Law Consulting Blog : Cordell Parvin's Law Consulting Blog : Coach & Consultant For Lawyers & Law Firms : Business Development, Career Planning

What do you suppose is the most frequent coaching agenda item I receive from lawyers I coach? It is managing time. Lawyers say to me: "I do not have time to do my billable work, client development and still have a family life." Since the lawyers I coach raise it time and again, that topic is likely on your mind as well.

Some time ago, I  listened to a Harvard Ideacast titled: Are You Spending Your Time the Right Way? I urge you to listen to it. In the podcast Melissa Raffon has many ideas I thought were helpful, including making a list of things to do, then estimating how much time each will take and then blocking out time in your calendar to do them. When I practiced law I tried to do that each week. 

Melissa also posted a blog Are You Spending Your Time the Right Way? I thought her ideas in the blog were also helpful. In the blog post she suggests breaking down your responsibilities into categories and then planning time around those categories. Based on what I learned from reading Stephen Covey's books: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  and First Things First I began to plan my week around my roles: Father, Son, Husband, Brother, Practice Group Leader, Practicing Lawyer, Client Developer, Sunday School Teacher and Youth Group Leader. Based on Covey's advice, each week I wrote down the most important activity I could do in each role. 

Because my work has frequently taken me out of town, and because I worked on client development on Saturday mornings, Saturday afternoons were "father-daughter" time. Jill and I ate lunch where she chose (usually an ethnic restaurant that Nancy did not like), then we were off to do whatever she wanted to do. That time with Jill was usually the most important thing I could do each week as a father. I will always treasure our discussions.

In this video clip I discuss how to plan your work and life around your priorities.

 Are you writing down the most important activity you can do in each of your roles? If not, it is highly likely you are missing some important personal activities because you are being consumed by your billable work. That is a recipe for frustration and burnout. Give this approach a try.

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I normally do not post on Sunday and I normally stick to stories involving lawyers and law firms. I want to make an exception today to tell an inspiring story.

Nancy and I were recently in Phoenix and got the opportunity to spend time with our friend, Brian Burgett. I met Brian years ago through my work with the Associated General Contractors and have had the opportunity to work with him. Brian is the CEO of The Kokosing Group of Fredericktown, Ohio.

During out time together Brian shared with us an inspiring story about the BUILDING H.O.P.E. Project.  Brian grew up only a few miles from Greg Benson who with his wife are field directors of Christian Services International in Haiti. Brian and his family are also friends of Tim and Toby Banks who run H.O.P.E. Orphanage, which is part of Christian Services International. H.O.P.E. presently has 20 young girls between the ages of 3 and 10 years. Toby and Tim are the legal guardians of each orphan that they take care of and none of these orphans have parents. These girls are being educated to stay in Haiti and help their country be a better place to live. Brian's company has supported the orphanage over many years.

As you might imagine the orphanage was destroyed during the earthquake and it needs to be re-constructed. Brian decided Kokosing Group would get involved in the design, construction and fundraising for the new construction. 

A team is already in place working on designing a new orphanage, setting a construction schedule, organizing volunteer construction workers and fundraising.  Kokosing is matching up to $250,000 in contributions. It will also send construction employees to Haiti to do the construction. 

Brian shared with Nancy and me that one of the real benefits from his company involvement in the project was his employees pulling together to make the project successful. Giving time in addition to giving money has made a big difference. 

 For information about the BUILDING H.O.P.E. Project, including an up-to-date total of how much has been raised and construction progress, visit the Kokosing web site and follow the link.

Like Brian's family and the Kokosing employees, the lawyers and staff in your law firm are motivated by the opportunity to work together on a project that is greater than themselves. Becoming a part of a project like BUILDING H.O.P.E. is a life changing experience that brings people together in a lasting way.

 

 

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Since it is still January, I am still thinking about lawyers setting goals.

Are you interested in setting dynamite goals, but don’t know where to start? Here are a list of questions you can ask yourself.

The Who Questions:
Who is important in my life?
Who do I want to benefit from what I am doing?

The What Questions:
What are my strengths?
What are my challenges?
What do I want to accomplish?
What do I want to learn?
What do I want to experience?
What contribution do I want to make?
What do I want to have?
What do I want to earn?
What am I most passionate about?
What do my clients need the most?
What do I need to do to accomplish my goal?

The When Questions:
When do I want to accomplish each goal?

The Where Questions:
Where do I want to live?
Where do I want to visit?

The Why Questions:
Why is each goal important to me?
And why is that important to me?

The How Questions:
How do I want to accomplish my goals?
How do I want to live?
 

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There is a basic disconnect between young lawyers and senior lawyers on the concept of "work-life balance." When young lawyers say they want "work-life balance" senior lawyers consider that to be code for working less. Young lawyers who want to work in the big firms paying high salaries must accept that they will be expected to spend a minimum of 2500 hours a year on their career of which at least 2000 hours will need to be billable work.

Are you striving for work-life balance? Put simply, you will never find it and even if you could it would be incredibly boring. I have never sought balance instead I have sought to live my life based on my priorities.

If you want to strive to spend quality time on your priorities, I suggest you read "First Things First" by Stephen Covey, A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca Merrill. It is filled with many suggestions I know will help you, including planning your life around your roles. I particularly enjoy Dr. Covey's story about the "big rocks."

Dr. Covey describes that when he was teaching he pulled out a wide-mouth gallon jar and placed it next to a pile of fist-sized rocks. After filling the jar to the top with rocks, he asked, "Is the jar full?" The students replied, "Yes." He then got some gravel from under the table and added it to the jar. He jiggled the jar until the gravel filled the spaces between the rocks. Again, he asked, "Is the jar full?" This time, the students replied, "Probably not." Dr. Covey then added sand and asked, "Is the jar full?" By then the students had figured it out and replied "No!"

Finally, Dr. Covey filled the jar to the brim with water and asked his students the point of what he had done. One student replied: "you can always fit more things into your life if you really work at it. "No," countered Dr. Covey. "The point is, you have to put the big rocks in first."

Billable work for clients is clearly a big rock. But, there are many other big rocks that must be put in the jar. Your big rocks likely include being a father/mother, husband/wife, son/daughter, being fit, being active in church/community. Your big rocks also include developing your skills and developing relationships with clients. Those are all big rocks and if you plan each week around those priorities, you will find the career success and life fulfillment you are seeking.
 

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My mom passed away last week and as I thought about what I would share with her church family at her memorial service, I reflected on how much she and my dad influenced my life.

I found a quote from poet Robert Frost: "You don't have to deserve your mother's love. You have to deserve your father's. He's more particular. The father is always a Republican towards his son, and his mother's always a Democrat."

Using the political analogy, my mom was such a liberal Democrat raising me that she forced my father to be a tough love Republican. The combination served me well. My dad taught me to live, my mom taught me to love. My dad taught me to be successful, my mom taught me to be fulfilled. My dad taught me to be confident and to make my own way, my mom taught me to be humble and faithful.

Lawyers I coach probably see both my dad's influence and my mom's influence in my coaching. I believe lawyers cannot be truly successful and not be fulfilled. As you begin this new year, think about the one most important thing you can do this year to be more successful. Then think about the one most important thing you can do this year to be more fulfilled. Finally, find a way to do both things.

P.S. Last week I posted my thoughts on changing your lifestyle in 2009. I recently read a Blog post from Scott Ginsberg of Hello My Name is Scott that I believe will be helpful for every lawyer in 2009.

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Years ago, a senior associate in our firm who I will call Linda shared with me that she was burning out. She described working all day, including eating at her desk, and then getting home, fixing dinner, putting her kids to sleep and then feeling totally exhausted. I know that Linda is not the only lawyer who has felt that way. Most of us instinctively know things we should do; yet we don't do them because we can't find time. Sometimes we make New Years resolutions and quickly revert back to our old habits the first time we feel challenged.

As I told Linda, we will never find the time. We have to make time. I also told her that she should not make crash diet changes, but rather she should make permanent lifestyle changes. Here are lifestyle change suggestions I gave Linda:

1. Take responsibility for your career and life.

2. Determine the priorities in your life and plan each week around those priorities (e.g. family, health, spiritual, work).

3. Exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week.

4. Eat dinner at home with your family at least 4 nights a week.

5. Get up from your computer once an hour and, if nothing else, just walk down the hall and back.

6. Take time during the lunch hour to get outside. Do not eat at your computer.

7. Focus on things you can control rather than worrying about things you cannot control.

8. Be a "glass half full" person rather than a "glass half empty" person.

9. Begin building your career based on your major definite purpose (the intersection of your talent, passion and client needs).

10. To better understand the lifestyle changes outlined above read these three books and after each chapter write down how you will apply what you read:





"The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz - this book will teach you to manage your energy.

"First Things First" by Stephen Covey, A. Roger Merrill, and Rebecca R. Merrill - this book will teach you to manage time based on your priorities.

"Getting Things Done" by David Allen - this book will help you reduce stress by getting better organized.
Tags: Career Development, Having a Life
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I received an email from Al, a lawyer in New Orleans who told me he had read my book: "Prepare to Win." After reading the book he came across the following web site via Kevin O'Keefe's blog: http://www.alisonrowe.com/. He told me that he immediately recognized Alison from my book and that he thought what Alison is doing is a great testament to my influence. Actually what Alison is doing is a great testament to Alison's passion and persistence.

For those of you who have not read "Prepare to Win," let me share with you Alison's story. Alison grew up in Ellis County, south of Dallas, where her family has raised cattle and cotton for five generations. She went to Cornell University law school and while there she was a summer associate at my old firm. Nancy and I met Alison when she attended a summer associate in-home dinner at our house. I knew right then that Alison would become a very successful lawyer over time.

Fast forward to five years later. Alison had joined our firm as a corporate lawyer. When that work slowed down she transferred to our litigation practice group where she handled securities arbitrations. I am sure she viewed her role as more of a cut and paste from the 100 previous securities arbitration pleadings.

One day Alison invited me to lunch to talk about her future. She began by saying that if she had to do securities arbitrations the rest of her life she would quit practicing law. I told her I admired that she had figured out what she did not want to do and asked if she knew what she would love to do the rest of her career. She told me she had not thought of that. We spent the next 45 minutes exploring that and I never saw a gleam in her eyes when she brought up various possibilities. As we were paying the check she looked at me and said: "I have an idea and you have to promise not to laugh." I told her I would not laugh. Then she said: "I want to be an equine lawyer and represent race horse owners. I grew up with horses, I own a horse and I love 'horse people.'" I finally saw the gleam in her eyes.

The next day we began putting together a plan. I told her to build her library and join the Texas Thoroughbred Association and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the American Quarter Horse Association and other industry groups. I told her to not only join, but to also go to Austin and Louisville and actually meet the executive directors of those groups. I had a client from California who raced horses and I contacted him for advice. I had a friend in Dallas who raced horses and Alison and I met with him for breakfast that very week. He gave her periodicals that she should read and for which she should ultimately write articles. He told her the problems, opportunities and changes thoroughbred racehorse owners were facing.

To coin a phrase: "Alison was off to the races." Within months she had become insatiable reading and studying issues affecting the industry with her non-billable time, while continuing to get her hours doing the securities arbitrations. She got her first speaking engagement to a group of new thoroughbred racehorse owners and she created her own marketing brochure.

In 2007 Alison got married to Rick, a Vet student at Texas A&M. As a result, she left a big law firm and opened her own practice in Bryan, Texas. Needless to say this was a huge and challenging step. I hear from Alison occasionally and she tells me she is on her way to a record year in 2008. I am confident that over time Alison will become one of the "go-to" equine lawyers in the US. Check out her website above and her Blog.

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It is so easy to get discouraged. At one time or another each of us gets discouraged and question whether we want to be a lawyer. I questioned my career path as early as my first year in law school when I was both bored and intimidated. Nine years after I finished law school, in 1980, I questioned whether I wanted to ever litigate another case. In that year, I lost a jury case. I was so devastated by the loss, that I wondered if I was cut out for a lawyer's life. I learned from that experience that even though losing is very painful, it also causes a lawyer to think and reflect about many things. At that point, I really wasn't having fun and I was growing restless.

Several years later, when I was really on a roll, the general counsel of my largest client decided he did not want me doing work for the company. The irony was that this occurred shortly after I had put together a presentation on a matter that resulted in a settlement proposal about five times more than the company management expected. I had become a hero to company management who started calling me directly. The general counsel got upset and was able to convince the CEO that he was the person who should select outside counsel. Since he was upset about management calling me, the general counsel purposely excluded me from getting work. Needless to say I was extremely discouraged.

When I look back on those years, I am always reminded of the Peggy Lee song: "Is That All There Is?" The lyrics include the following:
"Is that all there is, is that all there is? If that's all there is, my friends, then let's keep dancing, Let's break out the booze and have a ball, If that's all there is." There have been times in my career when I wondered if that's all there was...

How did I move out of my Peggy Lee discouragement? I actually did two things. First, I started by keeping written track of work I enjoyed and which clients I liked best. Second, I developed a plan based on my own definition of success and my goals. I discovered through this process that I really liked serving contractors and started focusing my client development efforts on obtaining more work from them. So, my major definite purpose was to become the "go to lawyer" for highway/civil contractors. I wrote a law review article to build my reputation. In 1981 I made my first presentation to a group of contractors at their annual convention. That led to many other speaking opportunities. Because of the speaking I did, in 1984 I was asked to write a monthly column for contractors in a trade publication. I have been writing the column each month for 22 years now.

I also changed how I was looking at things. I had previously focused on what I did as a lawyer and my success. I realized that for me the real pleasure was focusing on making a difference for clients. As a result, I redefined my career success around understanding and providing what construction contractor clients needed in a more effective way than my competitors. I discovered contractor clients were less interested in what I did than they were in whether I was providing what they needed. Very few of my contractor clients wanted to litigate their disputes. They wanted to resolve them. So, I focused on negotiation and alternative dispute resolution. Later I focused on preparing requests for additional compensation in a manner that would most likely result in a positive resolution.

As a result of all of those changes I had made in my life and career, those haunting words: "Is that all there is?" were no longer in my mind. Instead, I was on a "Colorado Rocky Mountain High." As John Denver aptly sung: "He was born in the summer of his twenty-seventh year." When I listen to "Colorado Rocky Mountain High," I can't help but feel upbeat about my future.

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In my post last week, I suggested that when you are doing things with your family, you focus your attention on them and turn your Blackberry off. There are two stories about fathers and sons that I believe illustrate the difference between how we interact with our children. My minister related the first story to our congregation a few years ago. It was about a day of fishing long ago.

Charles Francis Adams, the son of John Quincy Adams took his son, Brook fishing. Brook kept a journal and his entry for that day was:  "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" It turns out that Charles Francis Adams also kept a journal. His entry for the very same day was: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." That entry might seem incredible today, but I do not think so.  I remember Harry Chapin's wonderful song "The Cat is in the Cradle" and the lyrics:

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play"
"Can you teach me to throw?"
I said, "Not today, I got a lot to do"
He said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah"
"You know I'm gonna be like him"

I read recently about a Cornell University study that found the average father spends 38 seconds per day being totally attentive to his children's needs and about 20 minutes a day being partially attentive. The same children spend 54 hours per week watching television. I learned early in my career from my first senior lawyer mentor the importance of spending quality time with my daughter, Jill. She is 29 years old and I still spend quality time with her. She now enjoys "family game days." We play Trivial Pursuit, The Game of Life, Texas Hold 'em and a variety of Wii games. I am confident that most of us do not consider our time with our children wasted. But, if that is so, are we totally attentive when we are with them? I know I have been guilty of not being totally attentive. My daughter's story about me reading emails on my Blackberry and responding even made it into a Boston Globe article.  http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2006/07/02/businesss_new_task_turning_off/

The second story is "Green and Clean" and I read it many years ago in Stephen Covey's book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Stephen Covey tells about giving his seven year old son responsibility for the yard work and making the yard "green and clean" and volunteers to be his son's helper. For several days, Stephen Covey looks at the yard and nothing has been done. Stephen Covey asked his son: "How's the yard coming?" The son replied: "Fine, Dad." After dinner Stephen Covey suggested they take a look at the yard. As they walked out in the yard his son began to sob and said: "It is so hard, Dad." Stephen Covey asked if there was anything he could do to help. That broke the ice. His son went in the house and got a bag for Stephen Covey to use to pick up garbage from a barbeque. According to Covey, his seven year old son only asked for help a couple of more times that summer and the yard was greener and cleaner than ever before. Do we have the patience to be our children's helper and teach them to take responsibility, or would we have just become upset with our child and taken over the task? You can read the entire story  at :http://www.geocities.com/managementplaza/green-and-clean.html.

At the risk of giving this post too much of a Kumbaya touch,  I also found an inspirational website for fathers at  http://fathersmattermuch.com. Check it out Dads.

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In December, 2006, I posted my ideas on making 2007 your best year ever. I received a lot of feedback from lawyers who found that post helpful. Many of my thoughts have not changed. I want to share those and some new ones as we start the second month of 2008. Are you willing to go on a journey with me and see if it makes 2008 your best year ever?

Some lawyers I know have not given a lot of thought to what they want. Instead they focus on what they don't want and typically see those things in more detail. Some lawyers know what they want, and even have a fair idea of what to do to get it, but they do not have the commitment or the discipline to actually go after it. It reminds me of people who start diets and join workout facilities in January, and, even though they know better, they are back to their old eating habits and skipping exercise by March 1. Like last year, I have some questions and my Top 10 Tips. If you are interested, I want you to answer the following questions about yourself. You can email your answers to me if you would like my thoughts.

Here are my questions:

1.  What would be a homerun for you in your career and your personal life for 2008?

If you are challenged answering this, think about what you want to accomplish in your career this year, what you want to learn, what would be enriching relationships with family and friends and how you want to live your life.

2.  Picture in your mind, you in January 2013. What is happening in your career, your family and your personal life? Write down what you picture yourself doing then.

3.  What is the one thing you could do in 2008 that you have not done before, that would have the greatest impact on your career and your life? 

Several years ago, I decided that the one thing for me was to use my time more wisely. I also decided that I needed to plan my time each week and write down what I planned to do.

4.  If you know what you want, what is holding you back? Don't say your firm or other things over which you have no control. Instead, focus on what you can control.

In my case, I know I lack self discipline, and more than anything else, I waste time on things that don't lead me toward my professional or personal priorities.

5.  What are you willing to do to achieve what you have described is important to you?
I like the quote attributed to a wide variety of college football and basketball coaches. "Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win."

Here are my Top 10 Tips:

1. Write down what you want to accomplish in 2008.  Then prioritize your list of what you want to accomplish.
 
2. Prepare a Plan with written goals so you use your non-billable time wisely. I can provide you with two different templates to consider. 

3. Decide on one area to learn that will enable you to be a more effective lawyer in your field. One year I decided to focus on communication to juries. I bought every book I could find on the subject, listened to every tape and read every article. 

4. Get a group of your colleagues together to talk about the main points of leading business books that will make you more effective. If you send me an email, I would be happy to send you my list of books that will make the biggest difference in your career and life. More importantly than reading the books is actually implementing 2-3 things as a result of reading the books. 

5. Use your time more wisely and effectively. Time is our most valuable resource. Whether we care to admit it or not, our challenge is not that we do not have enough time. Instead, our challenge is that we do not use the time we have based on our priorities. Occasionally, I challenge myself to write down things I do - or things I should do that by not doing them - wastes my time.
 
6. Think of ways to apply the 80-20 rule. Let me give you examples so you can think about it. Twenty percent of the things we do create eighty percent of our success. What is that twenty percent for you? Eighty percent of a typical lawyers business comes from twenty percent of his or her clients. Which of your clients generate eighty percent of your business? 

7. Decide how much non-billable time you plan to spend developing your career and client base in 2008 and divide by 50. Each week give yourself a report card on whether you spent the number of planned hours and how well you spent it. 

8. Get more face time with clients and prospective clients. One of the lawyers I coach has discovered that each and every time he meets in-person with a client, he comes away with a new matter either right then or shortly thereafter. 

9. Develop your elevator speech. Send me an email that tells me all I need to know about you to recommend that a potential client hire you. Why am I suggesting this? First, if you do not know why a client should hire you, the clients clearly won't know either. Second, this will cause you to think about your elevator speech. How many times have you met people who ask what you do? Telling them you are a litigator, or a corporate lawyer or a tax lawyer may be absolutely accurate, but it will not likely get you very far.
 
10. Get a friend in your firm or outside your firm who will be like a success workout partner. Why do this? It is just one good way you can hold yourself accountable. When I had a workout partner, I was way more likely to show up at the fitness center even when I did not feel like it.

11. Make client development a habit. Do something each and every day, no matter how small. The lawyers in one firm I am coaching came up with a list of 33 potential small client development activities they could do each day. Can you come up with your own list?

12. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, spend more quality time with your family without feeling guilty. When you are with your family, be in the moment with them. Focus on them both externally and internally. Do not let your mind wonder. One of my first mentors was known as a hard worker. Yet he spent more time with his family than any of the partners in the firm. How did he do it? Put simply, he did not waste time on things that were not his priorities. You can spend more time with your family, if you spend your billable and non-billable time more efficiently and more effectively based on what is most important to you.

I am still really enjoying posting client development thoughts for the day on my Mac computer. Over the weekend I posted one about setting goals and what I have learned from Brian Tracy's books. Today I posted one about making your friends your clients and your clients your friends. I hope you will find these thoughts helpful. Go to http://web.mac.com/cordpar and check it out.

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On this last day of 2007, if you haven't already started planning what you want to accomplish in 2008, this would be a really good time to start.

When I was billing 2000 hours I did not have time to study or understand why some lawyers are successful and have a great family life and why others are not. I also did my client development activities instinctively and some things worked very effectively while other things did not work quite as well.

Now, that I am coaching and working with lawyers, I have a much better idea of the attributes of the most successful lawyers who also have a family life and I understand better why certain client development efforts work. While each of us has unique talents, weaknesses, ambitions and practices, and there is no magic pill or formula, there are principles that I urge you to think about and try.

On my webpage you will find two articles I wrote that were published this year. They both focus on how a lawyer can make 2007 his or her best year ever. The second is kind of a shorter version of the first. I believe becoming more successful begins with our attitude. When we talk to our self do we say: "Yes, but..." or "Sure, how..." do we say: "My problem is..." or "my opportunity is..." do we say: "I don't have time to..." or do we say: "I will find time to..." Next, we must have clarity on what we want in our career and in our life. Our time and energy are our most important assets. If we do not have clarity, we waste precious time. For me to have clarity, I think on paper with written goals and a plan for using my time. Take a look at the two articles as you ponder what you want to accomplish in 2008.

Next, we need to focus on what our clients need. They do not want to be sold on how good we are or our firm is and they do not care about what we do. They hire us to solve their problems, help them achieve opportunities or deal with internal or external changes. To be relevant, what we do has to address those issues or it doesn't matter. The best way to figure out what potential clients need, is to identify your target market and make sure you understand their industry.

We need to build our profile. To borrow a quote: "Being the best in the world is seriously overrated." Over time think about what you can be the "go to lawyer" doing. It should be something clients need and you are passionate about. Building our profile gives us the opportunity to build relationships with clients and potential clients. Client development is all about relationship building. When we become more successful we need to build a team. Young lawyers who will later work with you will be thinking "what is in this for me to work with...?"

Finally, we need to plan our personal time at the very least as well as we plan our work time. We need to be in the moment, not answering blackberry emails, and when we are with our kids, we need to be doing things with them rather than for them. You will see in this Boston Globe article that my grown daughter brought that point home to me well. http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2006/07/02/businesss_new_task_turning_off/

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Laura is a lawyer who I coached when I was in charge of attorney development in my old law firm. One night she and her husband were eating dinner with Nancy and me and Laura shared with me that at the end of each day after she put her two children in bed, she was absolutely exhausted and dreaded starting the same grind the next day. Like many lawyers I know, Laura rarely got up from her desk while at work. She frequently ate lunch at her desk and spent most of her time focused on her computer screen. When I heard Laura describe her typical day, I suggested that she read the book: The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. I have both the written book and the audio version and I urge you to read or listen to the book if you end each day exhausted.

I love a point the authors make early in the book. They say: "To be fully engaged, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest. Full engagement begins with feeling eager to get to work in the morning and equally happy to return home in the evening and capable of setting clear boundaries between the two."

The authors assert there are four key energy management principles:
1.    Full Engagement requires drawing on four separate but related sources of energy: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual
2.    Because energy capacity diminishes both with overuse and with underuse, we must balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal.
3.    To build capacity, we must push beyond our normal limits, training in the same systematic way that elite athletes do.
4.    Positive energy rituals-highly specific routines for managing energy-are the key to full engagement and sustained high performance.

Chapter Ten of the book is titled: "Taking Action: The Power of Positive Rituals." In that chapter the authors note that "a growing body of research suggests that as little as 5 percent of our behaviors are consciously self-directed. We are creatures of habit and as much as 95 percent of what we do occurs automatically..." They point out that great performers all rely on positive rituals to manage their energy and achieve their goals. They suggest that these great performers have rituals that optimize their ability to move rhythmically between stress and recovery.

How did reading this book change what I was doing? First, I divided my lifetime goals into four categories:
•    physical/economic
•    mental and growth
•    emotional and relationships
•    spiritual

Second, I decided to get up from my computer and least once an hour; I quit sending emails to someone who was just down the hall from me; I quit eating lunch at my desk; and, I changed my exercise routine to include interval training. Finally, I tried to create positive rituals including getting up early to workout, setting aside time to work on client development and spending Saturday afternoon with my daughter, Jill and playing golf each week with my wife, Nancy.

The book includes a full Corporate Athlete Performance Development Plan. Interestingly, I found many of the same steps in the plan that I included in the Personal Performance and Development Plan I had prepared for associates in my firm.

Are you exhausted each day? If so I urge you to read The Power of Full Engagement and make the changes suggested by the authors.

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Here's another Little Things Matter that demonstrates how much it counts for you to remember little things your client or potential client tells you. The attorney in this story not only remembered what her potential client told her, she did another little thing that mattered.

I had a phone coaching session with Cordell yesterday and I mentioned that I had been focusing the last 30 days on in-person client visits. I have also been trying to incorporate the "give away" idea Cordell has discussed. I have had a lot of fun getting to know my clients and potential clients on a more personal level. I wanted to share with you the following, in the hopes that it may inspire and/or assist you in your efforts.

I ran into a long-time acquaintance recently, we'll call her Mary, who I had not seen in some time. "Mary" and I got to talking and I learned she had recently become engaged, is planning a wedding, and is also in the process building and buying a new home. "Mary" mentioned that she had not found time recently to work on fitness and that she wanted to get back on a fitness program before the wedding. She also mentioned her plans to rent her existing home to a tenant. A week or so after my meeting with "Mary", I was in a bookstore looking for a specific book. While there, I thought about "Mary" and remembered a health eating/fitness book I had read. I called "Mary" and stopped by to see her after work, where I presented her with a small gift bag with the book and a note. She was very touched, could not believe I had remembered her mentioning her desire to become more fit before the wedding, and could not thank me enough. She has already asked me if I can prepare a lease and to review the contract for her new home."

We all know it's important to listen to what your clients tell you. We all know we need to listen to what they say about their legal issues. That's a big part of being a good lawyer. But if you want to build relationships with your clients, you will want to listen to what they say about themselves. Then you'll know what little thing to do that will matter.

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I will be speaking to groups of associates in two law firms in the next week. The topics generally will cover the secret of being a successful lawyer and having a fulfilling and active family life.

When I was billing 2000 hours I did not have time to study or understand why some lawyers are successful and have a great family life and why others are not. I also did my client development instinctively and some things worked very effectively, while other things did not work quite as well. I didn't have time then to sit down and analyze why.

Now, that I am coaching and working with lawyers, and researching and writing, I have a much better idea of the attributes of the most successful lawyers who also have a family life and I understand better why certain client development efforts work more effectively than others. While each lawyer I know has unique talents, weaknesses, ambitions and practices, and there is no magic pill or formula, there are principles that I urge you to think about and try.

I have written about those principles in previous Blog postings and on my web page you will find two articles I wrote that were published this year. The first was published by the New York State Bar Association YLD publication "Perspective" and the second was published by "Marketing the Law Firm." It is kind of a shorter version of the first. They both address some of the principles I mentioned.

As I have outlined on this page before, it all begins with our attitude. When we talk to our self do we say: "Yes, but..." or "Sure. How...?" do we say; "My problem is..." or "my opportunity is..." Next, we must have clarity on what we want in our career and life. Our time and energy are our most important assets. If we do not have clarity by having a written plan and written goals we waste precious time. Next, we need to focus on what our clients need. They do not want to be sold. They do not care about what we do. They hire us to solve problems, help them achieve opportunities or deal with internal or external changes. If what we do does not address those issues, the client will not hire us, no matter how good we are.

We need to build our profile. Over time it really helps to focus on a niche and become the "go to lawyer" in that niche. It should be something clients need and you are passionate about. One lawyer I am coaching sent me her revised plan. She identified clients and potential clients, what she could do for them, two specific areas she wanted to focus on and become the "go to lawyer" and a game plan to become recognized by the clients she wants to serve.

Building our profile gives us the opportunity to build relationships with clients and potential clients. At the end of the day, we get the opportunity to be considered based on our reputation and recommendations, we ultimately get hired based on how well we connect with our clients and build trust and rapport. Assuming we do high quality work, we keep those clients by understanding their industry, their business and their personal needs. I also say that I want my clients to be friends and I want my friends to be clients. So, the personal relationship we develop really does matter.

When we become more successful we need to build a team. Young lawyers who will later work with you will be thinking "what is in this for me to work with...?"  We need to treat them as if they are as important as our most important client because without their help we will not retain our most important client. We need to align their goals with our own and our client's goals, provide sufficient information in a timely way for them to do their work and then constantly give feedback.

Finally, we need to plan our personal time at the very least as well as we plan our work time. For me, Saturday afternoon starting with lunch has always been Jill's time. It is more challenging now that she is married, but we still try to spend that time together, now usually with her husband and my wife, Nancy, included. When we are with our family, we need to be in the moment, not answering blackberry emails. You will see in this Boston Globe article that my grown daughter brought that point home to me well. http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2006/07/02/businesss_new_task_turning_off/

I recently came across a report titled: How Superachievers Outperform Others by Dr. Donald J. Moine. I found it very supportive of what I have learned and written about how super lawyers outperform others. You can find it on the Selling Power webpage http://www.sellingpower.com. If you have trouble finding it or downloading it, send me an email and I will get it to you.

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Some of the lawyers I coach tell me they are challenged to figure out what they really want and what is most important to them. I understand the problem. It is not easy to look inside and discover what is really important to you. Here are some questions that might get you started:

Why did you want to become a lawyer?  What kind of work do you really enjoy?  What do you feel are your unique talents?  What do you want to achieve in the next 10 years? Who are lawyers you really admire, and why?  How would you describe your ideal client? What do you believe is your life purpose? What is your career purpose?

If you were retiring:

• What would you want your colleagues to say about you?


• What would you want your clients to say about you?


• What would you want your family to say about you?

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I recently received a copy of an email from a lawyer I am coaching to the others in her coaching group. She said:

I am not sure how many of you are reading Cordell's book, but I just read a great tip in there that I thought that I would share with you.  It is not one that I had heard before.

Determine who 5 leading lawyers are in your field.  Print out their biographies.  Study their biographies to determine what has made them successful (e.g. speaking engagements, leadership roles, pro bono, memberships).  Emulate their success.

A few years ago I read a quote attributed to Bobby Knight and also to Paul (Bear) Bryant. It was "Many have the will to win, but few have the will to prepare to win."  I believe  successful lawyers are not successful by accident. Most I know prepare to win by figuring out what is important to them, setting career and life priorities, developing a plan with goals and taking action to achieve them. I also know now that attracting new clients and building a lasting relationship with them is not an accident. The successful lawyers I know prepare to win with clients and potential clients by taking time to understand their needs and making sure they effectively address those needs.  In your career, "the will to prepare to win" will be way more important than the "will to win." So, I chose "Prepare to Win: A Lawyer's Guide to Rainmaking, Career Success and Life Fulfillment" as the title for my new book, which has recently been released.

This book is not about winning in court or on appeal. Instead, it is a workbook designed to help you define your own success and then achieve it. I hope you will find it a helpful tool as you focus on your career, client development, and living the kind of life that is important to you. I hope you find some valuable nuggets in the book that will help you think through what your career and life priorities are and how you can achieve them.

Here are the Chapter titles:

Chapter One:  How Do Rainmakers Do It?
 
Chapter Two:  Living and Practicing Law with a Purpose: You Have to Answer the "Why" Question

Chapter Three:  Your Vision of Success: How Do Rainmakers Do It?

Chapter Four:  Core Values: How Do You Want to Live?

Chapter Five:  The Importance of Role Models and Mentors

Chapter Six:  Setting Yearly Goals and Developing Your Career Plan

Chapter Seven:  A Call to Action: Executing Your Plan

Chapter Eight:  Mind Games: Getting and Staying "In the Zone"

Chapter Nine:  Building Your Profile: The Power of Writing and Speaking

Chapter Ten:  Community Service and Networking

Chapter Eleven:  Connecting with Contacts

Chapter Twelve:  Top Ten Client Development Mistakes

Chapter Thirteen:  Improving Client Service

Chapter Fourteen:  From Niches to Riches

Chapter Fifteen:  Important Extras: The Value of Extraordinary Client Service

Chapter Sixteen:  The Business Case for Better Balance

Chapter Seventeen:  Building the Next Generation of Rainmakers

If you want to read a sample from the book, click here. You can also order the book from the webpage.

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I have always found inspiration from quotes. I doubt many young lawyers have ever heard of James Allen. He was an English author in the late 1800s. His quotes have inspired many, but few have ever heard of him. He was a self-help guru when self-help gurus were not cool. Here are just a few of his quotes that I hope will inspire you.

"You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration."

"To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve."

"For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?"

"All that you accomplish or fail to accomplish with your life is the direct result of your thoughts."

If you want to learn more about James Allen and download his most famous book As a Man Thinketh, check out http://jamesallen.wwwhubs.com/ - a website devoted to his writing and teaching. Chapter Four of the book focuses on having a purpose, something I believe we all need. I particularly like this paragraph from that chapter:

"A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being. But whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph."

So, have you decided what your major definite purpose is for being a lawyer? Have you focused your thoughts on achieving it?  

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By now you have likely seen the Clinton campaign video which is a take off of the last episode of the Sopranos. If by chance you haven't seen it, you can find it on the candidate's website: hillaryclinton.com. I think it is an absolutely brilliant marketing piece. Among other things, it increases Hillary's likeability factor, ties her indirectly to a very popular television show, draws people who would not otherwise go there to her website, and it is memorable and extraordinary. Finally, it is simply fun and gets people involved in the discussion by asking them to vote for her campaign song.

I had not gone to her website prior to hearing about the video. In fact, I have never gone on any political candidate's website. I think if you look at hers you see what legal marketing will look like in the future. There are Blogs, Videos, links to her on YouTube, MySpace and plenty of opportunities for people to get involved.

How can we apply this same approach to marketing ourselves as lawyers? I have to give that lots of thought, but I would be very interested in hearing any ideas you have. For now, I am in awe of the creative idea and how it became a lead story on many of the networks.

Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment to this blog.

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Whether you are reading this blog because you want to be a rainmaker or you want to prioritize your career and your life, I hope you find something valuable from my book, Rising Star. I have included in this blog some paragraphs from the introduction. And I have included what one attorney has said about Rising Star. I hope you find this helpful.

"This is the second book I have written about Tony and Gina Caruso. In "Say Ciao to Chow Mein: Conquering Career Burnout" I focused on Tony, who after finishing his first year as an associate in a large Texas law firm is burned out and struggling to find meaning in his career. In Ciao, Gina loves her work as a clerk for a Federal Court judge. At the conclusion of Ciao, Tony has just been promoted to partner and he and Gina have two children. Rising Star: The Making of a Rainmaker is about Gina, who is now a partner in a mid-sized firm. She is the talk of the firm, having brought in $1 Million of business. Yet, she feels like a one-hit wonder because her success was a result of one big case from one big client.

I have known Tony's and Gina's throughout my 35 years practicing law. Their characters are a composite of lawyers who have worked for me and lawyers I have been blessed to coach and mentor. Many of those lawyers have caused me to study and examine differences between lawyers who are successful and happy and lawyers who are not. Interestingly, many of the people who are truly successful also have a great personal life and are very family oriented.

***

Gina learns you must begin by knowing what you want. Then becoming credible to your potential clients and finally by understanding their wants, needs, and perceptions so that your service and what you provide them is "remarkable" in their eyes. When I developed my own successful law practice, and when I wrote Rising Star, I was not familiar with marketing guru and successful author Seth Godin. The main focus of his writing has been about the need in our complex society to be "remarkable" to be even noticed. In the November/December 2006 issue of Selling Power," Seth Godin talks about three kinds of customers. I will put it in the context of clients:

1. Clients who don't need the services you or your firm offer.

2. Clients who need the services you or your firm offer, but are using another lawyer or firm.

3. Clients who are ignoring you.

Godin says you can't market directly to the second and third group. "Instead, have them come to you." How do you suppose you can get them to come to you? Godin suggests you have to create something "remarkable."

Gina learns that principle and I have taught others to do the same thing. Jennifer is a labor and employment lawyer I am coaching. She created the "Easy Guide" which is a compilation of labor and employment laws on laminated cards which an HR person can attach to his or her monitor. Jennifer has the clients in the second and third category calling and asking for an "Easy Guide."

Writing Rising Star has been a labor of love, but not nearly the joy I have had over my career working with young lawyers like Tony and Gina. I hope you will use Rising Star as a guide to develop your own success.

What remarkable thing can you create that will cause clients to come to you?"

If you want to read the rest of the introduction and a couple of sample chapters, click here for information about how you can get a free e-copy sample of Rising Star.

This is no simple 'how-to' rainmaking book filled with lists and instructions that you promise to read once you find the time. This is a book you will pick up and read cover to cover, and likely read again. Mr. Parvin has brought rainmaking and career development to life through this story of a young lawyer struggling to balance professional and personal life. There is helpful advice for all lawyers here -- from setting specific goals to making a name for oneself. I highly recommend it.

Christina Plum, Attorney,
Stenzel Law Office LLC
Past Chair, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division

To order Rising Star, click here - or you may find it on Amazon.com

As you read Rising Star, please feel free to come back to this blog and add a comment.

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Would it surprise you to know that I thought of quitting a few times in my career? The first time was when I was a first year law student. During the first semester I worked very hard and had no idea how I was doing. I thought to myself: "Who needs this?" I'll just quit law school and fulfill my active duty commitment to the Air Force. Well, I didn't quit and at the end of the first semester I was third in my class. In 1980 I tried a case in West Virginia. One issue in the case was the reasonable cost of completing a construction project. I argued $130,000. The contractor's lawyer argued $30,000. We had jury interrogatories with the specific question: "What was the reasonable cost to complete the project?" The jury answered: "0." I was devastated. I asked the judge to send the jury back. After all, the amount had to be somewhere between $30,000 and $130,000. He refused. On my way back home, I thought to myself that maybe I was not cut out for this stuff. But, what else could I do. So, I stuck with it again.

This week I listened to a Podcast interview of Seth Godin. http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/podcast.php The focus of the interview was Godin's 78 page book: The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches When to Quit (and When to Stick) . I bought the book for $7.77 and I would urge you to buy it also. I like it because it focuses on the importance of being number one-"the go to person" in your field. Godin says that to be a superstar it helps if your niche has a steep dip-the barrier between those who try and those who succeed. Microsoft has created a dip so deep and wide that its competitors quit before catching up. Apple has done the same with iTunes and the iPod. I believe I did it with my writing and speaking on transportation construction. No other lawyer had near the content or number of speaking engagements I had.

Godin notes that every project starts out to be exciting. Later there is a dip. Less successful people quit or decide it is OK to be average. Many successful people quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt based on the priorities in their life. They commit to beating the right dips for the right reasons. They actually seek out dips and realize the bigger the dip, the greater the reward for getting through it.

One of the questions Seth Godin is frequently asked is how do you know when it is time to quit. He suggests that it is time to quit when you realize you are have been settling for mediocrity or when you see no measurable improvement and no way to change how you measure it. Seth Godin says the worst time to quit is when the pain is the greatest. For more about the book, go to http://www.squidoo.com/thedipbook.

A couple of months ago, I participated in a program for a very successful New York based firm. The title of the program was "Path to Partnership." The program was for the firm's senior associates. The managing partner introduced me and talked for about five minutes about his vision of the professional and personal attributes of lawyers the firm wants to have as partners. I followed with a one hour presentation. I told the associates there is no formula, but there is an approach that begins with figuring out what is important in their lives. After my presentation, five junior partners told the group about their path to partnership. One junior partner had been a lateral as a senior associate. Another had left the firm to try cases in the US Attorney's Office in Washington, DC. Two of the partners had been with the firm from the beginning. One told the associates that he had come to the firm for the summer while in law school "just for the experience." He never intended to come back as a first year associate. When he did, he planned to leave after a couple of years. Turns out he never left.

While each of the junior partners got to partnership in a different way, they shared one thing in common. During their years as associates, they experienced many dips. They each wondered if the effort they were making was really worth it. One young partner got through the dips because he needed the income to pay for the place he was living in the city. All five of the young partners said that a breakthrough occurred for them when they first sensed what they were doing was making a difference for a client. I came away with the appreciation that each of us encounters dips in our careers. In order to get through them we need a powerful reason-the reason that is the right one for us.

If you are interested in my PowerPoint or the handouts from this program, just let me know and I will send them to you.

Click here to get "the dip"

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Years ago when Jill was in college we were taking a father-daughter trip. While on the plane, Jill said: "Dad, there is something I have to tell you." With fear of what it might be, I replied: "What's that Jill?" She said: "Dad, I don't want to be a lawyer. I want to teach." I was quite relieved and I told Jill I admired her for following her passion.

Last year when she and I were preparing for a high school youth group program at our church, Jill showed me her journal from high school which included her life goals at the time. One of her primary goals was to teach special education.

Jill, occasionally reads my Blog. The other day I got an email from her. Here is what she said:

Dad you should write a Blog about elementary teachers for the lawyers you coach. A lot of things that we do can be applied to being successful as a lawyer.

Reasons:

1. Elementary teachers spend all day working with lots of different personalities and learning styles. We have to approach each child differently. We have to constantly change what we are doing midstream so that we can work with those different styles. When we figure out that something is not working, we have to think on our feet and be a problem solver so that "no child is left behind." I bet that successful lawyers approach each client differently and they think creatively of ways to solve each client's problems.


2. We love what we do and we don't do it for the money. In fact, most teachers spend more than they should to make sure that each child has a pencil, paper, lunch, or a warm coat. Most of us give selflessly. Why? Because we LOVE our children. I know that when I am at work I am in the zone. I love teaching my kids and would never do anything else. I bet that lawyers who really care for their clients will also give selflessly and be in the zone when helping them. I appreciate that a young lawyer may not have the contact with the client like we have with the kids, so that must be a real challenge.


3. I am sure many lawyers think about how much time teachers have off and that the school day ends at 3:00 so we must have a really easy job. When we are teaching we work HARD! We are on our feet all day, and on our computers all night and all weekend. This is no 9 to 5. We give up our lunches so that we can walk a kid with a bloody knee to the clinic and make sure that he's patched up. We then hand that kid OUR lunch so that he has something to eat because the cafeteria is already closed. We give up our conference time so that we can tutor. We stay late at school so that the lesson is prepared for the next day. Why? Because we are dedicated to making a difference for our children. While we have time off in the summer, I always teach summer school and continue my education to continue learning to be a better teacher.

I would love for you to come up here one day and see what it takes to teach special education. The amount of patience I have to have each day is UNREAL. The amount of love and dedication I have to give each day is UNREAL. My kids struggle in so many ways. They each need so much love and attention. But, fulfilling that need is what makes it all worthwhile

Anyway, come have lunch one day and meet my little boogers.

Love you, Jill

I went to Jill's school last week. I have to admit, I was blown away by how her kids performed. Each of them has challenges learning and many have other issues as well. She has a way of reaching them that I would never have the patience to do.

What can we learn from Jill? I think she is following her passion. She has a clear idea of what she wants to do. She is very focused on serving the needs of her kids. While it may not be easy for us, if we can find the same things in our law practice, we will have the same kind of satisfaction Jill has.

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When I set goals I do a lot of brainstorming with myself, and with my wife, friends and mentors. I like to ask myself who, what, when, why, where and how questions. Try these when you are setting goals.

The Who Questions:

Who is important in my life?

Who do I want to benefit from what I am doing?

The What questions:

What are my strengths?

What are my challenges?

What do I want to accomplish?

What do I want to learn?

What do I want to experience?

What contribution do I want to make?

What do I want to have?

What do I want to earn?

What am I most passionate about?

What do my clients need the most?

What do I need to do to accomplish my goal?

The When Questions:

When do I want to accomplish each goal?

The Where Questions:

Where do I want to live?

Where do I want to visit?

The Why questions:

Why is each goal important to me?

And why is that important to me?

The How Questions:

How do I want to accomplish my goals?

How do I want to live?

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The other day I was listening to a podcast interview of Timothy Ferriss, the author of a book titled, The 4-Hour work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. You can find the podcast at http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/weblog.php. The first thought I had is it is a shame we sell time because there is no way we could possibly have a four hour workweek. My second thought was: Suppose I only worked four hours a week, what in the world would I do with the rest of my week?I listened intently and thought Mr. Ferriss had some nifty ideas that we can apply to our own hourly billing driven careers. He coined the acronym DEAL.

• Decide what you want


• Eliminate things that do not lead you to what you want


• Automate and delegate to others things they can do that enables you to do more important things


• Liberate-use your newly found free time

Since I wanted to learn what I could do with the rest of my week, I bought Mr. Ferriss' book and went on his webpage: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com. There, I found an interesting discussion of E-Mail addiction. I urge you to read it because it provides statistical support for the conclusion that we have become addicted to email and our Blackberry's. I will leave the statistics for your reading. Mr. Ferriss notes that "Crackberry" was the official winner of the 2006 Word-of-the-Year as selected by the editorial staff of Webster's New World College Dictionary.

He also references IQ tests done in 2005 by a psychiatrist at King's College in London. The tests were given to three groups: the first did nothing but perform the IQ test, the second was distracted by e-mail and ringing phones, and the third was stoned on marijuana. Not surprisingly, the first group did better than the other two by an average of 10 points. More interesting was that the group stoned on pot did 6 points better than the group distracted by phone calls and emails.

If the tests reflect on the ability to concentrate, what do you suppose is happening to us as we try to do important work for clients while we are being constantly interrupted by the buzz or ding that we have gotten another email? Given that we are addicted, I know it would be challenging, but consider only looking at email from 11:30 to 12:00 and 5:30 to 6:00, or only looking at it the last 10 minutes of each hour. I believe we could be more focused and actually more efficient. Just suppose you created an auto-response, the kind you use when you are out of the office, that told people you are focused on an important project and will be checking email at 11:30 or 5:30. Do you think you would lose any clients? I think clients would actually appreciate knowing you are totally focused on their matters.

Click here to get The 4-Hour work Week

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Book Reviews, Having a Life

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I have always been an avid reader of books I thought would improve my skills in client development, leadership, teamwork and a variety of other topics, and help me use my time more effectively. I learned long ago a way to read business books. I first skim the book. In that process I decide what is important that I want to go back and read in detail.
People often ask me for a list of books I would recommend they read. So, I put this list together with the idea of you reading a book a month. Considering I am posting this blog in February, you may want to adjust the schedule accordingly. However, if you can find the time, I'd suggest you quickly read January's book and then get right into the book for February. I hope you find each book to beneficial to you and I hope you enjoy them.
January: Getting Things Done by David Allen
February: Overachievement by John Eliot
March: The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
April: The Ultimate Guide to Mental Toughness by Daniel Teitelbaum
May: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
June: The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey with Rebecca Merrill
July: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
August: Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
September: High Trust Selling by Todd Duncan
October: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Business Communicators by Carmine Gallo
November:  Making Rain by Andrew Sobel
December: Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galfard
Six Bonus Books if you have already read any on the list above:

1. Selling with Emotional Intelligence by Mitch Anthony


2. How to Connect in Business in 90 Seconds or Less by Nicholas Boothman


3. Heavy Hitter Selling by Steven W. Martin


4. The Likeability Factor by Tim Sanders


5. Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story by Jerry Weissman


6. Leading with the Heart by Mike Krzyzewski

By the way, please feel free to post comments to this blog as you read the books. Tell me what you found helpful. I like receiving your feedback.
 
 

 

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Someone once asked Albert Einstein "if you could ask God one question, what would  it be?" He first replied he would ask God how the Universe began. After reflection, he said he would ask God why the universe began, because then he would know the meaning of his own life.
Perhaps the most powerful discussion on life purpose can be found in Viktor Frankl's book: Man's Search for Meaning, which was dictated in nine days and sold nine million copies before the Vienna psychiatrist's death in 1997. In trying to examine his own life purpose after losing his entire family, including his wife, in the Holocaust, Frankl left a legacy for all:
"Everyone has his own specific motivation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment and demand fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone's task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it."
More recently, Dr. Rick Warren wrote in the best selling book The Purpose Driven Life that he once got lost in the mountains and stopped to ask for directions back to his campsite. He was told, "You can't get there from here. You must start from the other side of the mountain." This didn't mean his goal was impossible. What it meant, and what it can mean to you, is that no goal is possible if you focus on the starting point. You need to be able to see past whatever's blocking your path real or imagined mountains and view the endpoint. If you keep your sight focused on your goal, you will find your way under, over or through any obstacles in your way.
It's vital, then, to use your vision wisely to set your sights on the goal you truly wish to achieve. If your vision ends at your annual review, at the end of the month, or on your next payday, your success may end there as well. If your vision is based on someone else's ideal is pleasing a parent, spouse, or boss, your goal will end at the edge of their sightline, not yours. But, if you apply your vision to your purpose, the end is limited only by your view of the horizon.
I always enjoy your feedback. Please feel free to make a comment or ask a question.
 

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I have been asked by the American Bar AssociationYoung Lawyers Division to speak at their spring meeting in Montreal. The title they are thinking about: "Come on Baby Light My Fire: How to Reignite Your Flame with the Law" caused me to think about the points I will want to make to those who attend. The points I want to share are in my books "Say Ciao to Chow Mein" and "Prepare to Win," but young lawyers can learn a great deal about the same subject by reading and listening to Maya Angelou, a person I deeply admire. I hope young lawyers also admire her. I once heard her say that if we do not like our situation we need to either change it or change how we look at it. In an interview I recently read, she made the very points I tried to make in "Say Ciao to Chow Mein." Here is what she said: 

"I was so naive about so many things. I remember wanting very much to be successful. I had a singing career then and had just released my first album, Miss Calypso. But I didn't think that that was going to make me a success. I thought I was going to become a prosperous real-estate broker. I had this image of myself with my briefcase, wearing alligator shoes, carrying a matching purse and wearing a pair of lovely little suede gloves that stopped right at the wrist. Of course, my life unfolded along a much different path, but back then, I thought that being successful was mainly looking the part and being able to afford the material comforts. Yes, it is good to want to be successful at something, but I know now that money doesn't measure success. You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you. All the other tangible rewards will come as a result." 

Some dictionaries define success as the attainment of wealth, power, favor, or eminence. Young lawyers seeking those things will likely be disillusioned because when you get it you are not even satisfied. I have lived my life and have based my law career on redefining success to make sure it includes following my passion and being engaged in work that benefits others. There can be no real, long lasting success without fulfillment. What are you doing to find fulfillment in your career and life? What do you need to change? How can you change how you are looking at your situation? 

 

 

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Over the last month I have focused on the importance of being or creating something remarkable. We need this because we want clients, prospective clients, and people who can refer business to us to become evangelists for us. In the past it was easier to be remarkable. There were fewer lawyers and most businesses were owned locally. There were no firm websites, no email, and clients were not inundated with lawyers trying to get their business. Lawyers developed business by doing good work, being active in their community, and obtaining an AV Martindale Hubbell rating. 

Today it is far more difficult. The number of lawyers has mushroomed, law firms are bigger, clients have consolidated and moved, and clients are challenged to see differences between one lawyer or law firm and another. Over many years, I have encouraged lawyers I coach to focus on what makes them unique and what they can create that clients will find uniquely valuable. I owe my client development success to creating booklets, workshops and other materials that clients, potential clients, and people who referred business found to be remarkable. 

Christy is a young partner from Nashville I am coaching. She is married, has two children, and already brings in a significant amount of business. Christy actually helped me develop part of the story in my new book Rising Star. I am confident Christy will be even more successful as she goes forward. Why do I believe that? First, Christy has a burning desire to be the best long term health care litigator in the country. She works at it each and every day. Second, she focuses on her life priorities which are her family, church, and career. Third, she uses her time more wisely than just about any lawyer I know. Finally, as successful as she is, she is still open to coaching and has applied things we have talked about and experienced success as a result. 

There is something else that makes Christy unique and special. She sings gospel music with a Nashville sound that blows me away. If you want to hear the star I am coaching, click on the website for her church that is below. Then, click on November 19, Gospelaires. Even if you are not a fan of country music, I think you will see that not only can Christy sing country gospel, but she also lights up the room when she comes in. 

http://www.woodmontchristian.org/videos.htm 

 

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I remember when and why I decided I wanted to become a lawyer. I was in eighth grade and, already a fan of biographies (and I remain one to this day), I purchased a book called My Life in Court, an autobiography written by Clarence Darrow, an outspoken opponent of capital punishment, an advocate for civil rights, and proponent for the teaching of evolution. (I still have the book today, its $.1.95 price tag clearly visible.) Brilliant, witty, profound and genuine, Darrow inspired me with words that still resonate with passion nearly seven decades after his death. He also taught me to think and to question things others did not question. 

• As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and no man rebelled, those wrongs would last forever, 



• Chase after the truth like all hell and you'll free yourself, even though you never touch its coat tails. 



• History repeats itself. That's one of the things wrong with history. 



• I am a friend of the working man, and I would rather be his friend, than be one. 



• I am an agnostic; I do not pretend to know what many ignorant men are sure of. 



• If you lose the power to laugh, you lose the power to think. 



• Just think of the tragedy of teaching children not to doubt. 



• At twenty a man is full of fight and hope. He wants to reform the world. When he is seventy he still wants to reform the world, but he knows he can't. 



• No other offense has ever been visited with such severe penalties as seeking to help the oppressed. 

Many of us entered the legal profession full of fight and hope that we could reform the world and make it a better place. We also wanted to help the oppressed. We learned we could not do those things working for a law firm helping corporations. Yet, opportunities exist to make a difference through pro bono work and through many bar association activities. Even when we are helping corporations, we are helping the people who own stock and the people who work for the company. Think about what motivated you to become a lawyer and find ways to do as much of it as possible. 

 

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Having a Life, Interpersonal Skills

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Are you willing to go on a journey with me and see if it makes 2007 your best year ever? 

I contend that no matter how successful you have been in the past, 2007 can be your best year ever. I also contend that for most people, it is the small things that will make the biggest difference. If you are interested, I want you to answer the following questions about yourself. You can email your answers to me if you would like my thoughts. I will also give you my Top 10 Tips for Making 2007 Your Best Year Ever. 

Here are my questions: 

1. What are your hopes for your career in 2007? 

Create 3-5 goals that will lead you toward the hopes you have for 2007. 

2. What are your hopes for your career over the next five years? 

Create 3-5 goals that will lead you toward the hopes you have for your career over the next five years. 

3. What is the one thing you could do in 2007 that you have not done before, that would have the greatest impact on your career? 

Several years ago, I decided that the one thing for me was to use my time more wisely. I also decided that I needed to plan my time each week and write down what I planned to do. 

4. What is holding you back? 

In my case, I know I lack self discipline, and more than anything else, that was the most critical thing holding me back. I knew what I should do, but did not have the discipline to always do it. 

5. What are you willing to do to become more successful? 

I like the quote attributed to a wide variety of college football and basketball coaches. "Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win." 

Here are my Top 10 Tips: 

1. Write down what you want to accomplish in 2007. 



2. Prepare a Plan so you use your non-billable time wisely. I can provide you with templates to consider. 



3. Decide on one area to learn that will enable you to be a more effective lawyer in your field. One year I decided to focus on communication to juries. I bought every book I could find on the subject, listened to every tape and read every article. 



4. Read or listen to one book a month on success, client development or other topics that will make you more effective. If you send me an email, I would be happy to send you my list of books that will make the biggest difference in your career and life. More importantly than reading the books is actually implementing 2-3 things as a result of reading the books. 



5. Use your time more effectively. Time is our most valuable resource. Whether we care to admit it or not, our challenge is not that we do not have enough time. Instead, our challenge is that we do not use the time we have effectively. Occasionally, I challenge myself to write down things I do - or things I should do that by not doing them - wastes my time. 



6. Think of ways to apply the 80-20 rule. Let me give you examples so you can think about it. Twenty percent of the things we do creates eighty percent of our success. What is that twenty percent for you? Eighty percent of a typical lawyers business comes from twenty percent of his or her clients. Which of your clients generate eighty percent of your business? 



7. Decide how much non-billable time you plan to spend developing your career and client base in 2007 and divide by 50. Each week give yourself a report card on whether you spent the number of planned hours and how well you spent it. 



8. Get more face time with clients and prospective clients. One of the lawyers I coach has discovered that each and every time he meets with a client in person, he comes away with a new matter either right then or shortly thereafter. 



9. Send me an email that tells me all I need to know about you to recommend that a potential client hire you. Why am I suggesting this? First, if you do not know why a client should hire you, the clients clearly won't know either. Second, this will cause you to think about your elevator speech. How many times have you met people who ask what you do? Telling them you are a litigator, or a corporate lawyer or a tax lawyer may be absolutely accurate, but it will not likely get you very far. 



10. Some of you might think this idea is a little hokey, but try it anyway. Several times each day for a week, close your eyes and say to yourself as emphatically as you can: "I am the best and I love what I am doing." Psychologists, including sports psychologists have told us for years that affirmations and visualization can create peak performance. Our brains cannot distinguish between what we experience and what we vividly imagine. We are no greater on the outside than we think we are on the inside. Twenty years ago I read: Peak Performance: Mental Training Techniques of the World's Greatest Athletes by Charles A. Garfield and Hal Zina Bennett. I applied what the authors suggested to athletes to my law practice and I believe it works. 

There is something else I urge you to do in 2007. Spend more time with your family without feeling guilty. When you are with your family, be in the moment with them. Focus on them both externally and internally. Do not let your mind wonder. You can spend more time with your family, if you spend your billable and non-billable time more efficiently and more effectively. 

 

Tags: Being a Lawyer, Book Reviews, Career Development, Client Development, Emotional Intelligence, Having a Life, Interpersonal Skills, Tips

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Recently I had the opportunity to speak to the women lawyers in a medium sized firm. Prior to speaking to them, I asked them to give me 1-3 questions I could help answer for them. Many of the questions I received focused on work-life balance. 

My Thoughts on Work Life Balance 

There is no such thing as work-life balance and even if there were, pursing it would be incredibly boring. Instead of seeking work-life balance, we should instead be seeking a life that is based on our priorities. We should also keep in mind that our priorities change over time. When you are single, you may want to focus on work and having fun. When you are married with children, you will most likely focus on time with your family. 

There is no way to add more hours to your day. Other than the weekend when daylight savings time "falls back" to standard time, there are only 168 hours each week. The real question is how well we use those hours to achieve our priorities. Suppose you sleep 8 hours a night, or 56 a week. Suppose you bill 40 hours a week and you invest another 10 hours a week on your career development, client development and other firm activities. That leaves 62 waking hours of personal time for family, fitness, community, church, recreation, hobbies, commuting and other activities. That is really a significant amount of time. How you spend the 10 hours a week (or whatever number) of investment time will ultimately determine the quality of your life. How you spend the 62 hours (or whatever number) of family and personal time will ultimately determine the quality of your life and family relationships. 

 

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Recently I gave a presentation on career success and life fulfillment to 250 Dallas Junior League members I began like this: 

"Can any of you tell me the date today?" Several in the audience called out "October 9th." I continued: "As you will read in the handout materials, that was a defining moment in my life. My daughter, Jill was born 6 weeks prematurely that day and the Doctors didn't know if she or my wife Nancy would pull through. Why am I telling you that? It was easier to have a successful career and a fulfilling life then. Think about it, we had no Blackberries, no cell phones, no ATM machines, no email. We didn't even have computers on our desk. It was easier to "be in the moment." Now we have too much abundance, but not nearly enough time to enjoy it, too many choices and not nearly enough help making the right ones, too much technology and not nearly enough freedom from it and too much focus on outward success and not nearly enough focus on inward fulfillment. Today it is more important than ever to take control of your career and life. Over the next hour I will give you a roadmap on how to do it." 

For the next hour the Junior League members were engaged. Most took detailed notes and many came up to me afterwards with comments and questions. 

Why were they interested? In my opening I had done three things. I asked them a question. I told them a story and I tied the story to them. I was able to answer the subconscious question each member was asking: "What is in this presentation for me?" 

Your audiences will ask themselves the same question. Do you have a good answer? 

 

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In the last Blog entry I discussed a Donald Trump quote I found in the July-August 2006 issue of Selling Power. That same issue includes an article titled "You Are the Message! Improve your sales results by improving yourself." Selling Power asked Brian Tracy and Tom Hopkins how to ensure that prospects were getting the best message about you. They told the magazine that the best way to create a compelling outward message is to look inward first. They suggested that you begin with a sense of purpose and an understanding of your own goals. Brian Tracy said: "The very act of setting goals and writing them down increases your likelihood of achieving them by ten times." Tracy then suggests that we become masters of prioritization focusing on the most important things we want to do. 

I liked this article because it confirmed how I have built my career and lived my life and what I have taught others. I have had a sense of career purpose and life purpose. I have practiced law to assist and enable my construction contractors to successfully and profitably build magnificent projects. My life purpose has been to teach and nurture others. I have always prepared written goals and I have planned my career and life based on my priorities, including being a good father, husband and son. 

I encourage you to look inside first to become more successful and fulfilled outside. 

 

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I read Selling Power a bi-monthly magazine for salesmen. In almost every copy I find something I can use in my own client development efforts. In addition to articles about selling, the last page of each issue has a collection of quotations on a variety of subjects. The July-August issue includes several quotations about money including one from Donald Trump. He said: "Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way of keeping score. The real excitement is playing the game." In my career, money, billable hours or client development numbers were never a real motivator for me. Even so, I typically set goals for client development and billable hours because those numbers did represent a way to keep score. The real excitement for me was striving to become a better lawyer and building relationships with clients. For me, there was nothing more satisfying than the appreciation of a client for going the extra mile. 

What motivates you? 

  

 

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I have been coaching two lawyers I will call Ryan and Samantha (not real names). They are both junior partners in firms that are about the same size. They both bill about the same number of hours annually. Ryan is thoroughly enjoying a successful career and fulfilling personal life and Samantha frequently calls me to say she is burning out and feels like all she does is billable work for her firm. Why do you suppose they are having different experiences? Is your career and life more like Ryan's or more like Samantha's? 

Here are the differences and how you can apply them to find your own career success and life fulfillment. It starts with attitude. As lawyers we are taught to be skeptical. But, too often we apply skepticism to our careers. I love this Winston Churchill quote: "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." The difference between Samantha and Ryan is that when thinking about their careers Samantha frequently says: "yes, but" and Ryan says: "sure, how." Samantha finds reasons it won't happen and Ryan finds ways to make it happen. 

The second difference is Ryan knows exactly what he wants to accomplish in his career and life and Samantha has focused on what she does not want to do. Napoleon Hill, who studied successful people for over 20 years in the early 20th century, said it well: "There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it." Successful lawyers have a clear idea of what they want and many actually visualize accomplishing it. You can't visualize or get energy and a burning desire around what you don't want. Ryan is a labor lawyer. He knows what he wants both in his career and personal life and has a burning desire to achieve it. Because of his burning desire, he has set goals and has a plan and is not easily derailed. 

The third difference is how Ryan and Samantha define success. Over the years Samantha has defined success by her billable hours and money she is making. That is like a golfer looking at the scoreboard rather than the ball. Ryan finds meaning and success in how he contributes to help his clients succeed. 

Finally, Ryan is in the zone in whatever he is doing and Samantha is easily distracted. When Ryan is working on a client matter he is in the zone. When he is teaching at a local college, he is focused on his students. Ryan frequently leaves the office early to coach his older son's soccer team and baseball team. When he is coaching, he is in that moment and not distracted. He plans his personal life as well as his professional life. Samantha plans her billable time at the office and her time at church on Sunday, but not much beyond that. So, she is rarely in the zone and focused on the moment. 

You can have a successful career and fulfilling personal life by saying: "sure, how," having a definite purpose and a burning desire to accomplish it, finding meaning in your work by focusing on how you benefit your clients, and by focusing on the moment. 

 

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The Who Questions: 

Who is important in my life? 

Who do I want to benefit from what I am doing? 

The What Questions: 

What are my strengths? 

What are my challenges? 

What do I want to accomplish? 

What do I want to learn? 

What do I want to experience? 

What contribution do I want to make? 

What do I want to have? 

What do I want to earn? 

What am I most passionate about? 

What do my clients need the most? 

What do I need to do to accomplish my goal? 

The When Questions: 

When do I want to accomplish each goal? 

The Where Questions: 

Where do I want to live? 

Where do I want to visit? 

The Why Questions: 

Why is each goal important to me? 

And why is that important to me? 

The How Questions: 

How do I want to accomplish my goals? 

How do I want to live? 

 

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1. Start broadly and work to specific goals.  

2. Think of your major definite purpose (what you want to accomplish), understand why accomplishing it is important (why), and your core values (how you want to live).  

3. Think of goals in the four aspects of your life. 

a. Physical/Economic 

b. Mental/Learning and Growth 

c. Emotional/Relationships 

d. Spiritual/Values/Contribution 

4. Brainstorm and write down as many potential goals as possible in each of the four aspects of your life. 

5. Just as you did for your major definite purpose, for each goal ask why achieving it would be important to you. 

6. When you come up with an answer to the why question, ask why again. 

7. If you do not have a good answer to the why question, discard that goal because you will not likely have the passion to achieve it. 

8. For each goal make a list of no less than 10 things you need to do to accomplish it. 

9. Share your written goals with your spouse, friends or mentor. 

10. Take the first action step right away so the train will leave the station. 

In 1978, I decided that my major definite purpose was to be the preeminent transportation (highways, airports, rail) construction lawyer in the United States. Why was that important to me? First, it was important because I wanted to be the "go to" lawyer in some niche. Second, I wanted to pick an area that was not a crowded field. Third, I wanted to use my government contract experience I had gained while on active duty in the Air Force. Finally, I wanted to work for highway contractors because three of my college friends were active in family owned highway construction businesses. 

I hope these ten tips help you find success in your goal setting. Please feel free to make comments or ask questions - one of my goals is to hear from you. 

 

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I spoke with Andrea the other day. She is a partner I am coaching to build her real estate practice. She is also a jock. Recently her firm sponsored a foursome in a charity golf tournament and Andrea's foursome finished on top and won the $5000 first prize Each member of the foursome will receive $1000 and the team will contribute another $1000 to the charity. Andréa and I talked about how to follow up with the two potential clients who were in the foursome. I thought she should buy golf balls and have the firm name, the event and the word Champions printed on the golf balls. I also thought she might bring the foursome together for some sort of fun golf outing or dinner. It might even be fun to invite spouses and have a dinner at her house. 

  

 

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There is a basic disconnect between young lawyers and senior lawyers on the concept of "work-life balance." When young lawyers say they want "work-life balance" senior lawyers consider that to be code for working less. In Dallas, first year associate salaries were recently increased to $140,000. Young lawyers who want to work in the big firms paying that starting salary must accept the fact they will be expected to spend a minimum of 2500 hours a year on their career of which about 2000 hours will need to be billable work. 

I have written and told lawyers for years that there is no such thing as work-life balance and even if there was it would be incredibly boring. Think about how excited you would be to say: "I am striving for work-life balance." I have never sought balance instead I have sought to live my life based on my priorities. 

If you want to strive to spend quality time on your priorities, I suggest you read "First Things First" by Stephen Covey, Roger Merrill and Rebecca Merrill. It is filled with many suggestions I know will help you, including planning your life around your roles. I particularly enjoy Dr. Covey's story about the "big rocks." 

Dr. Covey describes that when he was teaching he pulled out a wide-mouth gallon jar and placed it next to a pile of fist-sized rocks. After filling the jar to the top with rocks, he asked, "Is the jar full?" The students replied, "Yes." He then got some gravel from under the table and added it to the jar. He jiggled the jar until the gravel filled the spaces between the rocks. Again, he asked, "Is the jar full?" This time, the students replied, "Probably not." Dr. Covey then added sand and asked, "Is the jar full?" By then the students had figured it out and replied "No!" 

Finally, Dr. Covey filled the jar to the brim with water and asked his students the point of what he had done. One student replied: "you can always fit more things into your life if you really work at it."No," countered Dr. Covey. "The point is, you have to put the big rocks in first." 

Billable work for clients is clearly a big rock. But, there are many other big rocks that must be put in the jar. I have always focused on what I want to do as a father, husband and son. I also focus on what I want to learn to become a better lawyer and how I can spend my non-billable time to build relationships with clients. Those are big rocks and each week I plan the most important things I can do in each role. 

This week, my daughter Jill, and her husband made an offer to buy a house. It was really important for me to listen and spend time with them talking about their potential purchase. Nancy and I celebrated our 36th anniversary this week while she was playing in a golf tournament in North Carolina and I was working in Denver. It was really important for me to figure out how to get a gift-I chose wine over flowers- to where she was staying. She gets home on Friday night and it will be important for us to have an anniversary dinner this weekend. The ABA Young Lawyers leaders are meeting in Dallas this weekend. I know several of them. There is a small window of time they are free. It will be important for me to drive downtown and meet with them. I will bring Nancy and we will go to dinner Saturday night from there. I have each of those activities in my calendar. I planned them because they are among my priorities based on my roles. 

 

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It was the summer of 1976, thirty years ago this year. I had spent four years as a lawyer on active duty in the Air Force and I was just starting in private practice with Martin, Hopkins & Lemon in Roanoke, Virginia. I know it seems like a foreign concept now, but we had no Blackberries, cell phones or computers. Secretaries used typewriters, carbon paper and whiteout to correct mistakes. Mr. Martin was in his 60s. His secretary of at least 30 years was Ms. Johnson. I was startled when she called me Mr. Parvin. 

We never used the term mentoring or shadowing, but it occurred every day. If an older lawyer was visiting a client or going to court he took me along to watch. Most firms did insurance defense work and young lawyers gained first hand litigation experience by handling subrogation cases in General District Court. 

It was easier then. I can't remember how many hours I billed in a year, but I would be surprised if it was over 1600. It was easier to distinguish work life from personal life because we did not have Blackberries or cell phones. I did not receive many calls at home from clients, so my personal time was my own. 

I knew what I wanted and had a plan to achieve it even back then. I established goals and listed activities I wanted to do to achieve them. I also planned my personal life each week around my roles. Later I read Stephen Covey's best seller: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and I planned my personal life each week in even more detail. 

Stephen Covey's Habit 3 is Put First Things First. He suggests answering the following two questions: 

1. What one thing could you do (you aren't doing now) that if you did on a regular basis would make a tremendous positive difference in your personal life? 



2. What one thing in your professional life would bring similar results? 

Life is more complicated today. For many of you, there is no clear line between your work and your personal life. A young mother recently told me she was cooking dinner when her Blackberry went off. She almost burned herself in her panic to get to it. So, what can you do? Today more than ever answering the two questions above can make a difference in your life. 

 

Tags: Having a Life

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John Goddard is described as the real life Indiana Jones. There are plenty of articles written about him. While we will never live an Indiana Jones type of life, the feeling that we have some control over our future and we are focusing on things that are important to us is very valuable. Here is a website listing his lifetime goals: 

http://www.johngoddard.info/life_list.htm 

 

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