By Dr Victor SL Tan
Last year, I went through one of the most painful seasons of my life.
It began as severe lower back pain that travelled from my hip all the way down to my right calf. The pain was excruciating. I was eventually admitted to Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur, where an MRI confirmed that I had a slipped disc with a herniated disc.
Medication did not help. Even doubling the dosage brought no relief.
Physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, and acupuncture followed — yet nothing worked.
I felt helpless.
Then one day, in desperation, I prayed for a solution.
And quietly, clearly, the answer came: Start moving. Do your own stretches. Walk — even if it’s only a few steps.
So I began.
First, just a few steps.
Then tens.
Then hundreds.
Eventually, thousands.
I walked slowly. I rested when the pain became unbearable. I repeated this daily — patiently, consistently, faithfully.
Progress was painfully slow at first. But it was progress.
Then came my birthday — 2nd February 2026.
That day, I walked 20,000 steps in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
I took it as my best birthday present ever — and my personal proof to my family and loved ones that I had fully recovered.
That was the moment I realised:
This slipped disc was truly a blessing in disguise.
🌱 Lessons Learnt
Here are the powerful lessons this journey taught me:
1. Healing is a partnership between faith and action
Prayer opened the door — but walking through it required discipline, effort, and consistency.
I learnt that faith alone is not passive. Faith must be activated through action.
Beyond my doctor’s advice, I knew I had to take full responsibility for my recovery. Every painful step became a silent prayer. Every stretch became an act of obedience. Healing did not come instantly — it came progressively.
2. Start small, but start
You don’t need dramatic breakthroughs. Sometimes healing begins with just a few steps.
In the beginning, even standing felt unbearable. But I reminded myself: progress does not require perfection — it requires movement. A few steps today are better than none.
There is a Japanese philosophy called Kaizen, which means continuous improvement through small, consistent actions. That became my reality. Those tiny beginnings eventually led to 20,000 steps.
3. Consistency beats intensity
It wasn’t heroic workouts that healed me — it was daily, humble persistence.
I didn’t do anything extraordinary. I simply showed up every day.
Research consistently shows that moderate daily movement is more effective for recovery than sporadic intense exercise. What changed my condition was not strength — it was discipline.
Some days were discouraging. Some days I felt stuck. But consistency quietly compounds.
Just like money grows through compound interest, healing grows through repeated small efforts.
4. Your body is designed to recover — if you cooperate with it
Movement, patience, and listening to your body matter more than we realise.
Our bodies are incredibly resilient. Medical studies show that many slipped disc cases improve naturally within weeks or months when supported by gentle movement and lifestyle adjustments.
I learnt to respect pain signals, to rest when needed, and to push gently when able. Recovery is not about fighting your body — it is about partnering with it.
The body wants to heal. We simply need to give it the right conditions.
5. Pain can become your greatest teacher
This experience taught me gratitude, humility, empathy, and resilience.
Pain slowed me down. And in slowing down, I learnt.
I became more grateful for simple things — walking, standing, even sleeping without discomfort. I also developed deeper empathy for people living with chronic pain.
Someone once said, “Pain introduces you to yourself.”
That was true for me. It stripped away pride and reminded me how fragile — yet how strong — we really are.
6. Don’t outsource your recovery completely
Doctors and therapists help — but personal ownership makes the real difference.
Healthcare professionals played an important role. But ultimately, recovery became my responsibility.
No one could walk those steps for me.
No one could stretch on my behalf.
I realised that while external help is valuable, internal commitment is essential. Healing accelerates when we stop being passive patients and start becoming active participants.
7. I finally learned to prioritise exercise and my health
This episode taught me one of life’s most important lessons: health is not optional — it is foundational.
Like many professionals, I used to prioritise work, deadlines, and responsibilities over exercise. Health was often postponed for “later.” This slipped disc forced me to rethink everything.
Now, movement is no longer negotiable. Daily walking and stretching have become part of my lifestyle, not just a recovery routine. I realised that no success, no achievement, and no amount of productivity matters if we lose our mobility and wellbeing.
This experience reshaped my priorities. I now intentionally invest time in exercise, rest, and self-care — because without health, everything else becomes secondary.
8. What feels like a setback may be a setup
What I thought was a tragedy became a turning point for my health, mindset, and faith.
This slipped disc forced me to slow down, it rebuilds my discipline, and re-prioritises my health. It compels me to translate faith into action to get the desired results. Hope is not a strategy and “faith without works is dead”.
It reminded me that life is fragile and movement is a privilege.
Today, I stretch daily. I walk intentionally. I treasure mobility.
What I once saw as suffering became transformation.
My slipped disc was the best thing that happened to me in 2025. It increases my Adversity Quotient for survival and fitness.
Dr Victor SL Tan is the Chief Executive Officer of KL Strategic Change Consulting Group. He is an author 21 books including Changing Mindsets, Releasing Trapped Minds, Changing Your Corporate Culture and Lessons of Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow (the late founder of Public Bank Berhad). KL Strategic Change Consulting Group is the winner of The Brandlaureate Award for the company that makes the most positive and profitable impact on organisations through corporate training. For a free assessment of your team’s Adversity Quotient email him at victorsltan@klscc.com or contact him at 0123903168
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