22 November 2008

Better




Where do I fall under the bell curve?
If I knew I ranked average, would I throw in the towel?
Probably not. I would strive to be better.
I asked myself this throughout orientation: "How can I do it better the next
time?"
Thought I'd stop asking that at some point. I haven't yet.

Aiming to be a positive deviant by following Gawande's suggestions:

1. Ask an unscripted question.
2. Don't complain.
3. Count something.
4. Write something.
5. Change.

-Atul Gawande, Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance (2007)
I promise I will Apgar something for my P(ile)h(igh)D(eep).

Put the funds on performance, he writes.
Implement "evidence-based practice."
Agreed.

1 comment:

ShockingSchadenfreude said...

In any "repeatable" environment (this includes chess, cooking, trading or violin playing), striving to be better is the strategy because your goal is to get to a point where you can keep improving continuously.

There's generally a wall which seems insurmountable but once you jump over it, you will make continuous progress.

And on that philosophical note, I present one of my favorite comic strips:

Piled Higher & Deeper.