Thankfulness can be a useful tool in building your law practice. In our efforts to make improvements in ourselves as lawyers, in our law practices and in our personal lives we necessarily focus on what changes need to be made. My coaching work with attorney clients is about helping them make those changes that will make their law practice and their legal careers more satisfying and more rewarding. In making changes it is necessary to focus on the glass-half-full-what we don’t have. But to concentrate only on the negatives, the lacks, is to deprive oneself of a valuable tool-thankfulness.
To be thankful for what we have and appreciate our blessings is a reliable old maxim and wise advice. It makes us feel good. But there is another advantage to thankfulness. By focusing on what is going well with our law practice and legal career we alter our perception of ourselves. Instead of lack, we see accomplishment. Instead of seeing only what we need, we see what we already have. Our acknowledgement of the positive, our successes, influences our self image. We see ourselves in a better light, more successful, more accomplished, more on track, more in control. This change in our self image can be very powerful.
We human beings are limited by our self perception. If you believe you won’t pass the bar exam, develop a successful law practice or make partner you most likely won’t. By shifting our self image through thinking about what we have accomplished and what is going well we open ourselves to taking on the changes we want to make with increased confidence. We set the bar higher because we feel better about our abilities. We are more confident in making important career and business decisions. We make it easier on ourselves to make the changes that will increase our professional success. Our self confidence is increased and our self image is enhanced allowing us to achieve more. It is a wonderful cycle: success increases self confidence which results in success which increases self confidence which results in success……
In order to achieve more success in your law practice and legal career, take a well balanced approach. Determine what changes are needed, of course, and develop and follow a plan to make those changes. But, in addition, take the time to acknowledge what you have, what you have accomplished and what is going well.
Have a great practice!
Daniel Roberts
Professional Lawyer Coach
