Being self-sufficient in everyday life leads to self-confidence and self-esteem. Occupational therapists provide a pathway to self-sufficiency by teaching mentally or physically challenged people new skills or how to modify old ones to compensate for lost abilities. The job of an “O-T” involves teaching and motivating patients to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. It is a job that requires strong analytical skills and creativity in developing innovative and effective treatments for a variety of challenges. One of the most rewarding aspects of this career is the chance to work with people, to help make a difference in their lives. To be successful in this profession, you should be caring, supportive, and enthusiastic about working closely with people in need, since you’ll be getting in-volved in many different aspects of your patients’ lives, helping them get well, live well, and stay well. Occupational therapy can be emotionally and physically demanding, but helping patients enrich the quality of their lives and achieve self-sufficiency can be an immeasurably rewarding experience.