Only you can work on self-improvement

Abstract

September is here again, and with it the resumption of the school year. In our younger days, this would signal that we were embarking on a journey of knowledge and self-improvement. However, upon graduation, many of us have not continued to improve ourselves and our knowledge base in the same rigorous fashion. We have, of course, kept up with our required continuing education credits, but usually that is the end of our formal learning after pharmacy school. There are a huge number of areas in which any hospital pharmacist can improve in their professional and personal lives. Consider learning how to be a better persuader, empathizer, or listener. Becoming just a bit better in any of these three areas will pay significant dividends to all areas of your life. Persuasion will help you take better care of your patients when you convince a prescriber to agree to a new treatment modality. Becoming better at persuasion necessitates at least some familiarity with effective teaching. To successfully persuade someone, you need to understand what makes that person think and feel the way they do. Without understanding where someone is coming from, you won’t be able to change their mind or the way they think. Becoming better at simply understanding others is a skill that is increasingly in short supply. Empathy is certainly teachable, but it needs to be practiced if you wish to improve. In the current polarizing culture, genuinely listening to others is often bypassed for juicy sound bites and quotes. No one can be condensed to a single quote or remark. Everyone has nuance! By actively listening to others and engaging them in their thoughts and beliefs, you will become a better listener. You must then continue to practice this skill, as it will atrophy if you don’t use it often. So, consider spending some time over the next few months learning about self-improvement topics, such as persuasion, empathy, and listening. No one can self-improve for you!