I just heard from an attorney who says he’s thinking of getting out of law. He’s been very successful in the past, not so much right now.
He was looking for “inspiration” so I asked him if he really wants out or would he choose to continue practicing if he could again be successful.
I told him not to use logic to answer, but to look to his feelings.
Your logical mind will lie to you. It will tell you to you what you’ve habitually said to yourself over the years, or what your parents have said, or what you think you should say. Your logical mind will have you say, “I’ve invested all these years in building my career, I can’t just walk away from it and start over.”
Yes, you can. People do it all the time.
You can talk yourself into or out of just about anything. You can add up all the pluses and minuses, examine your skill set and other interests, talk to your loved ones, and seek the guidance of mentors. With logic, you can come to a measured, intelligent decision about what to do. But would it be the right decision?
When it comes to making a big decision like this, don’t trust logic, but don’t ignore it, either. Examine the facts. Let them incubate in your subconscious. Plot out the alternatives. Give yourself a month or three to think it through.
And then, before you make your decision, go get drunk or meditate or go to the beach and stare at the waves. Think about the alternatives and ask yourself, “what feels better?”
My grandfather always told me to “trust my gut”. I’m offering you the same advice.
If you decide to stay in your practice, do yourself a favor and order The Attorney Marketing Formula. You’ll thank me later.
