personal development — Blog — Michael J. Zappa, MD, FACEP

Pursuing Peak Performance

By Michael J. Zappa, MD FACEP

Ask yourself the question: could you be doing better? Use whatever frame of reference you would like, and I bet in at least one area or another you would answer yes. Undoubtedly everyone has enjoyed a period, whether long or short, when they felt like they have hit their stride, accomplished a goal, and reveled in some personal pride. What did you do that was so right? In the stressful world of today it's easy to get caught in a rut, focusing on just surviving instead of thriving. If you're not at one of those peaks sailing along successfully, or if you are, and you want to keep it going, remember the three “Ps”: positivity, persistence, and priorities.

The Secret to Life

By Michael J. Zappa, MD, FACEP

Comprehension of the secret to life starts by knowing the facts of life. No, I am not referring to where babies come from! I am talking about the indisputable facts of life - the exciting reality of birth and the inescapable eventuality of death. When most people think of life, they are envisioning what happens between these fixed points of birth and death. Not only is the distance, or time, between these two points uncertain, so is the kind of life one will have. Neither the situation you were born into, nor your current circumstances dictate who you are or what you can do with your life; it is completely dependent on what you choose.

Time: The Currency of Life

By Michael J. Zappa, MD, FACEP

Try to imagine a list of topics that you could introduce into almost any conversation that would be free of controversy. Top on that list would have to be the value of life, the wonder of the gift of life, the exhilaration of saving a life, or helping truly transform someone's life.

Daydream Like a Genius

By Michael J. Zappa, MD, FACEP

STOP making excuses for yourself….

STOP believing "If I had been luckier or just had the money to pursue my ideas then I would be…"

START daydreaming!

Fatherly Wisdom: The Seven Pillars

By Michael J. Zappa, MD, FACEP

Imagine any advice that could be considered wisdom; whether it seems like common sense or a profound revelation, it is probably not complex. Now think about how long it may be applicable…wisdom actually has no expiration date.

My sisters and I are the abundant beneficiaries of my father’s wisdom, from the sayings that were uniquely his such as “there’s no grass growing under my feet” – reminding us not to idle or move so slowly that seeds of grass had time to sprout, to his personal translations of great historical philosophers.