In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we talk about the ways in which high-pressure, high-intensity environments lead us into suffering contests that undermine our mental and physical health. My guest this week, Gary Simonds, is a retired neurosurgeon who shares the ups and downs of his educational and career journey. We also explore practices we can all use to increase our self-compassion, self-care and overall sense of empowerment. About My GuestGary is a highly experienced neurosurgeon, former head of an academic neurosurgery program at Virginia Tech/Carilion Clinic. He is a Professor, and teaches regularly at, the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.Gary was a biochemistry major at Dartmouth College. He went on to medical school at Rutgers and Neurosurgery residency and medical research fellowship at Walter Reed. He also holds a master’s degree in Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth.Gary has written and spoken widely on the subjects of neuroscience, medical school admissions, humanism, medical socioeconomics, medical ethics, burnout, personal wellness, spirituality, death and dying, and the interface between science and religion. Known for his compassion and sense of humor, he also writes fiction and is an accomplished and entertaining storyteller.Born in New Jersey, Gary has lived in New Jersey; England; Washington D.C.; Denver; Danville, Pennsylvania; and Roanoke, Virginia. He currently lives in the beautiful town of Black Mountain, North Carolina. ~Connect with Gary:Website: https://garyrsimonds.com~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://www.kimmeninger.com/Learn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://www.kimmeninger.com/coachingJoin the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-sessionConnect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/Website:https://kimmeninger.com