Here’s what we got for y’all this week:
Book: Mind Gym by Gary Mack
Ben’s Everest Summit
Articles to Ponder
YouTube Fishing Videos
Book: Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence
All great athletes know the feeling. They use different words to describe it. They’re on autopilot; they’re tuned in; in total control; in the groove; locked in.
Can you think of a time when you have been things are just going your way and you seem to be in the ‘zone?’
Where you are doing everything right and without hesitation or difficulty?
One ‘white moment’ of mine, that I vividly remember and that I replay over and over in my head, happened when I was a senior in college playing football at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN.
The week prior to this particular game was probably one of the worst weeks of my life. My mother had just passed away from her 7 year battle with breast cancer. Having been gone for a week and missing games and practices, I didn’t know what to expect or how my life was going to change, but I knew that I had to get back into the swing of college/sports life so as to get my mind off her death.
We were playing at Centre College in Danville, KY. I was the starting middle linebacker, but because I had missed the week prior, my coaches didn’t feel that I was ready to start that game. Well, if you know me, you know that I was pissed off. They were basically punishing me because I missed the week due to my mother’s funeral.
So, for the entire first quarter, I stood right next to our defensive coordinator, which was our head coach, and I pestered the crap out of him. Telling him to put me in, constantly, talking to him, sometimes running out on the field, just to have him tell me to get out.
And, finally, in the second quarter, he listened. I was ready to take out my aggression, my sadness, my anger - well, every emotion I could muster - on the other team.
All I can tell you is this - I was in the ‘zone’….The ‘white moment’ because not only did I lead the team in tackles, I had an interception, a blocked punt, a blocked field goal, and two sacks on the QB. I was named National Defensive Player of the Week for all Div III football and I was the Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
I was in the zone that game. Nothing could hurt me. No one could stop me. Everything just seemed to go my way. The zone - yes - I have been in the zone - and it is an awesome feeling when you are trusting your training and letting it work for you.
As physicians, have you been in the zone in medicine or during surgery? All diagnoses or surgeries are just going as smoothly as they should without much thinking - you are just getting it done.
The Japanese word Mushin means - ‘No Mind’. It is when a person relies not on what they think should be the next move, but what is their trained natural reaction (or instinct) or what is felt intuitively.
Do you allow your training to take over sometimes? I know that I do sometimes in the ER when undifferentiated patients come in comatose with no history from EMS, family, or bystanders. You have to have “No Mind” and just allow all your hard work to instinctively guide you and treat the patient to the best of your medical ability.
Living in those ‘white’ moments doesn’t happen all the time. But, when they do, you just know it, feel it, and the rush of dopamine you get from it - well, its hard to forget what that feels like.
When you’re in the zone, you have switched from a training mode to a trusting mode. You’re not fighting yourself. You’re not afraid of anything. You’re living in the moment in a certain place and time….[You] experience time distortion. Everything seems to slow down.
Reel Docx FB Posts Coming in Hot
Check out other Reel Docx posts here in the FB group!!
Every week more and more doctors from all different specialties and disciplines are sharing their wins on the water. Join other Reel Docx - and share your wins with the group!!
Here is a list of guides and lodges by state that we were putting together on the Reel Docx FB Page
Reel Docx Pics:
Wild Med - Live | Learn | Explore
Check out other Wild Med posts here in the FB group!!
Check out Ben’s Blog about his Everest Trip
EVEREST SUMMIT
Check out New and Upcoming Trips at Wild Med Adventures
I have been on the Montana Fly Fishing trip 3 years. Check out this article here:
I have made more connections and had more fun on these trips than I have ever had at large national conference.
If you want to be more than a number at a large conference; if you want to create life-long relationships; if you enjoy the outdoors; if you need CME - then I encourage you to sign up for a trip.
Connect with Healthcare Professionals who share your same passions
Take your next Wild Med Adventures - Wild Med Adventure Calendar
Every week more and more doctors from all different specialties and disciplines are sharing their adventures. Join other doctors - and share your adventures with the group!!
FLIP THE SCRIPT ON BURNOUT
There are a lot of articles being published about physician burnout, moral injury, work-life balance, work engagement, and work-life integration.
The purpose of the Outdoor Rounds Newsletter is to keep that discussion going by focusing on actionable steps that we, as healthcare professionals, can take to maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit that enables us to show up for our patients, families, and, most importantly, OURSELVES.
Articles:
What if wellness experts spared overworked physicians from their next PowerPoint presentation and instead asked them to come up with their own language to capture their experiences and feelings?
Jay Baruch, MD
YouTube Fishing Videos
Red Snapper Fishing
Red Snapper season is upon us here in FL. Make sure that you have the right equipment before you get out there so in case FWC pays you a visit.
Non stainless and non offset circle hooks (size 6/0-8/0)
Check out RETURN 'EM RIGHT. This organization gives you free gear when you complete their online training videos. I found the videos to be quite informative on how to release these fish safely back to the ocean floor.
Check out these 2 videos catching red snapper. Enjoy!!!
For the Fly Fisherman in the Group:
For the Bass Fisherman in the Group:
Start Your Heroic Journey
I want to share this with you because it is my mission with Outdoor Rounds to encourage each and every one of you to take a time out for yourselves away from medicine and release your worries, relax your minds, and recharge your souls.
Medicine is a grind - listening to people’s problems all day long and dealing with all of the other administrative headaches takes a toll on the entire doctor - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I wouldn’t share this with you if I didn’t think that Heroic could change your life in the areas of energy, work, and love and give you the ability to flip the script on burnout and enable your to live the heroic lives as doctors that you are meant to live.
I’m committed to living a life filled with meaning and being my best in service to my family, friends, and patients.
If you want to learn more about how to optimize your life in the areas of energy, work, and love and you need a program to guide you on that path, then I highly recommend that you check out what Brian Johnson is building at Heroic.
Think of Heroic as a modern day Plato’s Academy that distills more wisdom in less time focusing on the heroic virtues of courage, wisdom, hope, love, zest etc.
Brian’s lessons and notes are thorough and thought provoking and give you a baseline from which you can build your own daily routines and habits that will help you to optimize your life.
I have been working through the coaching program over the past 5 months, and I can say, hands down, that this is the best program out there if you want to transform your life and the life of those around you.
If you are interested in learning how to create better habits in order to flip the script on burnout and optimize your energy so that you can show up better at work for your patients and at home for your family, then I highly recommend that you check out Heroic.
If you want to learn more about the Coach program, then click here.
For a 30-Day Free Trial of the Premium version, which will give you access to the entire platform, then click here.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
SWAG Store:
Check out the SWAG - Release, Relax, and Recharge with the new designs for 2023.
Thank you for reading Outdoor Rounds.
If Anyone is interested in contributing to the Newsletter - please email me at reeldocx@gmail.com. I would love to feature you all in the newsletter and on the blog.
Please share with your colleagues whom you think would enjoy reading this.
Affiliate Disclaimer Policy: Some of these links are affiliate links, some through Amazon Associates and other websites, which means I may get a commission, as an associate, if you purchase through one of these links. However, none of the prices for these resources have been increased to compensate me and there is no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I would use or have used myself and all opinions expressed here are our own.