4th-year Harvard Med student, David Velasquez, offers life and career inspiration on how to overcome enormous personal hardship and rise to your greatest potential. Watch this video if you want to achieve giant goals, but think you can't. David reveals how anything is possible with the right mindset, plan, and determination.  

This interview was created independent of Harvard University and its oversight. The opinions of both Richard Handley and David Velasquez are their own. This discussion was created with the sole purpose of instilling hope and inspiration in those who seek to rise above difficult challenges and become the best version of themselves. We encourage your thoughts and questions in the comments section below. 

Follow David on X: @davidevelasqu

This is the story of a man who mastered the art of 'Failing Up'. This is the odyssey of Dr. Bernard Toney. The sharp sting of a bullet, the shadows of the wrong crowd - Bernard's initial steps might have seemed like missteps to the world. But let us all be reminded to never judge a book by its cover. For Dr. Toney, every stumble was a step upwards in his unparalleled journey. Afghanistan’s rough terrain served as a proving ground, where he learned the essence of failing up, and rising higher with each challenge. Young Bernard, adrift among faces that seemed to spell doom. But in the art of 'Failing Up', every setback, every wrong turn, was but a springboard to the skies. From the raw echoes of the streets to the esteemed ranks of a US Army Officer, and still further into the hallowed halls of the White House, where he would serve two presidents and their families as a White House Medical Officer, Dr. Toney’s journey wasn’t just about climbing; it was about lifting as he climbed, about turning fractured beginnings into one hell of a triumphant career. Having recently and simultaneously completed a Master’s degree in public health from the George Washington University and a Doctor of Medical Science degree from the University of Lynchburg – it would appear that he’s just getting started. As a full-time clinical researcher for the National
Institutes of Health, an Adjunct Professor of Global Health, as well as a Board Chair member of the Stepping Stones for Global Development, his wisdom, carved from decades of adversity, serves as a beacon for us all. Teaching us that in the face of failure, the decision to get back up, brush ourselves off, and move in the right direction, truly does define our destiny. Embark with us on a journey through the remarkable life of Dr. Bernard Toney - a testament to the transformative power of 'Failing Up'."