The Rock Bottom Moment That Almost Ruined Dr K
Psychiatrist Alok Kanojia (Dr K) tells Chris Williamson about his string of rock bottoms, from failing college to a meditation moment of acceptance, and argues that futile work and failure are deeply undervalued.
The gist
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Kanojia says he was failing college while gaming 16 to 20 hours a day, and chose to skip his Spanish final.
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After 90 days in an Indian ashram at 21, his teacher refused to let him become a monk and told him to finish his education first.
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Kanojia raised a 0.9 GPA to graduate with a 2.4 after 5 and a half years, taking 24 credits in his final semester.
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With one medical school interview, a meditation left him sure he would not get in yet and must do about 2 years of futile work, which brought him calm.
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Kanojia says research shows people who recover from depression are more resilient, and Williamson says making peace with failure was key for him.
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