Wise Wednesdays

HUMAN ANATOMY As a first year medical student, a rite of passage was to attend anatomy classes and dissect a human body. We learned how a body is put together: where the organs are positioned, the skeletal structure that protects them, the muscles that move the structure and the intricate architecture of nerves and blood vessels that animate, nourish and detoxify the whole system. However, knowing the anatomy of a body didn’t tell us its purpose. Is it to reproduce? To think great thoughts? Something else? Each organ told a story of its own importance. Even the appendix. CAREER ANATOMY Similarly, a career can be elegantly put together: it can be composed of a succession of great jobs, good relationships, moments of glory and be infused with evolving talent and political nouse that keep it moving to greater heights up the ladder…but for what purpose? A stellar career can be made without any greater meaning to it… Just like the body, a career has to ...

Ever feel like your job is a repetitive series of actions with little room for fun and creativity? Does the prospect of doing the same job for the rest of your life feel uncomfortable? It may not be your job specifically but the global changes that we are all part of. A large survey of 270,000 people of all ages (in the US) conducted by psychologist KH Kim reported a downward trend in levels of creativity over the study period. Creativity was defined as the ability to come up with original ideas, think in a detailed and elaborative way, synthesise information, and be open-minded and curious. The study concludes that if this trend isn’t reversed soon, the challenges of the future will remain unresolved. Sadly, research shows that it is perfectly possible for us to be satisfied with a mediocre job despite the niggles that tell us we’re not living up to our true potential nor contributing our best efforts. But why is this creativity crisis happening? OUR ORGANI...