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We have been very scared before and we got through it and we succeeded

 September 19, 2012

By  Casey Berman

[Sign up here to attend the free live, in-person Leave Law Behind event on Tuesday October 2nd at 6pm in downtown San Francisco.  Come join us.]

Why do we think we can’t do it again?

There are things we successfully do now as attorneys that we once were extremely frightened to even attempt.  Writing emails to clients.  Speaking in front of a judge.  Giving presentations.  Filing briefs.  Turning in drafts to senior partners.  Advising clients.

There was a time when doing these things scared us, made us sweat, kept us up at night, occupied all of our thoughts.  But we knew we had to do it, we might have been forced to do it, and we took a baby step, or sometimes took a leap, did it once, then again, then again, and over and over again, until we saw what worked and what didn’t work, what we were good at, and where we needed improvement.  We gained confidence and improved until it became more straightforward.  We became calmer as each success built on each success, as we were applauded for our efforts, or just silently and confidently knew we had done a good job.  We shared our thoughts and efforts with the world and they became real and useable and relied upon and worthy.

But now we may be complacent.  Or tired.  Or dissatisfied.  Or disrespected.  Or aimless.  Or kind of happy, but we know something is missing.  Or almost-all-good . . .but there still is something that we can’t put our finger on that is missing.  Or I-don’t-really-have-anything-to-complain-about but also I-don’t-actively-celebrate-much-in-my-life-either.  It’s a wide spectrum, with many shades.

It’s tough to change, but we want to.  It’s tough to stir things up, but we need to.  We are so physically tired and set in our ways and have responsibilities and mortgages and bills and need to pick up the kids after work and just have no time . . . but we also know we only have one life to live.

Now may be one of those anxiety filled, sweat inducing, confidence hammering times that we try something new that leads to a future of greater self-worth and growth and income.  We have been there before, we have done it before, we know what it takes.  We can muster the energy.  We just need to find the courage.  Because as they say, our life expands, or contracts, in relation to the amount of courage we have.

And we become courageous in part by having support.  By having others to fall back on.  By having others to pick us up and inspire us.

And we don’t need to change everything all at once.  And we don’t need to change everything right now.  Take one small step.  Take your time.

Sign up here to meet me and other like minded attorneys who are looking to leave the law behind, or already have.  The live, in-person Leave Law Behind event is on Tuesday October 2nd at 6pm in downtown San Francisco.  Come join us.

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