“Supposed to be a doctor, I know that kinda shocked ya,
“Put my hand in the jar, cause I thought I’d go far
“Parents said, such a shame when I tried to explain,
“So now they think I’m just insane…in the brain.”
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The year: 2002
The year is 2002 and Lil Jamil was not so little. A man at this point, a full-fledged adult, ready to get into the world at large.
From that first grocery run from Mr. Ashley, Lil Jamil and Rhi-Rhi had been on a path towards success, using the money made from their own working lives to help support their parents and their family.
It put Lil Jamil on a realization path – he loved looking for opportunities that could add value to a person’s life and helping them to solve their problems.
Helping to solve the problems of his family, his neighbors, and anyone else was a goal he had come to enjoy and strive for.
That’s why, when the expectations of his Mama and Papa came around, the young man knew what he had to do. His options were small: doctor, lawyer, or engineer.
Lil Jamil decided on doctor.
What better opportunity to help people solve their problems than literally saving their lives?
So Jamil entered med school, hoping to become Dr. Jamil and use the physiology degree he had recently gotten.
Considering to work in healthcare, and as a doctor in particular, is not for the faint of heart; there’s a certain level of detachment that must be achieved, not to mention the daily exposure to the different parts of the human body.
Knowing anatomy in a theoretical sense is different than the practical sense, ie – seeing a diagram is different from seeing an actual body.
This doesn’t begin to cover the study, the discipline, and the overwhelming stress that comes from the profession. This fact is something that starts on day one of medical school.
Future Dr. Jamil was inundated with worries – how was he supposed to study for all of these classes and tests by the next morning?
How was he supposed to do this for the next several days? The next several weeks? The following years it would take to fully enter into the profession?
It was too much.
This was too much.
“I can’t do this!” Jamil exclaimed, speaking to his parents over dinner one night. “I don’t want to be a doctor.”
“What?” Papa chuckled, unsure if he was clearly hearing what he was. “You’re just tired. That’s what happens in med school, you just need to rest over the weekend and then back into it.”
“I can’t though!” the young man insisted. “I don’t even like the sight of blood! And there is so! Much! Blood! Did you know we have nearly 1.5 gallons of blood in our bodies!?”
“Listen to you,” Mama cooed. “You’re already learning so much! Why would you want to quit?”
“Mom, are you listening to me?!”
“Alright,” Papa said, his voice strong and authoritative. “Let’s say you don’t become a doctor. What exactly would you do instead?”
And that was the million-dollar question. Jamil didn’t know, but he knew his path wasn’t being a doctor.
“What about being a lawyer?” asked Mama. “Or an engineer?”
Jamil shook his head. None of those sounded right either. “Maybe…” he began, his mind swirling and contemplative over what he should do.
“Maybe I could do something like my own business,” he replied, slowly, the thought forming in his mind. “Yeah. I could be an entrepreneur and help people through my business.”
Both Mama and Papa looked at him.
“That…that sounds like a good idea, right?”
Still they glared, disappointment clear in their eyes and face. “A businessman?” asked Papa. “You would rather do that instead of being a doctor?”
“Dad, I only want to be a physician cause of the money,” Jamil defended. “That’s not exactly the right reason to be a doctor.”
“You can help people by saving their lives,” Mama insisted. “That is how you will help people.”
Jamil shook his head adamantly. “I’m not going to do this,” he said. “I’m sorry, but that’s just not where my life is leading me.”
Nothing else was said for the rest of dinner.
The night Big Jamil decided to forgo the occupation of medical doctor was the first step in being the big poppa of wholesaling.
But we’ll get to that.
For now, just know that Jamil is on a new path – one that will change his life and the lives of others…