I have collected some thoughts about practicing law—and life in general—that can help lawyers to be successful, whether they are young or old.
1. Do not be a prisoner of your past
What happened in your life is a lesson, not a life sentence. We are our own jailors, and our minds are the key. You do not have to obsess over events that were painful or not what you wanted. You are not a victim, so don’t act like one. True leaders and winners accept what has happened and move on. However, we do have to learn and not repeat behavior that produces unpleasant results. This may be more important for older lawyers, as they would have more past experiences than younger lawyers.
2. What comes out of your mouth is more important than what goes in it
However, you are what you eat. This can become a vicious cycle because when we eat or drink things that aren’t healthy, it makes us feel depressed, stressed, or angry. We can say things we will regret when we feel terrible. So, if you are eating unhealthy foods or drinking too much, you will feel bad, which makes you say negative things, which makes you feel worse. So you will eat and drink more—and on and on. Alternatively, if you are depressed, stressed, or angry because of your circumstances, eating unhealthy foods and drinking too much will make you feel worse, which makes you behave poorly and the cycle repeats.
3. Take 10 minutes each day to not think but just breathe
One of the most common complaints among lawyers has to do with overthinking. Everything. We are trained to analyze, anticipate and avoid problems. The problem is we love to think, and that is not always good for us 24-7. Take 10 minutes every day and focus on your breathing. It will make you feel much better and give your brain a reboot.
4. Lawyers are admired more for their honesty (and/or humanity) than winning
We all know those lawyers who are aggressive, confrontational, disagreeable, and just plain unlikeable. People may dislike dealing with them or fear them, but they are rarely admired. Think carefully when you choose how to deal with your colleagues, clients, and the court. Would you rather be admired for your honesty and integrity or feared because you are a jerk?
5. You have to balance and take care of your body, your mind, and your family/community
One of my senior partners once told me, “To be successful, you have to focus on your legal practice, your family, and your church.” I believe that was incorrect. You have to focus on your physical body, your emotional body, and your family, however, you define that.
6. Nothing is more powerful than kind words
You can get your point across without being hateful. You will attract more clients with honey than bitterness. There has been a trend lately of lawyers threatening each other with ethics complaints or similar actions. This is ridiculous. Lawyers don’t have to threaten each other to make their point.
7. Being a lawyer is a gift. Remember we choose to be lawyers, we weren’t drafted
Being a lawyer is a gift. Many times, we feel like we are in prison or worse: hell. We are only required to do the best we can and that is always enough. If practicing law is not for you, you can do something else. If you are good at it but aren’t having fun, you need to get your mind in proper working order.
When practicing law gets dicey, that is the time you need to be grateful. It is easy to be grateful when you win the big case; it says more about your character and integrity if you can be grateful when times are rough.
