Category Archives: Self Awareness

Imprecision in Thought — Part 2 The Discipline of Not Being Part of the Problem

Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction In the last post, we talked about that moment when something sounds wrong—the face scrunch, the irritation, the immediate certainty that what you’re reading or hearing doesn’t hold up. The problem doesn’t stop with what you’re reacting to. It includes what you’re about to become if you...

Imprecision in Thought Part 1 When Something Sounds Wrong—But You Can’t Explain Why

Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction Don’t ya just love those moments where you start out certain you know what to do, and then a quick pause to check that all systems are “go” gives you some unexpected clarity—and you realize you’re about to make a colossal blunder? Picture this—I’m wiling away a...

The fundamental attribution error and the antidote

Paul M. Michaud MD, CPE Too often, we attribute other people’s poor behavior to their character, while attributing our poor behavior to external/situational factors. Reference previous link language here. Hanlon’s razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by ______.” While it is possible that the behavior you are observing is, in fact,...

“Your emotions are logical… you’re just bad at logic.”

When you experience an emotion, you have a thought about that emotion. That thought often determines the action you take. You likely blame the emotion for the action you take without considering the thought that led to the action. Next time you feel a strong emotion it may be useful to remember… your emotions are...

Living Richly: Music, Travel, Discomfort, and Growth in Tuscany

Christopher J. Colombo MD, CEC, CMC, CPP Introduction Greetings and Salutations! Welcome to the third installment in the psychological richness series. In Part 1, I introduced Shigehiro Oishi’s concept of a psychologically rich life—one filled with interesting, perspective-changing experiences. In Part 2, I put on my skeptic hat and reengaged the theory: praised what works, critiqued what doesn’t,...

If a person explodes with anger at you, remember this…

“Everyone is caught up in a chain of events that long predates the present moment. Our anger often stems from problems in our childhood, from the problems of our parents which stem from their own childhood, on and on. Our anger also has roots in the many interactions with others, the accumulated disappointments and heartaches...

Time does not heal… it is what you do in time that heals.

“That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.” ~Khaled Hosseini “Don’t turn away. Keep your...