better
Atul Gawande ends his most recent book, “better, A surgeon’s Notes on Performance”, with five suggestions for becoming a “Positive Deviant.”
1. Ask unscripted questions;
2. Don’t Complain;
3. Count things (i.e., keep statistics);
4. Write; and
5. Change.
Although offered as a guide for practicing physicians, I thought this list could be expanded for other professions, well, for anybody, really.
6. Read books;
7. Cook food for yourself and others;
8. Exercise;
9. Engage in some creative activity;
10. Listen to children;
Reading is a gift. And there are so many good books available. Reading exercises your imagination. With so many personal responsibilities, worries and political madness around us, reading allows a welcome retreat. Reading lets you keep learning. No one learns anything from watching American Idol. But read a book and you’ll learn what the author knows and maybe find out something new about yourself.
Cooking, and especially cooking for others, provides multi-level, deep satisfaction. I’ve covered this before but can’t stress enough the benefits.
Exercise converts into health. Exercise reduces stress, produces endorphins, burns fat and increases strength, just to name the generally accepted results.
Creating can include almost any activity. Make something, build an object, render an image, start with nothing – add yourself and your effort to end with something, enhance your home – level your house and build a new one or just paint the inside of all the closets, sew, knit, sing, play an instrument, participate in community theatre, do stand-up on open mic night, visit your local arts supply store and just wander the isles until you land on an object that catches your attention and buy it, take a class, learn to blow glass, learn how to make jewelry, collect penguins, garden, you get the idea.
Finally, hear what your children and other children are trying to tell you. They have lots of interesting ideas. Open up to the possibility that they can teach you how to live a fuller, less oppressed life. Then act more like a child.
1. Ask unscripted questions;
2. Don’t Complain;
3. Count things (i.e., keep statistics);
4. Write; and
5. Change.
Although offered as a guide for practicing physicians, I thought this list could be expanded for other professions, well, for anybody, really.
6. Read books;
7. Cook food for yourself and others;
8. Exercise;
9. Engage in some creative activity;
10. Listen to children;
Reading is a gift. And there are so many good books available. Reading exercises your imagination. With so many personal responsibilities, worries and political madness around us, reading allows a welcome retreat. Reading lets you keep learning. No one learns anything from watching American Idol. But read a book and you’ll learn what the author knows and maybe find out something new about yourself.
Cooking, and especially cooking for others, provides multi-level, deep satisfaction. I’ve covered this before but can’t stress enough the benefits.
Exercise converts into health. Exercise reduces stress, produces endorphins, burns fat and increases strength, just to name the generally accepted results.
Creating can include almost any activity. Make something, build an object, render an image, start with nothing – add yourself and your effort to end with something, enhance your home – level your house and build a new one or just paint the inside of all the closets, sew, knit, sing, play an instrument, participate in community theatre, do stand-up on open mic night, visit your local arts supply store and just wander the isles until you land on an object that catches your attention and buy it, take a class, learn to blow glass, learn how to make jewelry, collect penguins, garden, you get the idea.
Finally, hear what your children and other children are trying to tell you. They have lots of interesting ideas. Open up to the possibility that they can teach you how to live a fuller, less oppressed life. Then act more like a child.
posted by Champurrado at 2:06 PM
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