that. There was always something: a terrible commute, terrible work hours, a difficult culture or a boring problem that was being solved. I wanted to work on something exciting and inspiring and meaningful, but I had constraints. During the pandemic, I was offered an opportunity that finally aligned with my needs. I could work remotely on a healthcare innovation problem that was meaningful to me. But I was nervous about committing to a full time job after 3 years of advising and consulting. It turned out to be the best thing I could have imagined. My work felt meaningful. And of course you know what happened after that, I joined Thrive Global full time as it’s first ever chief medical officer. I have incredible colleagues and a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment. I’m doing what I love and it feels so good. A few years ago, I never would have believed it if you told me this is where I’d be. So I guess the message I’m trying to get across is: trust your journey. Know that the challenges, setbacks and failures are setting you up for success as long as you are learning from them. And don’t be afraid, be fearless in the pursuit of what makes you happy. 💜