Science & Real Life

Today for most it is the end of a week, mid-way through the semester, but for me it is a culmination of a lot of hard intense work for the past 8 weeks. I completed my last lecture for an Advanced Accelerated Biology Course I have been teaching for CSU-Pueblo. It is a challenge to take 15 weeks worth of material that in Biology tends to be overwhelming for most, but condense it for these over-achieving Go-getters is not a task to be taken on by the timid. Looking back, this was probably one of the more enjoyable experiences as inspite of the rapid and intense pace, it helped to refine the raw data into a more digestible material and I saw scores rise and have discussions with people who were growing into being colleagues instead of just student skulls full of mush.

In healthcare this is also very common, we will know something for years, we may even repeat it to others, but until we internalize it and digest it, it remains the 'useless trivia of biology.' Case in point, go to any hospital and then look across the street. You will see more scrubs and booties smoking like a freight train. I am confident all of those people being in health care they 'believe' the risks and harmful effects of smoking. Heck, they probably just got done doing a lung transplant, and can't get their booties off in order to get across the street to light up.

The point is that I'm not impressed with what you believe or feel should be true, I want to know what you know, have internalized and live on a daily basis. It comes down to the old story of 'Ham & Eggs' The Chicken is involved, but the Pig is committed. I recently ran across a great video which you can find on Youtube, is '212 one degree...' It shows how going that one step further in dedication is like going from 211 degrees and being water, and going that one degree higher and being steam and how much more powerful

I'd encourage you to take the time to make a list of the core values and lessons that shape and dictate your life. Then ask a couple friends to answer what do they think your core values are, and you may be shocked to see the difference in these two lists. One is what you think, or have some knowledge of and this what you talk about, but what you know and live by you preach by the actions you take. Live your life out loud, by the core values you live by and the person you are striving to be.

Until next time...