Fail It Till You Make It: From Rejection to Redemption - A Physician's Journey

“Dr. Mel Ona's story is a powerful reminder that failure is not the end, but the pathway to reinvention. Fail It Till You Make It inspires anyone facing setbacks to embrace resilience and rediscover their true passions.”
—Skip La Cour, #1 Authority Helping Older Men Get Healthy and Fit, 6-Time National Champion Drug-Free Bodybuilder

“Dr. Mel Ona shows us that failure is not the end, but rather part of the process. Hard work and perseverance are essential to any great achievement—and this book is a reminder we all can use.”
—Russell Parvin, MD, Chief of Gastroenterology, Saint Mary's Hospital, CT

How do you keep going when you face rejection, burnout, or the painful feeling that you no longer recognize the person in the mirror?

In Fail It Till You Make It, physician, musician, entrepreneur, and creative polymath Dr. Mel Ona shares a deeply vulnerable and transformative journey from collapse to reinvention. Once rejected from medical school, he went on to earn three graduate degrees, become a board-certified gastroenterologist, and rise as a nationally recognized medical innovator—establishing the first office-based endoscopy suite in west O‘ahu, Hawaii, and becoming the first GI physician in Hawai‘i to use AI for polyp detection.

His story reminds us that failure is not a verdict—it is a doorway.

Through raw storytelling and practical insight, Dr. Ona reveals how anyone can rebuild a life filled with purpose, passion, and joy.

• Break free from burnout and emotional exhaustion

• Transform rejection into resilience

• Reclaim neglected or long-forgotten passions

• Build confidence after failure

• Heal emotionally while still pursuing excellence

• Rediscover purpose beyond your job title

• Create a life where success and joy can coexist

• Embrace a mindset that welcomes growth—through failure

Fail It Till You Make It is the essential guide for anyone who feels stuck, overwhelmed, or ready for a deeper sense of meaning. You don’t need permission to change your life. You don’t have to pretend you’re fine. You don’t have to hide behind your accomplishments.

You can rise—stronger, clearer, and more alive than ever.