Secret # 8: How Good Lawyers Choose Great Careers
When there is only one choice, it’s the right choice. That’s what good lawyers with great careers often discover. Take John Arthur Jones, for example. He’s practiced law for 60 years. He said he’d planned to become a journalist, but that didn’t happen. He tried a few other things that didn’t pan out. And then, a good friend suggested he try the law.
When life gets tough, all lawyers say they use their analytical skills to choose from available options. But lawyers with great careers have recognized something more. They know that lawyers are presented with multiple choices and they’ve learned how to choose.
Most of us learn this secret through long and painful trial and error. But you can shorten your learning curve by following Secret #8. We explained the strategy this way:
Life is too long for self-sacrifice. When you find yourself resentful and exhausted, overweight, out of shape, unhealthy, financially weak, or unhappy, you are engaged in damaging self-sacrifice. Recognize this situation as early as possible and reverse it before too much damage is done.
Regardless of your career stage or level of success, persistent negative experiences are a sign to sit up and take notice of your situation.
You may need nothing more than an attitude adjustment. An epiphany is required. A different perspective. Maybe resentful, exhausted feelings come from unrealistic expectations of yourself, your clients, your co-workers, your family, or all of these. If so, spending some time with a journal, a friend, a coach, a colleague, could bring all the relief you need.
Or you could need a more radical change, such as a new job or new colleagues or a break from practice for a while.
This choice is fraught with opportunity, both positive and negative. You could make a brilliant move. Or you could simply exchange your current set of problems for a new set.
Be careful before taking that leap to understand, as much as possible, what the new life will actually be. Is that what you really want? Many times, people make a leap to something new only to get away from what is currently making them uncomfortable.
Lawyers with great careers move toward their dreams, not away from their nightmares. And they know that when there’s only one choice, it’s the right choice.
