Day 28

"Like politics, all medicine is local. Medicine requires the successful function of systems - of people and of technologies. Among our most profound difficulties is making them work together. If I want to give my patients the best care possible, not only must I do a good job, but a whole collection of diverse components must somehow mesh effectively" - Atul Gawande

Healthcare represents a culmination of efforts from physicians, nurses, administrators, and an entire team of dedicated people that provide a certain quality of care. A system is made up of parts that work together, and the healthcare system is no different. Atul Gawande has been able to illustrate how healthcare functions optimally through precise and descriptive examples. Providing the best quality of care to patients cannot be accomplished alone; it is a group effort. What Gawande later explains in his speech to the Stanford University School of Medicine's graduating class is that the world of medicine is vast and thus it is impossible to know everything about it. Employing the help of other experts in the field allows us to provide truly patient-centered care. We are moving toward accountable care organizations, and this is just another example of that.

From a happiness perspective, I find it fascinating to be able to solve problems. Working with other people gives us a sense of belonging and camaraderie and allows us to face challenges more easily.

Day 27

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race" - Calvin Coolidge


Never give up! How many times have you heard someone say, "He (or she) has so much potential, but they just don't have the drive". Who wants to be that person? It's like throwing away a talent or a skill when you don't apply yourself!

Day 26

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone"

Are you going to continue doing the same things that make you unhappy or are you going to take a risk and do what you've always wanted? That's when you can start living your life!

Day 25

"It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" - J.K. Rowling

When I think about how many people in high-level positions make dumb decisions, I find it ridiculous. Many of them reached the top of their classes, attended Ivy League Schools, scored top notch internships and  were able to network and work their ways to the top of their field(s). A few years go by, and we hear how they cheated on their wife with a stripper, sent inappropriate picture messages to their Twitter, beat up their mistress' husband outside of his their house, etc....

When it comes down to it, it doesn't matter what amazing work they performed at their company or their superb credentials, they will be remembered for that one dumb choice they made. 

So basically, when you think people aren't watching you, they are. Also, it doesn't matter how hard you've worked to land your awesome position, it takes one wrong decision to ruin your career or life. It's kind of scary, and I used really dramatic examples, but it reminds me to always make morally correct choices.

Day 24

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love” - Sophocles

It seems like life is so much more carefree and light when we are in loving moods. Every moment of life is more vivid, more beautiful, and the difficult moments are not as difficult. We don't always have to be madly in love, but we should always love ourselves and have a loving attitude toward others to experience this. 

Day 23

"The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be" – Marcel Pagnol

Having studied how and why people make decisions, it was always interesting to explain our behavior. One of the most interesting things I learned was how our behavior is influenced by time. We have biases towards the past and future. Various studies have shown that people view the past through rose-colored glasses, remembering the nostalgic "back in the day" moments as positive and wonderful. An example of this is when we hear people say "you never regret something that you did, you always regret something you don't do". This probably has a lot to do with the fact that we view those memories with a slight optimistic bias.

On the other hand, the future may be perceived as uncertain and frightening. I always think it's good to keep these facts of human behavior in mind and make tons and tons of decision trees to properly weigh possibilities. Just kidding, but not completely!

Day 22

"We have to teach ourselves how to live, really live... to love the journey, not the destination" - Anna Quindlen

I have to stop saving up all my good moments and looking forward to special occasions because when I do that, I'm missing out on living for today!