Table of Contents

1. Preface

2. Main Article

3. Readers’ Favorite

4. Stuff

Preface

As you might know, I have a YouTube channel.

My videos focus on being productive as a doctor and a scientist, and test-taking strategies for students.

Some of my videos are about the USMLE—a series of exams required to obtain an American MD license.

In one video, I share my experience of failing the USMLE on my first try.

I won't dive into all the details here (you can read my failure story here or watch the video here), but I want to share an incident that happened this week in the comments section.

A viewer wrote about how difficult the exam was and asked for my advice.

Now, a little bit of background here:

My video is one of the ONLY places ON THE ENTIRE INTERNET that people feel comfortable sharing their USMLE failures.

I know that because when I looked for such a place myself, I could hardly find any.

Anyway, a commenter told this viewer that the USMLE is not difficult. This commenter added that 93% of American medical students pass it on the first try.

Now, this is the last thing that poor viewer needs to hear. That they are not smart like 93% of the medical students.

This comment made me angry—not because it was directed at me, but because it dismissed the struggles of the person who found the exam difficult.

And this is the reply that I wanted to write:

While 93% of medical students pass on their first attempt, people like me don't have the luxury of dedicating two years solely to USMLE preparation.

I took this exam IN ADDITION to my own country's medical tests (which I passed on the first try) and had only 4 WEEKS to study for it.

And as someone who speaks three languages and has passed board exams in two, (with a bit of preparation, I believe I can pass in the third) I find it hard to believe that the commenter could do the same.

On top of all that, I would rather be treated by a doctor who learned to overcome failures than a doctor who wouldn't know what to do when failing for the first time.

Well, I didn’t write that 😂.

I wrote something that will lift the spirit of the people who struggle with this test, while not insulting the immature commenter.

Very not satisfying 😀.

This brings me to today's newsletter:

Why do people distance themselves from those who fail?

Why is failure considered so toxic?

Number 106!

Main Article

I have failed many times in my life. Some failures were small, others were enormous.

But one of the things I found most difficult was that some people walked away from me when I failed.

When I was younger, it bothered me. It made me feel like an outcast.

It made me want to hide my failures from others, fearing they would distance themselves from me.

I'm not a psychologist, so I don't know why people distance themselves from those who fail. But I do know that almost everyone fails. And they all learn something along the way.

Lessons that can help others.

I'm not just talking about emotional support (although that's valuable too).

I'm talking about helping people overcome failure by providing them with tools for future success. Tools others learned the hard way.

When I studied for the USMLE, I was under impossible conditions. As I failed practice tests over and over again, I searched online for solutions.

I couldn't find any advice for people in my situation.

Not a single one!

So there I was, sitting in the dark. It was 2 AM, and everyone was asleep. I’m browsing the internet for answers. And Nothing.

I then vowed.

After I pass this #%!* test, I will help others avoid failing it.

I promised to make my failure story public, whatever the consequences may be.

And that's precisely what I did.

On YouTube, in this Newsletter, and on Social Media.

I made my failure stories as public as I could.

With over 10,000 people watching my failure story on YouTube, and a couple of thousand reading it on my newsletter, that’s a good start.

Yet, when I look for failure stories in conversations or online, I can hardly find any.

Probably because, as humans, we still perceive failure as toxic.

That should change.

Readers’ Favorite

Issue #20- My failure story: “How I Failed …and Wouldn't Change a Thing”.

Issue #28- When I was 11, one movie changed how I perceived fear: This is how I dealt with fear ever since.

Issue #47- This is what I do after every time I fail: “Turning Failure into Fuel”.

For The Soul

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

Resurfaced using Readwise.

Stuff

📱Application I use - Brain-fm

Sometimes, you need to sit down and focus. You finally find the time, you sit in front of your computer, and…

You can't get into the zone.

In situations like this, putting on my headphones and listening to music really helps me. The problem is that I often find the music itself distracting.

This is where Brain-fm comes in. For some reason, their music helps me focus—even when I'm tired.

You can try it by starting a trial on their website, or simply listen to their playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.

Epilogue

If you received this newsletter from a friend and would like to join Friday's Digest, visit https://newsletter.shaysharon.com

That’s it for this issue.

Hope for better times.

Shay