“I always thought of myself as a humanities person as a kid, but I liked electronics. Then I read something that one of my heroes, Edwin Land of Polaroid, said about the importance of people who could stand at the intersection of humanities and sciences, and I decided that’s what I wanted to do.” -Steve Jobs
From
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (pp. xix)
Words: 709
Estimated reading time: 7-8 minutes
TLDR Version:
- Part of Apple and Steve Job’s genius was the integration of two or more fields/disciplines
- Our understanding of health (and therefore, our provision of it) is evolving into domains outside of traditional physical exercise
- In order to meet and exceed the demands of our ever-evolving industry, we must seek mastery in 3 or 4 disciplines and be willing to cross-pollenate with other fields
- One of the goals of the M3 Initiative is to provide a diverse range of courses to support whichever direction you want to take your career
There was a time in recent history when the computer you use today was a very foreign concept. Computers were generally used by professions requiring regular complex calculations. They were rather deprived aesthetically, and difficult to operate. The masses were not convinced on the idea that the computer could become an everyday device and perhaps even more outrageous, something that would be vital for daily life in the coming decades.
Then, Steve Jobs came along. He believed in what it could be, but not as it was. He believed that it needed to be fused with something that appealed to the masses. At that time, it was design, which led to a product that became the seeds of a rainforest. As ascertained in the above quote, Apple was the embodiment of successful bonding between two seemingly polar fields – that of the hard sciences and humanities/arts. This successful bonding, along with innovations that disrupted entire industries, led to the behemoth that we today call, Apple.
Since then, Apple has driven innovation in several industries by taking one idea and merging it with another. They combined the phone and mp3 player to create an iPhone. Then, they turned your phone into a state of the art camera. Soon, their ambitious minds may turn your glasses into everyday augmented reality.
You may be wondering – what is the relevance of this story to my career? It is a great question – and for this next part, I implore you to channel your inner visionary. Our understanding of health is evolving. Once upon a time, a biomedical paradigm was applied to health, but it now expands across other domains. One such model of health is known as the biopsychosocial model. I believe that it will be a matter of time before this model also evolves.
What was once a career focused primarily on physical movement, now requires a moderate understanding of psychosocial factors. But our health service now extends beyond the realm of health. Each technological stride forces us to adapt. Ten years ago, programs were emailed or printed out on paper. Now, programs are delivered via Google Sheets. Ten years ago, form checks via messaging were an alien idea. Now, these are the norm. Not only are we required to be adept in the health domain, but also deliver it with the latest technological advancement.
So, where does this lead us in the next ten, twenty, and thirty years? I believe the future will be fruitful for those who are willing to explore the intersection between various health disciplines AND merge it with a field OUTSIDE of health. Take Zumba for example, movement to a rhythm, a clear junction between movement and music. In another example, the use of the MyFitnessPal app when combined with a training program exemplifies the partnership between physical movement and tech.
Now more than ever, are we required to diversify our knowledge pool. Long gone are the days when we could be great at just one discipline. Great at resistance training? Fantastic. But what about resistance AND injury mitigation? What about resistance training AND injury mitigation AND setting up a check-in system to encourage client adherence? We must now be great at multiple disciplines within our respective field AND dare I say, be willing to explore outside our field. That’s why at M3, we are creating a diverse range of courses to assist you in whichever direction you choose to go.
Make no mistake, it is a daunting task. The standards placed upon you are higher than ever, and it’ll push you outside the realms of comfort. But in the words of the late Steve Jobs, ‘Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.’
Yours in Health and Movement,
The M3 Team
