It’s that time of year again – football season. The regular season kicked off a couple weeks ago, and for the next few months, football will dominate our weekends.
Whether you’re a fan of the pros or a little league parent cheering from the sidelines, I think we all recognize the faithful dedication required for any sport. And personally, beyond the excitement of the actual game, what I appreciate most is the incredible tenacity of any athlete to return game after game with renewed determination.
I see that relentless spirit every day at Texas Children’s. It takes an incredible amount of energy and dedication to do what you do across this organization on a daily basis. Every child and woman in our care is precious, and everything we do, directly or indirectly, touches them, renews their hope or delivers an answer for which they’ve prayed. That’s infinitely powerful, and it’s why every single day at Texas Children’s is game day.
Click here for the Texas Children’s-Houston Texans “Every day is game day” video
With that power comes the responsibility to be ready, for everything, every day. Because every day, we have a chance to take actions and make decisions that prepare us to be catalysts for something amazing or to help someone in need. As the President and CEO, I’m very deliberate about how I ensure I’m game-day ready. Without fail, this is what I do every day:
- Pack my positivity. I don’t think in terms of a glass being half empty or half full – I simply appreciate the contents and believe whatever the amount, it’s enough to nourish someone or to give life to something. In other words, I am perpetually positive. I believe you can extract goodness from any situation and that this outlook removes doubt and worry, and makes more room for creativity and to dwell in possibilities.
- Seek ways to learn. The opportunity to grow intellectually or emotionally every day fascinates me. As soon as I get up, I start reading – combing through emails, reading the news, reviewing the financial markets. I enjoy the immediate jolt of engaging with new information. I read as much as I can, and I talk to as many of you as I can. Honestly, that’s where I learn the most, because when I talk with you, I’m exposed to all the insightful and innovative ideas you have.
- Manage my energy. Years ago, there were lots of books, articles and seminars about how to manage time. I’ve seen that shift is now focused on managing energy, and for me, this has been life changing. We all have a maximum pool of energy, and we must deploy that energy at the right times and in the right places. I’m a morning person, so I try to tackle my most important or toughest tasks in the mornings. I make mindful choices about how my time is spent, whether at work or at home. And I try to engage and surround myself with people who have a warm and positive energy.
- Take care of my body. Because I am a pretty early riser, I’m able to exercise most mornings. Whether I swim or lift weights, I feel great satisfaction from being active and doing something that’s good for my body. Throughout the day, at the office, I make sure that I’m eating well. Even when I have a day packed with meetings, I plan accordingly so that I provide my body with what it needs for me to think, feel and be at my best. And as many of you know, I walk the hospital often. This is always a good way for me to stay on the move and also to connect with many of you.
- Pray. Prayer could easily be at the beginning and the end of this list, because I do it very often. Prayer and meditation insulates me with a sense of peace and calmness throughout the day. Subsequently, my mind is clearer when I must make difficult decisions, and I am reassured about the direction in which to lead our organization.
We all have a game day plan – it’s why we are one amazing team and how we do so many amazing things every single day. I want to hear from you below. Tell me how you get game-day ready. How do you prepare your mind, body and spirit to be the very best for our patients and our people every day at Texas Children’s?
Share your A-game … win tickets to the Texans vs Cowboys game!
Mr. Wallace wants to know what you do to make sure you bring your A-game to Texas Children’s every day to help us provide the best care possible to our patients, their families and our colleagues.
We will randomly select two winners from the comments below to each receive a pair of tickets to the Houston Texans vs Dallas Cowboys football game on October 7, 2018.
The two winners must be Texas Children’s employees. The drawing will be from comments posted between September 17-23. Winners will be notified by the Corporate Communications team by September 25.