I posted this a few years ago and decided associates who didn’t have a chance to read it then might find it valuable. And, if this is your first year with a law firm, make sure to click on my Practical Lawyer article Forty Important Things I wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was a First Year Lawyer.
I am able to look back now and see how a few things I figured out when I was a young lawyer contributed to my career success and life fulfillment. Here is what I figured out:
- What I wanted in my career and life. I really gave a lot of thought to what was important to me.
- What would motivate me and help me stay on track. I found motivation very necessary to get through difficult times.
- That I had to have a plan to achieve it and stay focused on what was important to me. I discovered I can easily get distracted by unimportant things.
- What my clients and potential clients wanted and needed. After I developed my legal skills, I spent a great deal of my non-billable time focusing on clients.
- Different ways I could give them what they wanted and needed. I thought creatively and out of the box.
- That having the right attitude and not ever giving up were essential.
- Each of the people who worked for me was unique and different. This was a major breakthrough because for a time I thought what motivated me would motivate each of them.
- The importance of focusing on my family and to the extent that I could do it, arrange my work schedule to enable me to do things with them that they value.
- Finally, each and every day, I wanted to try to get better at what I did in my professional life and personal life. I spent an entire career studying successful and fulfilled people and borrowing from each something that would work for me.