Reflections of 2017 — We’re Only A Millimeter Away from Success in Public Health
2017 was an interesting, and remarkable year, to say the least. I have no doubt each of you will read your share of best and worst stories of 2017. Before writing this, I did a quick Google search of top stories in healthcare, health, and public health, and as expected, my recollection of this year’s top news stories were completely different, which I’ve listed below.
One of the best decisions I made this year was to incorporate Medium into my daily routine. Every morning, I read a handful of thought-provoking articles to jump start my brain. If you haven’t read any articles on Medium, please do. It’s a curated source of original content from our country’s thought leaders on various topics such as entrepreneurship, healthcare, technology, culture, media, productivity, and design, among others. Learning from thought leaders in sectors outside of public health and healthcare continually challenges me to view the world from an unfamiliar lens — and it’s made all the difference in my personal and professional growth.
Tim Denning is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur.com and several publications on Medium. A recent article he wrote, “11 Ideas that will Rewire your Brain,” caused me to stop, reflect, and later inspired this year end post. His first idea was quite impactful:
You’re only a millimeter away from success
While attending a seminar, I heard a fascinating idea; according to a well-known cosmetic surgeon, the difference between you being butt ugly and a super model is a millimeter in a few spots of your face. That’s it!
Tiger Woods also explains that the difference between getting the ball close to the hole on the first shot, and hitting the ball in the water, is a millimeter either side of your swing.
There are times when you might think you are a million miles away from your desired goal. Remember next time that this is false, and you are only a millimeter away from success.
While I could spend thousands of words describing how frustrated, angry, and drained I was throughout the year, my optimism remains unshaken for what we can still achieve. And my optimism, inspiration, and motivation comes from thought leaders like Tim, Steve Downs, Naveen Rao, and Jordan Shlain, among so many others. It comes from social entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders in North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and all the various places I visited this past year. Lastly, my optimism is fueled by the passionate, compassionate, and proud residents of communities across the country who volunteer their time to make their communities a better place. Their empathy and altruism is why I love this country so much — and it’s the very reason I won’t waste my time complaining about our country’s struggles. For those aforementioned reasons, I’m excited about 2018 and beyond because we have a lot of work to do. But remember, nothing ever worth doing comes easy.
My Top 17 of ‘17
Innovation
Lyft and Uber step in to assist healthcare
Dear Silicon Valley, It Pays to Care About Public Health
Food as Medicine — 5 Good Ideas
Prescriptions for Fresh Produce
Application (Best Practices)
Kansas City Physician Takes on Community Health at the YMCA
Stamford, Connecticut Health and Wellness District
New Type of Food Pantry is Sprouting in Yards Across America
Hope — and Healing — Go into Massive Redevelopment Effort
Sustainability (Financial Sustainability)
Military Investing for a Less Costly, Fit & Healthy Force
Dreaming Big on Sustainable Financing
Health Insurers Try Paying More Upfront to Pay Less Later
Research
Outcomes of Digital Health Program to Reduce Risk of Diabetes
Leveraging Behavioral Economics to Address Health Behaviors
Amazon’s Latest Grocery Experiment Involves Accepting Food Stamps
Policy
Berkeley Approves Tiny Houses for the Homeless
Bike Lanes May Be the Most Cost-Effective Way to Improve Public Health
