When we talk about burnout, the conversation is often focused on “the system.” We point to heavy workloads, or toxic work cultures, or leadership issues. These things do matter. But there’s another part of the equation that also matters: our own thoughts and mindsets. That was the message from Dr. Roger Kapoor, author of Working Happy!: How to Survive Burnout and Find Your Work/Life Synergy in the Healthcare Industry, when he joined me on the Healthcare Plus…

Burnout has been a problem in healthcare for a long time. As the industry has gotten more and more complex, the problem has had increased—and during COVID things got exponentially worse, with many providers walking away from their job. And while removing systemic burdens certainly plays a role in alleviating burnout, there is also a lot individuals can do on their own. In a recent Healthcare Plus podcast interview, Quint Studer discussed this topic with Dr.…

During the holidays, it’s natural to reflect. That cusp between the end of one year and the start of the next has a way of putting things in perspective. It’s a good time to ask ourselves some questions. Am I taking care of myself? What brings me joy? Are there things I can do more of or less of? I want to share a few thoughts. I hope they may resonate with you. It’s about being. We…

I do my best learning when I’m working on something that does not come easy. Being naturally pessimistic, my focus is on ways to become optimistic. Being naturally afraid and anxious leads to the search to be grateful and less fearful. My search for results leads me to understand how important structure is to achieve the results. There is a saying, “I did not get what I wanted; however, what I got was what I…

In my books and presentations, I often share the positive impact my third-grade teacher, Mrs. James, had as well as my high school soccer coach, Mr. King. I get asked if I ever thanked them. I never found Mrs. James, so the answer is no for her. Years ago, when I was speaking in Easley, South Carolina, they asked me to share my Coach King story from my book Hardwiring Excellence. As I finished my talk, Coach…

Summer is dwindling away, and we can all feel the change in the air. I think of this as the tale of two seasons. Different people respond to this time very differently. Some people get really excited about the arrival of a new school year. They’re happy school is back in session. Fall sports are starting. They love the drives to see the changing leaves and cooler weather. These are the people whose social media…

Are you a “get to” person or a “got to/have to” person? In my presentations, I put up a PowerPoint slide that has the words “got to” and “have to” with a line through them. Then I feature the words “get to.” I tell the audience, “One of my goals for when we leave here is for each of us to use the words ‘get to’ more than ‘have to’ or ‘got to.’” There is a sense of gratitude and…