Insight: Florence Nightingale was fearless and independent from a young age - in the same household her sister clung to her mother, whilst Florence was confident by herself. She did not need safety and did not care what anyone thought about her until later in the teenage years.
Insight: On February 7, 1937 at sixteen years old she describes getting the "call" to a higher purpose - outside the limitations of what was available to women during the time, and outside of the expectations of her wealthy family upbringing. She suppressed this "call" as she was scared to go outside of her family expectations.
Insight: Florence Nightgale feared being unusual in her family and faced guilt trips and threats of stepping outside of the "norm".
Insight: Florence Nightgale suppressed her inner "calling" for 16 years.
"How very little can be done under the spirit of fear."
- Florence Nightingale
Insight: Fear often keeps us from pursuing our destiny and holds us back, makes us freeze, provides us with the reasons not to act.
"When I am no longer even a memory, just a name, I hope that my voice may perpetuate the great work of my life."
- Florence Nightingale
Principle: Pursue your calling.
"Never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning,
however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself."
- Florence Nightingale
Insight: Large outcomes always start from small beginnings.
Insight: Florence Nightingales pivotal moment was when she realised that life, and society was not going to give her what she needed - she would have to take it for herself.
Insight: Presentation is important in statistical analysis and communication.
Insight: In the 1850s Florence Nightingale provided important insights into lives lost during the Crimean War, demonstrating through clear presentation of statistical analysis. She adapted a pie chart in what she called her bat's wing to illustrate the causes of mortality.
"Courage is... the universal virtue of all those who choose to do the right thing over the expedient thing. It is the common currency of all those who do what they are supposed to do in a time of conflict, crisis, and confusion."
- Florence Nightingale
Insight: Courage can often come through an internal battle between doing what is right versus what is convenient - something that many people choose.
Insight: Florence Nightingale's statistical analysis [used during the Crimean War in the 1850s] would later earn her an honorary membership into the American Statistical Association in 1874.
Insight: Coxcomb graph - developed by Florence Nightingale - showed in very visual terms that most of the British soldiers that died in the Crimean War had been killed by infection, not enemy soldiers.
Insight: According to Florence Nightingale, nursing was an art than required "as hard a preparation as any painter or sculptor's work".
Insight: Regardless of the type of work, practice will always make you better.
Insight: Florence Nightingale's presentation of statistics on causes of death in the Crimean War led to improved sanitation in hospitals, ultimately savings many lives.
"How little can be done under the spirit of fear."
- Florence Nightingale
Insight: We often freeze up due to fear, our protection mode which makes it difficult to do anything other than focus on the thing we fear.
Key Insights & Principles
Life's Work, Communication & Courage
Fear often keeps us from pursuing our destiny, especially when we are going against "social norms".
Great outcomes always come from small beginnings.
Presentation and communication is important in making use of statistical analysis.
Florence Nightingale developed the coxcomb graph to present her findings about the cause of death of British soldiers during the Crimean war - her presentations led to change which ultimately saved many lives.
Florence Nightingale eventually realised the importance of taking her life into her own hands - that we are in control of our own destiny.
Courage is born of an internal battle - and it is often between doing what is right, versus what is convenient for us.
Practice will always make you better at what you are doing, regardless of the type of work.
