To help the physicians monitor themselves, they learned to focus using deep, diaphragmatic breathing, and to “watch the interaction from the ceiling” rather than being lost in their own thoughts and feelings. “Suspending your own involvement to observe what’s going on gives you a mindful awareness of the interaction without being completely reactive,” says Dr. Riess. “You can see if your own physiology is charged up or balanced. You can notice what’s transpiring in the situation.”
— Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence (Daniel Goleman), Loc. 1537–40