Commit to trying new things (even just one) in 2025

By Brian Murphy

 

Happy New Year! What resolutions are you hoping to implement in 2025?

 

If you’re looking for some inspiration and ideas I recommend listening to my current episode of Off the Record (see link below). I take the top five lessons culled from a great lineup of guests and share them all in a short, 25 minute solocast.

 

I’ll plan to break those out and share here, too.

 

The first lesson: Try new things.

 

Just about everyone I hosted on the podcast in 2024 made an impact on their organizations (and themselves) by doing something new. For example, implementing outpatient CDI by expanding their traditional acute-care focus to risk adjustment variables captured in clinics or physician practices.

 

Another guest implemented new technology to assist with early sepsis detection, rolling it out across their organization and busy providers. It took a little work to get it perfected and eliminate some early alert fatigue, but ultimately it helped with compliant capture.

 

Or, they took on new roles with new responsibilities, advancing their careers from chart reviewer to CDI educator or denials specialist.

 

Doing new things is not always easy. In fact it often isn’t. Most of us aren’t risk takers, born with entrepreneurial aspirations. I include myself in that category.

 

But I think of my guest Crystal May, moving from what was rapidly becoming a limited career in transcription to profee coding, and ultimately to risk adjustment. Despite having a young family to raise she made the move, and it’s paid off in her career.

 

Or Dr. Robert Oubre, a busy hospitalist who took his interest in documentation and started his own CDI and coding village. And built a following and a wonderful side business.

 

Doing something new takes courage, and the knowledge you might fail. But you’re not going to get where you want to go by doing the same thing as yesterday.

 

As I was preparing for the episode I listened to some old programs and several best quotes of the year emerged. Here is one is from Keisha Wilson, who herself decided to try something very new when she went into consulting as a solopreneur and focusing on telehealth.

 

“Bet on yourself.”

 

Love that, Keisha.

 

Only you know what you’re truly capable of. Make that bet in 2025.

 

Final note: It doesn’t have to be a monster change.  Last year I did my first solocast, and I want to sample new formats and show types in 2025.

 

So, lesson one. Try new things. It might make all the difference in 2025.

 

Listen to the Top 5 Lessons of a Year in Off the Record here.