At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Dr. Subrina Jesmin this week for an exclusive interview with us. She is a Leader, Advisor, Advocate, Entrepreneur, Activist, Change Maker, Influencer and Mentor. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Dr Subrina:
We are aware of your contributions to the ecosystem; talk us through your background and your journey, please;
I have always been interested in learning new things and expanding my knowledge since I was a child. My father recognized my ability and resolved to provide me with the most outstanding education possible. He would impose discipline on my sisters and me.
I was always a good student, and it showed in my grades. Because of current social conventions and restrictions, attaining the same level of education as a male was a tremendous difficulty back then. My family, on the other hand, gave me a lot of encouragement and support to pursue higher education.
From then on, I had been mentally prepared for the fact that I would have to face challenges if I wanted to achieve something meaningful in life.”
Moreover, the support my father gave me in my childhood ultimately boosted my self-confidence to move abroad and continue with my education and professional development.
How did you discover your passion?
Seeing my father help individuals in need with whatever means he could ingrain in me the idea that we should attempt to help others as much as we can. I am passionate about it because it offers me a lot of satisfaction. It pushes me to achieve my goals because I need to be in a position where I can help others.
When I am able to provide for others in some capacity to me, it is a reflection of my own growth not just as a person but also as a professional.
While I lived in my native country of Bangladesh, I learned at a fairly early age that not everyone is born equal or gets the same rights at birth. Some people get more from life than others.”
It is the responsibility of these people to share what they have more of with those who have less. Eventually, I chose the profession of healthcare. This is one profession that allows me to help people regardless of race, gender or any other identity.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
In my life, there are countless people relying on me. They require my guidance, assistance, and support in many spheres of life. In order to be there for them, I have to be the best version of myself. At times, I face challenges that shake me to the core. However, I have never felt like giving up because of those people, my family. I am constantly reminded that I need to set a fine example for my family to follow.
I cannot disregard the setbacks I had to face along the way. In fact, those setbacks guided me in my approach to new challenges. As you may have heard many times from successful people, failure is only when you refuse to learn from something.”
In my opinion, I have not failed. Instead, whenever I came up short, it motivated me to try harder, ultimately creating the stepping stone until I could reach the position I wanted to.
Who do you believe has been the most significant source of motivation in your daily life?
It has always been my father for me. He has always inspired me to do my best since I was a child. He had a great heart and did everything he could to aid people in our town. This is where my desire to be a humanitarian was sparked.
For many people, my father was their only shelter, and he never let them down till his dying breath. I feel that I have to set the same kind of example and be a role model for my daughters. When my time comes, it will be up to my daughters to carry on the family legacy and good name. So, they need to learn early on about the values that shaped their grandfather and mother.
In life, we should set as many positive examples as we can for others to follow. This is what inspires me to get up every day. I know that as a healthcare professional, I need to maintain my composure to be in a position to help people. When times are hard in my profession, I recall memories of my father selflessly helping others with a smile on his face.
What are the business mantras you have embraced as you sought to establish your success story?
When one door closes, another door opens. I have embraced this quote. Setbacks are going to be a part of our lives no matter how much we try to run away from them.
When setbacks come, I embrace them and analyze my actions that led to the setback. I do my best to learn from them and wait for the very next opportunity to capitalize.”
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
There are quite a few, actually:
> Keeping an eye out for innovation.
> Take time to analyze the situation.
> Calming myself so that I don’t jump to conclusions.
> Approaching any problem with a positive mindset.
Please share with us, how do you motivate your clients?
In the world of healthcare, clients have varying requirements. Some people often have their entire belief system broken. In those times of need, it is the healthcare provider’s duty to remind them of the possibilities of modern healthcare. When the patient gives up before the treatment begins, chances of success become low as well. As such, I try my best to maintain steady communication with the client.
They have to know beforehand what the chances of success are for them. I do not practice giving false hope to the patients and try to communicate in a neutral manner.
You are always positive and motivated, what keeps you going?
As a hobby, I enjoy gardening. It is a great way to take my mind off things for a while. I may take this opportunity to recharge my batteries and return with newfound vigor.
When I recharge my batteries, I also get to rewind the past week. This time I used to analyze my actions and reflect on them. As such, I can tell if I made any mistakes and ultimately correct myself before the work starts.
Oftentimes, when people reflect on their past work, they can be too harsh on themselves. This leads them to have a negative mood and low confidence. It is the one thing I actively avoid when I am reflecting on my actions and decisions from the last week.”
If I cannot uplift myself, I cannot hope to give my best at work and at home. I have too many responsibilities and functions to slack off. When I look back on my past actions, I try to remain as forgiving to myself as possible.
What about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
My journey has been long, with many ups and downs. The exciting part of this long journey for me has been the opportunity to work with various talented people and learn from them. Every person I have worked with in my 26-year career has something unique, whether it was their work ethic or the dedication they have to the profession.
Oftentimes when I am stuck with a problem with research, I can recall the experience of working with other notable researchers. I ask myself what they would have done in my place to solve the problem and then get to work on it.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
There is no single factor that contributes to success. The best example of success comes from those who have never given up on their goal. Here are some keys to success:
(1) Self-love
(2) Take full responsibility for action
(3) Ability to stay calm under pressure
(4) Openness to seek advice
(5) A mindset to take on any challenge
(6) Keeping a tab on the latest technologies
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Develop patience in life. The path to prosperity and fulfilment is not simple. There will be a lot of ups and downs. There are times in life when your essential ideas and ideals are shaken. However, it would be best if you never abandoned your fundamental values since they will become your identity.
It is not an easy task to figure out precisely what you want to do with the next 20-30 years of life. At any given moment, our priorities can change. In those moments, we become unsure of ourselves. When that time comes, you must remember your core values and stick to them. Through those core values, you will be able to find the answers that you have been seeking.
Another vital thing to remember is that you should always be proud of yourself and your accomplishments rather than comparing yourself to others because you are exactly where you need to be in life for a reason.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
