I just finished my toughest placement block yet. Here are 10 things I learnt:

1) The hospital system game.

The hospital system ladder is the same as the corporate ladder.

There are concrete rules to follow. The hours are set, the structure is set, the protocols are set, the tasks are set. There is little room for experimentation, autonomy, creativity. And as reward for following the rules – a steady salary that increases slightly every year.

If you want to play this game, it is up to you to adapt to fit in.

2) Record your thoughts.

On the train home everyday, I would take time to write down my thoughts from the day. Recording your thoughts is essential for self reflection. Thoughts are fleeting. Without documenting your thoughts, they will evaporate in a second. By documenting them, they become tangible. That way, I can reflect on them and see progress from the passing weeks.

3) Proactivity to level up.

If I did not prepare my study notes back in January, I would have failed this placement.

Everything is a bound by cause and effect. I knew I would not have time to prepare my notes during the semester. So I did it in January. And 6 months later, I was able to draw on that preparation.

In the present, I draw on the work from “past me”. And in the present, I am putting in the work for “future me” to draw on.

Always being proactive is the key to leveling up.

4) Discomfort for growth.

This placement was brutal and tough, because my supervisors had such high expectations. Constantly, I felt near the border of uncomfortable stress and destructive stress. That is where the most rapid growth of skills and confidence are made.

There were a few moments where I felt I had crossed the line into destructive stress, and I needed to find ways to cope.

5) Know when to say “no”.

Know that you can press the eject button at any time. To say “no, I really appreciate the opportunity but I will pass right now” or “no, I have changed my mind and I am not willing to continue with this”.

Be self-aware and responsible for your mental wellbeing. When overwhelmed, take action before you fall into a downward spiral (depression and anxiety) or upward spiral (rage and anger).

6) How to deal with tough supervisors.

You can fight it, or you can go with the flow.

I remember crystal clear moments when I was at crossroads in my mind. Do I fight back, do I stand up and argue my point, do I protect my own pride? Or do I go with the flow, do I silence my pride, do I nod and accept their instructions?

You have to look at the situation in its entirety. They are the authority here. They determine whether I pass or fail. I am only here for 5 weeks. My overall goal is to complete the placement.

So it is foolish to foster bad will, as it jeopardises your overall goal.

Just silence your ego.

7) Taking your health for granted.

Every small bad decision snowballs.

I talked to man who started smoking, because his work friends smoked. 25 years later, he has irreversible heart and lung issues.

You had control of your health. Then one day, you lose the control. Your problems were reversible. Then one day, your problems are irreversible. There is a tipping point. And every small bad decision moves you closer.

The best approach is to be proactive. Do not put yourself on that path.

8) Life is finite.

The idea that one day you will face death. I think this is so scary and uncomfortable to most people – that they want to live in denial, running away from it, avoiding it at costs.

But that day will come. Everything becomes nothing.

I think with growing more comfortable with finiteness of life, you can make better decisions on how you want to live your time.

9) Adapting to different people.

Naval Ravikant says:

We think of ourselves as fixed and the world as malleable, but it’s really we who are malleable and the world is largely fixed.

The best approach is to adapt to different people and different situations. You cannot hope and wish that other people will change to meet your desires.

When dealing with workplace relations – the most practical way to navigate forward is to adapt yourself to different people. If person A prefers straightforward conversation, then do so. If person B prefers small talk first, then do so.

10) Nurses are angels.

If you have seen the work that nurses do, then you already know.

They work in the most chaotic environments, long shifts around the clock, and know the patients better than most doctors do. They help patients shower, toilet, clean, dress, eat, drink, take medications. They give 100% of themselves to people who can never repay them.

I have huge respect for nurses and what they do.