To do anything, you have to do something

Hi. 👋🏼

I'm Jordan. I'm an emergency medicine physician interested in how we use technology and design to improve the world around us. I started down this path by stumbling into a graphic design and computer animation program after high school. Eventually, I realized my real passion was in science and medicine. Along the way, I studied neurobiology, global health, and earned a Master's Degree in Public Health while studying medicine. I've always found myself interested in the role of good design from everything from communicating health information, improving workflows and systems, to using new methods to teach students and trainees.

Create to pay it back

Seven or eight years ago I read a book by Atul Gawande, I honestly can't remember which book it was, I think maybe Being Mortal or Better, but at the end of it, he talked about how he tells all of the resident physicians he works with to start writing. It doesn't matter the form, just start to write down your thoughts and ideas. You've likely benefited by what others have taken the time to write and people following behind you will surely benefit from what you write. We owe it to one another.

I've been wanting to create the habit of writing since then. I've wanted a place to share my thoughts because I've learned and benefited so much from other people. As I explored the idea it felt hard to put up the money for a worthwhile website. It felt like a small fortune to pay anything when I was in medical school. I scrolled and searched through dozens of free options, even made the leap at one point. I never stuck with it though, I just kept thinking about it and kept finding ways to convince myself to wait. Just read a little more about how to start I'd tell myself, find a better approach, look for a coupon code so the website won't cost as much. It was all just a way to avoid it - it was fear getting in the way of something I wanted to do.

You have to just start

I think we put too much importance on ourselves. We feel like everyone is looking at us and what we do is going to make a huge splash, which feels scary. But the reality is everyone else is just doing the same thing, running around with their head down thinking what they're doing. Everyone else thinks what they're doing is also going to make a huge splash. I've realized though that no one cares what you're doing - and I think that's a good thing. We don't need to worry about what others think when we're just starting something. The most important thing is to just start.

I read The Practice by Seth Godin a little while back. It taught me the only things I need to focus on are showing up, being generous, and helping others. Everything else is a distraction. I've always thought that way but not something that I've fully leaned in to, at least when it comes to creative output and showing my work. My goal moving forward is to just show up consistently and share what I find interesting or worthwhile and hopefully provide some value to others.

This is me starting - again. I intend to write one new post a week. I'm not sure what I'll write about. Mostly it will be my thoughts and observations of the world around me. Hopefully, I can share what I learn along the way and teach you something in the process.

- Jordan