You might have guessed, but I’ve spent the majority of my life as a proud nerd and a studier of nerds. There is a mystical attraction that surrounds nerds.   Why?  Well, nerds are the walking embodiment of love and passion, and what on earth is more magnetic than that?  In case you didn’t know, nerds are classified by what they are obsessed with.  You might think that you’re not a nerd, but the fact is that all of us have a little nerd in us somewhere.

For example, if you know who Kit Fisto is, then you’re probably a Star Wars nerd (Kennedy).  If you know the difference between a Beater, Seeker, and a Golden Snitch you probably love Quidditch and are a Harry Potter nerd.  If you know the differences between cabs, merlots, zinfandels, etc. then you are a “Vino Nerdo”.  If your friends have ever told you that you have great taste in clothing that is just a nice way of telling you that you are a fashion nerd.  If you spend each week playing a game on the computer where you assemble a team of warriors you are playing World of Warcraft or you’re a Fantasy Football nerd (Sorry. If it has “fantasy” in the title it is by default a nerd activity.  This joke was stolen from Mr. Goodwin.)

Any great leader was/is a nerd and had a crusade or something that they were obsessed with.  Nerds are the ones who change things.  They get together with likeminded nerds and make things happen.  I don’t know about you, but whenever I get together with similar nerds I leave energized and elevated to an entirely different level.  Look no further than our local Do-It-Yourselfers (DIY nerds).  They gather in people’s home and fix stuff…for free…just so they can nerd out.  On a larger scale, nerds flock to comic and superhero conventions in droves dressed to the nines like their favorite characters and create experiences that are beyond the imaginations of most people.

I’m in the middle of working on the fall meeting cycle right now and I keep asking myself, What if we were brave enough to become nerds about impacting the lives of patients?  What would change?  Would that turn meetings into conventions where people came ready with fire and ideas beyond the imaginations of most people on how we could make the lives of patients better?

Here is to unleashing our inner nerd.

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry