Discovering the profound dissonance between their values and those expressed, overtly or covertly, by their workplace is a common theme with many of my physician clients. Initially, they may experience a degree of relief at recognizing that this conflict underlies much of the frustration, anger, anxiety and even sadness that they are experiencing with their […]
Misalignment of Values: The Canary in the Mine Read More »
“The only true voyage would be not to travel through a hundred different lands with the same pair of eyes, but to see the same land through a hundred different pairs of eyes.” Marcel Proust Entrepreneur, investor and author, Tim Ferris, opens his fascinating book Tribe of Mentors with the quote above. Turning 40 and feeling at
Building Your Tribe Read More »
“We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness.” Albert Schweitzer We focus a great deal on “hard skills” in medicine-medical knowledge, clinical skills and competency, surgical expertise. Yet, it is often the “soft skills” that grease the wheels of our life and work. One of our most powerful soft skills
Healing the Hole of Loneliness in Medicine Read More »
“It seemed to be a necessary ritual that he should prepare himself for sleep by meditating under the solemnity of the night sky… a mysterious transaction between the infinity of the soul and the infinity of the universe.” ~ Victor Hugo Rituals, both religious and secular have been part of human cultures the world over,
Changing Routine to Ritual Read More »
Have you thought about this question? At some point in our careers some form of this question will probably arise. Ideally, it would be something that we might reflect upon before we are in crisis. For years, we as physicians are focused on acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to practice our profession. Skills that
Physicians: Are you designing your career or is it designing you? Read More »
When Ross Bentley, a retired Indy car driver and world-renowned car racing coach discovered the work of Carol Dweck, an eminent Stanford psychologist, who has spent years studying human motivation, he was elated to find her research confirmed what he had discerned in his years of coaching race car drivers. Dr. Dweck has determined that
Imagine designing your own compass, where you replace the cardinal directions with a word, a person or a phrase that illustrates the “direction” that you plan to use as your heading for that day. How often do we begin each day without having made these conscious choices about how we are going to approach the
How To Set A Powerful Heading On Your Daily Compass Read More »
Listening to and acknowledging the stories that patients narrate represents an intrinsic part of the interaction between doctor and patient. Telling their story allows a patient “to be heard’-“to be seen”. When a patient reveals their story a moment of trust, vulnerability and connection has been created. Through these stories an opportunity has arisen to
Physician: Know Your Own Story Read More »
At the end of a long day seeing patients, taking care of consults, running an office, working the EMR, it might seem facetious to ask yourself “ How much joy did I experience today?” However, if the answer is none, and if the answer is the same for the next day and the day after,
Physicians: Never Give Up on Joy Read More »
