Long Range Goal: My Own Business before 35!

So...I donated the whole weekend and this gorgeous sunny perfect beach Sunday to...crashing my first professional seminar! *how exciting*

How ignorant was I! Basically like lawyers, doctors and pharmacists, it only just hit me that I'll be having to do continuing education for the rest of my practising career!!! And if I do end up practising the likelihood is...Bye, Bye Saturdays!

So anyway, although the seminar was...advanced, it was really good just....to refocus...visualise... and remember my long term aspirations. Having so many interests etc, it's easy to often get distracted and allow yourself to get pulled in all different directions scattering your energies.

Furthermore, when the going gets tough(which it often does) or you remember all the things (especially lifestyle) you sacrifice to be a full time student at this age, it's easy to just wanna say "too hard" and go for...easier alternatives.

Anyway I realised within my future career there are several real possibilities for me- all quite different....
1. practitioner
2. health writer
3. medical researcher
4. academia and teaching

and some more novelty possibilities...
*i could go lateral and learn other alternative therapies or even just western herbs and become a eastern/western herbs expert
*I could partially live out my exciting world of 007 fantasy and be an illegal drug buster by working in airport customs etc by helping identify herbs...actually it sounds more exciting than it probably would be on the average day :P

in the end it also depends whether I choose to do one or both modalities and if there is a particular field of medicine I will specialise in and build my reputation on.

So far my passion is still herbs but the money making aspect will require me to love acupuncture too...I also love writing- so I wouldn't mind being a freelance writer for different health publications...

But then I also love breaking new ground with new ideas and new discoveries...so perhaps break-through medical research in herbs?! (but I don't think I'd enjoy writing formal theses or research papers)

Or maybe I'd be better in helping the set up or administration of a herbal research centre or forecasted integrated hospital...LOL so ambitious haven't even graduated and thinking of top dog jobs that don't even exist yet already?!! haha...

Hmmm....so many possibilities- I'm excited! I think I need a goal focused photo to stick on my wall or something to help keep me steadily on track...cos knowing my impulsive nature I could also do a 180 degree turnaround overnight and drop everything if I have some amazing lighthouse moment...

In any case I cannot know the future, the past is irrelevant and all that matters is the present. And for now that means I need to keep kicking myself in the butt to study hard and stay healthy so I can actually do that!