Resetting the Bar

Coffee beans

I’m not a fan of competition. It brings out the worst in people, while trying to bring out the best. So of course I have difficulty understanding athletes using steroids or doping just to win a contest. These drugs have possible health consequences after all. For the athlete, I’m sure they believe it’s about achievement and maximized potential, but it’s driven by trying to be better than the other guy. The bar is set by another person. With that drive they are willing to do “whatever it takes.” Train more. Work harder. We as spectators encourage it and set up

Hitting Rock Bottom

Over the edge of the green precipice lays the blue ocean

I’ve been thinking on this a lot lately, as the issue has arisen in various clinical situations. We do many things as caregivers (clinicians, providers, physicians, friends and family members) in an effort to help another person. Sometime it seems that if only this person could get a little help, they’d do so much better. And that is absolutely true, some of the time. On the other hand I’m meeting many people who actively sabotage their own improvement. Maybe they do this by burning bridges with family or friends. Maybe they do this via drugs or alcohol. As this happens