INSIDE OUTWhen I asked why he had given up such a promising career,
he shrugged. "Promising? Sure. I was good, and I knew it, but I
was burned out."
"At your age?"
"That's right. I identified with every patient. I became involved
with each one. I was too empathic, too sympathetic, too concerned
with their lives. I got to know them, to understand them and feel
for them, and if something went wrong I was devastated."
He shook his head. "I just couldn't stand it. No matter how
exciting the challenge and work, I had to get out. Look, you
don't get that involved with a patient when you're doing hand
surgery."
In his case too much empathy, too much sensitivity, had de-
stroyed his ability to send out an authoritative, confident subtext.
He couldn't cut back on his empathy, so he changed his work.