1) It takes tremendous inner strength and courage to face our emotional fears

2) Humor is derived in the face of pain

3) I know I have grown when I was asked the other day, What is the most valuable to you?

I answered, “Self-knowledge “

4) I lost my desire to care what people think of me early in my adult life. When I was in college my capacity to think that it is really none of my business what people think about me and to stay laser focused on being the best version of myself consumed my psyche

5) When I am doing a heart procedure, I can make it appear effortless, simple, and very natural in my hands, until the fellow attempts it and it seems awkward, like a teenage girl trying to walk in stilettos. What few appreciate are the millions of times I rehearsed every motion, every step in my mind while shaving, in the shower, or when I let my mind daydream, and the thousands of heart procedures I have performed over my career. It reminds me of the ignorance of our society that fails to understand the many gifted musicians, songstresses, artists who perfected their craft from thousands of hours and many years of work

6) I learned and validated early in life that problems left unresolved become crises later in life

7) Crises in our lives are an emotional stress test; they expose the small, vulnerable spaces in our foundation and our resilience. These help to fill in our weaknesses in our emotional foundation and make us better prepared for future challenges.

8) What is it about humanity that we believe in the ideology of overnight success? Successful people, when fully transparent, will tell you it’s not overnight, it’s “over your whole life”!!!

9) When I thought I was at the end of an experience, I was already at the beginning of another

10) Your life is a canvas; you are in complete control of what you produce