Dr. Miriam Zylberglait chatted about her book “The 3G Cycle of Life: The Secrets for Achieving Joy, Meaning, and Well-Being.”
She also opened up about being an author in the digital age, at a time when social media, streaming, and technology are so prevalent.
Background on Dr. Miriam Zylberglait
Dr. Zylberglait is a triple Board-Certified physician in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Obesity Medicine with extensive clinical and academic experience.
Her main interests include overall well-being, burnout, mental health, and leadership development. Dr. Zylberglait has received numerous awards, including “Mentor of the Year” (AMWA 2021) and American College of Physicians’ “Young Achiever” (2017).
She resides in the greater Miami area with her husband and two sons. Her dream is to help others fill their lives with joy, meaning, and well-being.
What inspired you to become a doctor in Peru, and what motivated you to transition your career to the USA?
To be honest, I never wanted to be a doctor. My dream was to help people, and I planned to do it as a psychologist. I was absolutely terrified by blood, and even today I fear needles. My best friend from childhood convinced me to be a psychiatrist instead of a psychologist so we can go together to the University.
I did not know what I said yes to, at that time, but it was the best decision ever. Interestingly, even though I never became a psychiatrist, I have always been involving the emotional, cultural, and social aspects of life in my medical practice. You can separate the body from the heart.
I never planned to come to the US. This was another surprise that life had prepared for me. I met my husband who was living in the US, and after dating for one year, we decided to get married.
That meant that I had to leave my parents, my 10 years of career, my job, and my friends. I came for vacation and did not know how much my life would change after that. I had to start from zero again, but it was worth it. Life is full of opportunities if you pay close attention and embrace change.
Your book has helped so many readers already. What does the 3G cycle represent and how can it be applied to real-life situations?
The 3G shows a new paradigm of life, where instead of living in a linear way, we do it in the form of continuous cycles. Imagine a video game. You enter the first level, you start trying to run and jump through it, collecting coins and special powers.
Sometimes you can finish it at the first attempt, but many times our character “dies” in the game, yet has many more opportunities to come back, and keep playing, keep learning, until finally it is able to go to the next level.
The same is true with life; from learning how to walk, or drive a car, to selecting “prince charming”, or being successful in a business, we can most of the time, try again, develop new skills, and go for it.
The 3G represents the 3 basic components of the cycle: GOAL – what do we want? What are we expected to do? What do we dream about? Setting clear goals, and realistic expectations is fundamental to achieving success. GRIT – our internal fuel, our motivation, and perseverance. It allows us to keep going no matter what.
Grit is stronger when our goal is connected to a purpose or a mission; when it has a real meaning for us. Finally, GROWTH – we may not always be able to achieve our goal at the first attempt.
We may change our minds during the process. I changed careers, and even my place to live. Things that were important when we were 18, are not interesting anymore when we are in our 40s.
Sometimes we just don’t get what we want, as simple, and frustrating as that can be! Yet, if we are open to learning, developing new skills, and looking for opportunities instead of feeling like victims, we will be growing, even during adversity.
Did you learn anything yourself while progressing through the writing process?
I learned everything!!! This book changed my life forever. It was almost psychotherapy. The introspective process was so valuable. There is no growth without self-awareness, and it can be a very painful process, yet it is necessary, indeed it is the first step for healing.
I was very fortunate to have amazing support from all the experts that I interviewed for the book. They not only shared their stories of courage and growth, but they also coached me and inspired me. Many became friends and even family to me, even though I never met them before, and I never saw them in real life.
How does it feel to be an author in the digital age now with technology being so prevalent?
Very interesting question. Let’s clarify, I did not involve AI in the process!
I am an old-fashioned person with a millennial mind. I love technology when it is used in favor of our community, our students, and our patients. It allows us to be more efficient, to spread information faster, and reach the entire world.
I interviewed people from four different countries and interacted with amazing individuals whom I could have never met before. It is amazing how many opportunities we have to spread positive messages and create a ripple effect using the new technology.
We hear you have a unique superpower. Can you tell us about it?
Ha! I decided to remove my superhero costume when I started writing my book. I am a normal person, perfectly imperfect. With ups and downs. With “goods and bads”. My real superpower is that I don’t have one. I am human and vulnerable. And being vulnerable, imperfect, and loyal to myself, allows me to be more compassionate, more approachable, and a person that anyone else could identify with.
All these role models that we have been following all our lives with perfect smiles, sexy bodies, lots of money, happy and perfect all the time, have destroyed our collective autosome.
We have been running after impossible expectations, that at the same time don’t necessarily represent real success or well-being. We need to start embracing who we are, and then we will be able to embrace those around us.
