First, you likely know that I love sports and I love to see history made in challenging situations. So, before I get to the point, I simply must say I appreciated watching Andy Murray make history last night winning the US Open in five sets. Wow, he worked hard and wow he overcame challenges to become the first tennis player from Great Britain to win a major championship since 1936, Just imagine the pressure.
I mistakenly posted this yesterday, so here is your chance to read it a second time.
Are you passionate about your career? Are you passionate about your clients? Are you passionate about client development and attracting clients?
I have only met one really successful lawyer who was not passionate about his law practice. He told me he was only practicing law because he could not find anything else he could do and make the same amount of money.
I recently watched a short video clip from the Steve Jobs and Bill Gates interview. Steve Jobs explained why you have to have a lot of passion for what you are doing.
As you will see in the clip, Steve Jobs says you have to be passionate and love what you are doing, because you need it to persevere when you are not getting great results. He also says the ones who don’t love what they are doing quit because they are sane.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRoHtUjIkmY
I know this to be true from my own experience and spending time with lawyers I have coached. I loved my work, my construction clients and I loved attracting new clients and new matters.
Like many lawyers, I faced slow periods, but I persevered through them. So, I believe Steve Jobs is right on point.
As you likely know, I get inspired by music and words. So, I want to leave you with two quotes. The first is from Steve Jobs. He said:
Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.
The second quote is from George Bernard Shaw. He once said:
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
I believe clients want lawyers who are passionate. In many instances they want lawyers who are the crazy ones, the unreasonable ones who think outside the box and see things the reasonable lawyers miss.