UPTOF8

I was driving on the Northway today and saw a car with the license plate: UPTOF8 or Up to fate.

I have never lived my life in the HOPE that something good would happen to me to ensure my success (both personally and professionally.)

When I had my car accident (I was a pedestrian)  back in 1976 and had  my right leg was amputated and reattached, I always KNEW that if I worked hard enough, I could still have a successful life. In fact, I worked so hard that after 18 months and 4 surgeries later, I was out running 5 miles. (Was it fate that one of the great trauma surgeons, Dr. Roger Seible (now deceased) was my surgeon..Possibly?)

When I fractured my shoulder 18 months ago, was it fate that I had access to a great shoulder surgeon? Or was my recovery and return to work the result of going to physical therapy for 4 months, 3 times a week?

Is it fate that I have an international reputation for being a quality restorative dentist OR perhaps is it the result of taking more than 6200 hours of Continuing Education and much of it with the best in the world?

Yes it is true that no one becomes a success without the help of someone else along the way but the fact of the matter is that an individual must work incredibly hard to reach the upper echelons of their profession. Success is not an accident (or fate). It is always the result of hard work with 10,000 hours being the bare minimum for success.

(An Aside: President Obama said that no one is successful all by him/her self and he was roundly criticized by his opponents. Trust me, we all have gotten some help by someone along the way and I have blogged several times how my broken tooth and a visit to Susan's family dentist helped me get accepted to dental school. Lots of people are accepted to dental school but few work hard enough to become recognized for their abilities.)