Takeaways from the book “Bankroll your mind”  

By Gretchen Miller, MSc, CLOSLER editor, Johns Hopkins Medicine 

Bankroll means to invest. In Perry and Pipkin’s motivational book “Bankroll Your Mind,” the investment is in mental and emotional capital, especially focus and attention. In medicine, when healthcare professionals choose where their attention goes, they influence the kind of care patients receive. Here are few tenets of the book applied to healthcare: 

Small deposits, big dividends  

The book’s core lesson is simple—small deposits compound. In clinical care, that may be one centering breath before entering a patient’s room and/or one question that invites the patient’s story. For example, “What matters most to you today?” These investments may seem modest, but they can accumulate into a trusting patient-doctor relationship that may result in improved health outcomes. 

Create an environment that supports focus 

If attention is capital, surroundings are your budget. Shape them to protect presence. Consider closing the laptop for the first minutes of each visit—this signals that the person matters more than the screen. This can also lower multitasking impulses and encourage giving full attention to the patient. 

Give back 

Mentoring a new team member or making an extra follow-up call to reassure a worried patient are deposits that ripple outward. They normalize presence and kindness as team standards. A culture of small acts—even just holding the door—creates psychological safety. In that environment, clinicians can bring their best selves to patients more often. 

Small investments, large returns  

Outstanding care is built from disciplined attention and consistent micro-actions. Bankroll focus and attention, moment by moment. The dividends are trust and a sustainable practice. 

This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.