Independence.
At this time of the year, Independence is at the forefront of most American’s minds. If you are stuck in a law firm, DA’s office or Public Defender’s office, then what does Independence mean to you? If your answer is “getting the hell out!” then it is time for you to start examining how to make the transition.
Many attorneys believe that if they just wait around, a better job will eventually surface.
This is akin to someone thinking “I’d make a good lawyer because I always win my arguments,” and then never taking the next steps to become a lawyer. You know, not taking the LSAT, not applying to law school, not graduating from law school, not passing the bar, etc. You get the picture, in order to achieve the change, you are going to need to put in the time and energy to make it work.
What is involved?
First, make a commitment to yourself that you truly want to get out. Ask yourself, is my job really that bad? Do I dread going in every morning? Did I see more for myself then this? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then commit to making a positive change.
Second, realize that it will take time to make a change. There are many things you need to do before transitioning out of your current job. Deciding what you might like to do is a major part. Also incredibly important is giving yourself a realistic deadline on when you will quit. In addition, you will want to build up a savings to ensure that you are able to pay bills and feed yourself (and your family) when the monthly paycheck stops.
Third, develop a plan on where you want to go. Part of this plan will be deciding where you want to take your career. The other part will be deciding the best path to get there. A business coach for lawyers can help you.
When you first started on your path to become a lawyer, you were young and enthusiastic. You can’t control getting older, but you can regain that enthusiasm. It will just be directed towards something other than becoming a lawyer. The enthusiasm will be directed towards what you want to accomplish now, at this point in your life.
Contact me for complimentary 30 minute session to explore whether your time of transition is near!
Photo credit: <a href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/5695559519/”>kevin dooley</a> / <a href=”http://foter.com/”>Foter</a> / <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>CC BY</a>