In this deeply reflective and wide-ranging conversation, Dr Azhar shares what it truly means to live and work wholeheartedly — not by avoiding fear, but by repeatedly choosing growth over comfort.
From leaving medicine just before becoming a consultant, to rebuilding his identity in the pharmaceutical industry, to starting over again across England, Germany, the U.S., and finally returning home — this episode is a powerful reminder that a meaningful life is built through small, courageous decisions taken consistently over time.
In This Episode, We Explore:
• What “being wholehearted” really looks like in real life — beyond motivation and buzzwords
• Why fear of the unknown keeps so many capable people stuck
• How confidence is built through small, repeatable actions (not big leaps)
• The emotional weight of making life-and-death decisions as a medical doctor
• What it takes to walk away from a prestigious career and start again
• The hidden complexity — and purpose — behind pharmaceutical innovation
• How cultural transitions shape resilience, humility, and learning
• Why boredom can be a powerful signal that growth is needed
You’ll Walk Away With:
• A grounded understanding of how confidence is earned, not summoned
• Permission to take small steps — without needing certainty or validation
• A reframed view of career transitions as evolution, not failure
• Insight into how high performers make decisions under pressure
• A powerful metaphor for designing a career with intention — not limitation
Who Should Listen:
This episode is for you if:
• You’re quietly questioning your current path — even though it looks “successful” on paper.
• You’re wrestling with fear, boredom, or a sense that you’re capable of more — this conversation will meet you where you are.
Tune In:
Listen now to hear Dr Azhar’s remarkable journey across continents, careers, and identities — and discover what wholehearted commitment looks like when it’s lived, not preached.
Want More?
Follow Dr.Azhar:
Website: https://doktoraz.my/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doktoraz/
Subscribe to the Wholehearted Podcast for more soulful, honest conversations on growth, courage, and living with intention — even when the path isn’t obvious yet.
Time Stamps
00:00:00 — Welcome & Introducing Dr Azhar
Opening and setting the context for the conversation
00:00:27 — What Does It Mean to Live Wholeheartedly?
Wholehearted vs half-hearted living, and why commitment matters
00:01:28 — Fear of the Unknown: The Biggest Barrier
Why fear keeps capable people stuck imagining worst-case scenarios
00:02:54 — Building Confidence by Starting Small
Why confidence comes from small actions, not big leaps
(Coen’s podcast + Dr Azhar’s “3-person event” story)
00:06:52 — What People Don’t See Behind Success
The long, unseen years behind “overnight success”
(Early struggle, consistency, staying power)
00:08:55 — Early Adopters & the Law of Diffusion of Innovation
Why the first believers matter more than mass approval
00:10:31 — Leaving Home at 18: England, Education & Identity
Fear, freedom, cultural shock, and learning how to think
00:14:00 — Practicing Medicine & Life-and-Death Decisions
The emotional weight of nephrology and why medicine no longer fit
00:18:57 — Leaving Medicine & Reinventing Through Pharma
Walking away from a prestigious path, stigma, and finding meaning
(First-in-50-years drug + teaching doctors at scale)
00:28:09 — Germany, the Career Autobahn & Living Without Limits
Reinvention abroad, learning German, and the “career has no speed limit” metaphor
00:38:46 — The US Experience & Returning Home
New York, learning hunger, and the quiet moment that led him back to Malaysia
