The Good Doctor – Life Lessons

I am not a doctor, nor do I understand the medical jargons used in the hospitals. But when I noticed a shy doctor operating a patient at the airport with custom-built equipment, I was fascinated.?

I am talking about the Netflix series, the Good Doctor, played by Freddie Highmore (Shaun Murphy), who plays the role of a surgeon. Shaun Murphy's medical condition limits his ability to connect with people emotionally.?

But if you have had a chance to watch this series, you would agree that Shaun teaches us several life lessons.

Wisdom begins in wonder

Shaun relies a lot on finding satisfactory answers to problems. He doesn’t panic when presented with a situation, instead he asks questions. In his imaginary bubble he does his hypothesis and come back with a pragmatic solution. ?

Curiosity intrigues a person to ask questions, when we ask questions, we seek answers, when we seek answers, we learn, when we learn, we see new possibilities in every problem we encounter. It is important for us to stay curious to stay relevant.

Honesty is the best policy

Shaun’s honesty is incredible. He is brutally honest, and it does get him into trouble a few times. While complete honesty in some cases may sound bit harsh, if we learn the art of delivering it right, it is worth it.?

While being completely honest may not be appreciated always, “honesty is the best policy”. When you are honest, people admire you more.

What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful

Shaun throughout the series struggles with several things. There are situations where he goes completely blank, looks clueless. Every time he ends up in such a situation, he comes back strong. He is ridiculously resilient, and not disappointed by his flaws. He lacks social interactions, but that doesn’t stop him from excelling at his work. He is open to learning from everyone.?

Our vulnerabilities do not mean we are weak, it is an opportunity for us to be unique. Accepting our vulnerabilities and adopting to new norms is the way we survive in this world.?

Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching

Throughout the series, there are several completely unique life situations that the hospital staffs go through, and each of these life situations requires them to adopt to a new norm, learn from each other regardless of seniority, age, and race.?

Learning is a continuous process, it is limitless. Every situation, every person you interact with might offer you a new perspective, a new learning. We just need to be open to it and stay curious.

Patience is the art of hoping

Shaun has challenges interacting with people at an emotional level. There are several situations throughout the series that could have potentially instigated him to take hasty decisions, or be reactive. Instead, he stays calm, composed and patient as he works through those situations and relationships at work and personal life.?

We all go through multiple situations at work and in our personal lives that might test our patience. Imagine we decide to act, or react instantly based on our instincts, there are potentially more chances of bad than good outcomes from it. Please remember, nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.?

For the love of your work, take a break!

Throughout the series there are several situations where you see hospital staff ending up working for several hours without a break. In some cases, you will see these behaviours impacting their ability to work effectively, and to some extent straining personal relationships. ?

We spend most of our life working, while for some it is living their dreams, for the rest it is a matter of survival. While working ourselves to the bone is common, it is probably doing more harm than good. A common misperception is that people who love their work wouldn’t need to take time off. Taking a personal time off is equally important and critical to your ability to be effective and productive at work, so for the love of your work, this holiday season, take a break! Enjoy your time off with the loved ones and do something that you enjoy doing outside of your work.?

Happy Holidays!?