The Anatomy of Success

Book excerpt: Nothing is as unforgiving as the medical profession - a split-second delay can be fatal; a split-second decision can save a kidney, a heart or bring back a person from the dead. Doctors and surgeons chase excellence with a desperate determination - for the fundamental rule is in black and white: they either save a life or they don't. But what can the medical profession teach us about success? Is being successful all about being lucky or brilliant? Is it the preserve of the genetically privileged? Drawing from his surgical experiences - for which he holds two Guinness World Records - gynaecological endoscopic surgeon Dr Rakesh Sinha deconstructs success into simple, easy-to-grasp components which demonstrate that it is something we are all deserving of because we are biologically privileged. Over and above, he shows that no matter what we do or what our talents are, we need to chase victory with the same restless resolve as doctors do. Because, like in medicine, a life depends on whether we succeed or fail. Ours.