7 Success Strategies

Seven Success Strategies: Part 2: Get Focused

An Article Series by Kendra Brodin

"In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it." ~ Robert A. Heinlein

This is the second article in a series called "7 Strategies of Successful Women Lawyers." Taken together, women lawyers who utilize these seven strategies make progress while those who do not understand these strategies stay stuck.

The second success strategy is "Get Focused." It sounds easy, but it is not simple. How many times do we set or write out goals, only to forget about them or find other pursuits that are more interesting and tantalizing? Many women lawyers have "bright, shiny object syndrome," losing focus at every turn as another opportunity, divergence, project, or great idea comes along.

[Speaking on behalf of the women lawyers, I can say with confidence that] lawyers often tend to be naturally creative, and we love to dream and think about new things. While this is a wonderful attribute when creating a business plan or building new relationships or working on a case, it can also be an incredible trap when we allow our creativity to take over our mind and suck all focus and single mindedness away from us.

To get anything done, you must "get focused." [As a life coach consultant, I always tell people that,] if we do not have clearly defined goals, we will get distracted at the slightest suggestion. Suddenly we find ourselves wasting away our time and energy on things that either do not need to be done at all, could be done at a different time, or could be done by someone else. Social media entraps us. Learning through books and audios becomes a great excuse for not taking the action that we know we should be taking, meaning we spend more time over-learning than putting what we learn into practice. We lose focus, and with it, we lose our chances of success.

What we must do is strengthen our mental muscles that allow us to maintain a single-goal in our mind and make it the object of our attention and energy. This is not always easy. It takes practice. It takes discipline. But in the end, staying true to our goals, our lofty goals that move our spirits, will help us break free of those menial tasks that steal our precious moments of time.

Time is a limited and nonrenewable resource. [This life skill is directed not only to the women lawyers but also to the general masses]. When we waste our time, even on tasks that seem important but really are not, we are using up a resource that we cannot re-create. It has gone, gone, gone forever. Those minutes (or hours, or even days) spent on meaningless tasks that are not in alignment with your goals not only kept you from moving forward; that wasted time actually pushes you backward by taking away precious time that you could have devoted toward the realization of your goals. You now have less time to do what you need to do. You stole time from yourself that you could have used to create the reality you desire, all in the name of what?

Be mindful of what you are spending your time on. Are you spending your time and energy in alignment and congruence with your goals? Or are you enslaved by tasks and distractions that move you no closer to your ultimate dreams?

You must "get focused," starting right now. Without focus, you will pitter away the precious gift of time that you have been given to do the great work you are here to do, to grow your practice and yourself. Focus, act, and then revel in what you have created!

TODAY: Consider where you have lost focus. What are your time drainers? Where are you losing precious minutes and hours that could be used moving you toward your goals? Identify those time-suckers and make a commitment to move away from them, focusing on your goals and your dreams, and not letting anything stand in your way!

About the Author

Kendra Brodin, MSW, JD is author of the Happy In Law blog. With a powerful background as an attorney and social worker, Kendra helps lawyers experience the best of life and legal practice, while helping law firms attract, retain, and advance their best and brightest women attorneys.

Seven Success Strategies: Part 3: Taking The Right Actions

An Article Series by Kendra Brodin

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." ~ Epictetus

This article is the third in a series called "7 Strategies of Successful Women Lawyers." In my coaching practice, I am able to see what strategies help women lawyers become successful, and which practices make them spin their wheels and get stuck. My goal is to share the tips and tools with those women lawyers to propel themselves forward.

This success strategy is to "Take Right Actions." Notice it does not just say, "Take Action." While taking action is very important as there are no results without actions, the key here is the word "right." If you take the wrong action, you will not find success.

Anyone can take action. Okay-that is not entirely true. Some people get stuck in "inaction," not wanting to do anything, succumbing to a bit of laziness, or fear, or procrastination. Yet it is fairly obvious that you are not going to get anywhere without getting yourself into action. The problem is that "action" can mean different things to different people. You can be in action wasting time perusing the internet. You can be in action rewriting your to-do list for the sixth time. You can be in action and still have it be wasted action. You want the "right" action.

The added feature of "right action" is that you are taking the right action at the right time. You are not wasting time with actions that do not serve you and move you forward. You are not just doing things for the sake of doing them and "looking busy" to yourself and others. Instead, you know what to do, when to do it, and why you are doing it. Successful women attorneys always take the right actions at the right time.

How do you know if you are taking the right action? In my consulting sessions, I often have people who come and ask me - "How do I know if I am taking the right action?" This is where the struggle is. You may think you are doing all the right things, but if you are stonewalled at every corner, you need to adjust your course. The right action is that which feels good, propels us through the muck that we run into, and takes us to a better place than we were before.

As you start each action in your day, ask yourself, "Is this action moving my practice and myself forward?" If the answer is yes, good for you-stay the course! If the answer is no, then assess what actions you need to be taking that will move you forward, and focus on those actions.

The idea of "right action" is a powerful one that will keep you focused on taking the right actions, not just taking any action. Speaking from the perspective of a successful woman lawyer, I can assure you that the right actions will propel you forward into professional and personal achievement, while busywork-type actions will hold you back by robbing you of precious time and energy.

TODAY: Consider what the "right actions" for you are today. What actions will move you forward in your practice and your life? Catch yourself when you are taking action just for the sake of taking action, without good purpose or strategy. Always be taking action that improves and progresses you because this discipline is a bridge between where you are and where you want to be.

About the Author

Kendra Brodin, MSW, JD is author of the Happy In Law blog. With a powerful background as an attorney and social worker, Kendra helps lawyers experience the best of life and legal practice, while helping law firms attract, retain, and advance their best and brightest women attorneys.

Seven Success Strategies: Part 4: You Are What You Eat (In Every Way)

An Article Series by Kendra Brodin

"The mind grows by what it feeds on." J. G. Holland

This article is the fourth in a series called "7 Strategies of Successful Women Lawyers." While there are many things that successful women lawyers (and successful people in general) do that helps propel them forward, these are the top seven strategies that I see work time and time again.

This success strategy is "You Are What You Eat." Better said, "you are what you consume"-in every way. Certainly, we all know the "you are what you eat" adage as applied to our bodies. And it is true-your body truly is made up of what you put into it. While I highly encourage clean eating and living (meaning eating as organically and naturally as possible) that is not the main point of this article. There are other ways you take things that affect you either positively or negatively, every day. In simple terms, when I provide consulting services to people, I also make sure that I practice what I preach myself.

In a larger sense, we are what we consume. Let me explain:

1. Our minds become the sum of the thoughts we think. When we focus on the things that bring joy, beauty, love and happiness into our lives, our lives and our outlook become more positive and pleasant. When we focus on disasters, illness, sadness and all of the other negative things we could spend our precious mental energy on, our perspective, and, consequently, our lives, take on a more pessimistic and negative reality.

Be very mindful of the "food" you feed your mind. Guard the doorway of your mind carefully, and turn off anything that is making you focus on anything other than what you want to think about and create more of in your life. This includes turning off the news, gently removing yourself from negative conversations, and avoiding needless worry and hand-wringing over that which you have no control whatsoever.

2. Our spirits are nurtured (or not) by the spiritual "food" we consume. Like our minds, our spirit needs time and sustenance in order to thrive. To be a successful woman lawyer, it is important for us to broaden our horizons; make time to read books and think about ideas that move your spirit, that elevate you to that part of yourself that is connected to something larger. Pray, meditate, walk quietly in the woods to connect with nature-whatever stills your soul and "feeds" your spirit. Be careful not to starve that most central part of who you truly are.

3. Our hearts are sustained by the relationships and people with whom we surround ourselves. There is a reason Jim Rohn, the business philosopher, once stated, "You are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time." Choose wisely the people with whom you associate. Do you spend time around "downers" who focus on all of the terrible things in life, making you feel drained and wilted after being around them? Or do you spend the most time with people who believe in you, lift you, and help you become the person you most desire to be? Find and create relationships that "feed" you, and be sure to "feed" others as well. Being a successful woman attorney, I can speak from my experience. I surround myself with people who believe in me, who lift my spirits on days when I am feeling down and they have contributed towards making me the person that I have turned out to be today.

Thinking about what you "eat" or "consume" when it comes to your body, your mind, your spirit, and your heart (or relationship) can help you intentionally create the law practice and life you desire. Be vigilant. It takes time to become masterful at this. But when you remember that "you are what you eat," you will be much more careful about what you are putting into your life-in every way.

TODAY: Where in your life and your law practice are you "eating" things that are not healthy for you? Are you maintaining relationships that are toxic to you? Are you starving your mind and your spirit? Are you feeding your body things that make you unhealthy rather than giving you energy and strength? Go on a "diet"-only consuming those foods, thoughts, practices, and relationships that truly serve you and the person you are becoming. It is challenging, but the end result is worth it!

About the Author

Kendra Brodin, MSW, JD is author of the Happy In Law blog. With a powerful background as an attorney and social worker, Kendra helps lawyers experience the best of life and legal practice, while helping law firms attract, retain, and advance their best and brightest women attorneys.

Seven Success Strategies: Part 5: Keeping the Best, Ditching the Rest

An Article Series by Kendra Brodin

"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action." ~ Peter Drucker

This article is the fifth in a series called "7 Strategies of Successful Women Lawyers." There are so many strategies that successful women lawyers, CEOs and other leaders use to propel them to success, but the ones I am identifying in this series are some of the top techniques I see consistently used by peak performers.

The number five success strategy is "Keep the Best, Ditch the Rest."

While taking what I call "right action" is the key to making progress and experiencing success, sometimes I watch people drive themselves crazy taking what they think is "right action" without taking any time to reflect and evaluate how those actions have been turning out for them. Evaluation is your best friend in this process, and a critical element to success. Be sure that your evaluation criteria are sound though, otherwise you will get off the path to right action!

In fact, sometimes the only way to know if an action is, indeed, a "right action" is to do it and then evaluate it to see if it got you the results you desired. If it did, GREAT! Do more of it. If it did not, think about why it did not get you the results you wanted. Could you improve upon the action you were taking? If yes, improve your action, and try again. If you cannot really improve the action and it does not look like the results are going to change, then STOP doing it. Do not keep taking action that seems right, but in actuality is not getting you the results you want. At my consulting sessions, I always emphasize the notion that it does not make sense to take actions that do not reap rewards. It is wise to stop taking the same actions and follow a different path of action in an effort to improve the situation.

For example, maybe it seems like you should be attending a specific networking meeting every week. So you go every week, like clockwork. You take the time, spend the money, and show up. Problem is-you are not making any good connections. You are not getting any clients. Do you just keep on keeping on? No-you must take some time to reflect and evaluate. Can you do something to improve your results at this event? Maybe you can come better prepared with business cards, a better introduction of yourself, or something else. Then do what it takes and try again. But if there is really nothing you can improve to get better results, then do not be afraid to admit that this is something that is draining you of precious time and energy, and let it go. Find something else to invest your time and energy in that will give you a better return on your investment. This has always been one of my mottos that I have emulated in my career as a successful woman lawyer.

Just the same, sometimes there are actions we are taking that we know do not even rise to the level of "right action" (said another way-habits or behaviors you secretly know are not moving you forward toward your goals!) Are you wasting time on social media networks when you should be doing other things? Are you finding ways to fritter away time during the days on tasks that do not need to be done, which ultimately prevents you from getting the right things done? Look around you; any successful woman lawyer makes use of her time effectively and works towards being productive and successful.

Reflect on what you are doing and the results you are getting. If you decide that the results you are (or are not) getting simply don't justify the investment of time, energy, or money that you are putting in, then congratulate yourself for a fine learning experience, forgive yourself for any wasted effort, and let that energy/money/time waster go forever!

The most successful people I know are not afraid to take an honest look at what is working and what is not working and what stands no chance of working. Then they do more of what is working, and they get rid of the things that are not working. This increases their results and efficiency while reducing their frustration, waste, and regret!

One very valuable lesson that I have learned in my life is to be able to evaluate myself, both my strengths and weaknesses and this is a lesson I like to impart to everyone during my consulting sessions. You must have the ability to evaluate yourself to be a successful woman lawyer or any other profession.

TODAY: Get clear about what is working in your practice and in your personal life. Are there habits or actions that you are consistently taking that are not getting you results? Write them down then decide if they can be improved. If you can improve them, do it and re-evaluate again in the near future. If they cannot be improved, ditch them and spend your time/money/energy elsewhere. ALWAYS BE EVALUATING, doing more of what works!

About the Author

Kendra Brodin, MSW, JD is author of the Happy In Law blog. With a powerful background as an attorney and social worker, Kendra helps lawyers experience the best of life and legal practice, while helping law firms attract, retain, and advance their best and brightest women attorneys.

Seven Success Strategies: Part 6: Always Be Learning

An Article Series by Kendra Brodin

"I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." ~Abraham Lincoln

This article is the sixth in a series called "7 Strategies of Successful Women Lawyers." With all of the powerful strategies and techniques that successful women lawyers employ, I am revealing the top seven ways I have seen successful women lawyers create and enjoy their own real success.

This success strategy is "Always Be Learning."

It is true that the most successful people in society are also the most voracious learners. When you visit the home of a fantastically wealthy person, chances are very, very good that you will find a well-stocked personal library, full of materials not only on business, but also many kinds of personal development, such as physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Personally, I have an addiction to books. I love them. I cannot stop buying them, reading them, and checking them out from the library. My personal library grows almost daily, and rather than rid myself of books, I simply invest in new bookshelves. In addition to my personal collection, my law firm is stocked with a huge collection of books related to my legal profession.

What about you? What are you feeding your mind? Any kind of information that you seek is available to you via books, recordings, or the internet. Need to learn more about marketing? Hundreds of marketing books await you. Feeling like you have let yourself go physically? There are countless books and resources on physical fitness. Anything and everything you wish to learn about is available to you, oftentimes absolutely free.

Even though the wealth of the world in terms of information, guidance, and advice on practically any topic is available, most people never take the time or make the investment to learn new skills. Most people are content to stay right where they are, not developing, not growing, not becoming more than they were yesterday. Most successful business people and others have autobiographies or biographies written about them. You do not even need to know these people personally-just pick up a book about them to learn their secrets to success. A successful woman lawyer always keeps herself current with the information in her own field of expertise.

Just browse the library or a bookstore, and you can see how many books are sitting on the shelves, waiting for you to pick it up. If you are not sure what book is best, go online and read book reviews that everyday people are writing, not the ones that come from the publisher. You will get feedback that is much more realistic from the gal at the salon than some canned, upbeat sales tactic.

There are materials available to you on any skill you want to possess and any attribute you wish to acquire. But you must take the time to read and learn and apply the wisdom you receive. In other words, I do not just pick up new skills to enrich my life and career; I make it a point to impart my knowledge to other people at the consulting sessions with the hope that they can enrich their lives by following my footsteps.

The most successful people I know never ever stop learning. They are on a constant quest to become more, to learn more, to perfect their craft and skills, and to improve themselves personally. So always be learning. In this day and age, there is no excuse for allowing yourself to remain ignorant on a topic that would bring you growth. Stop making excuses, get a library card, and get learning!

TODAY: What are you feeding your mind? Are you learning new skills that will improve you financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in your practice? If not, why not? Pick a topic that you want to learn more about and then get to a library or bookstore to get the resources you need to improve yourself. There is no time like the present to grow your mind, your intellect, and yourself!

About the Author

Kendra Brodin, MSW, JD is author of the Happy In Law blog. With a powerful background as an attorney and social worker, Kendra helps lawyers experience the best of life and legal practice, while helping law firms attract, retain, and advance their best and brightest women attorneys.

Seven Success Strategies: Part 7: Being A Little Selfish

An Article Series by Kendra Brodin

"In dealing with those who are undergoing great suffering, if you feel 'burnout' setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best, for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself. The point is to have a long-term perspective." ~ The Dalai Lama

This article is the seventh and final in a series called "7 Strategies of Successful Women Lawyers." I have enjoyed sharing each of these strategies with you, and I hope that you have applied some (or all!) of them to your lives and seen meaningful results.

This last success strategy is "Be a Little Selfish." The other six strategies have been more about external activities-ways of thinking, ideas for taking action. But in the midst of all that action and movement, it is critical that we take time to care for and nurture ourselves. By being "selfish," I mean to give you permission to focus on yourself and your own self-care. This kind of self-care can take many forms, yet the important part is that we take time away, restoring and rejuvenating ourselves, so that we can fully "show up" in our law practices and in every part of our lives.

There is a reason that flight attendants ask us to put on our own mask first in the event of an emergency. When I first flew on an airplane and heard that suggestion, I thought, "How selfish!" Now I realize that it is sage wisdom: we are no good to anyone else if we have not taken care of ourselves.

As women (and especially for those women who are also mothers), it is hard for us to feel "selfish" and take this time for ourselves. We may feel that time away from others who need us-our partners, our children, our friends, or others-is taking away from them, depriving them of something. The fact is that when we take this precious time for ourselves, we are actually giving something to them. We are giving them the gift of our full selves, a better version of ourselves than the stressed, anxious, and irritable pre-self-care version. A successful woman attorney certainly needs to take some time off from both work and home to make herself productive at her law firm and her family as well.

The word "selfish" has a negative connotation. In fact, the dictionary defines it as "concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure." Other words for "selfish" are: inconsiderate, thoughtless, grudging, uncharitable, self-indulgent, and greedy. But selfishness does not have to go to these extremes; in fact, you may become all of these things as a means of coping with your stress! Taking a little time for yourself to recharge your batteries is necessary to preserve our sanity. A successful woman lawyer cannot run her law firm efficiently if she does not give herself the break that she needs to rejuvenate herself.

So think of your self-care as an investment you make in yourself and a gift you give to others. Do not get me wrong-I am not suggesting seven massages a week and hours of bathing, reading, and luxuriating while your loved ones forget your name and your practice falls apart. I believe you know what you need to do-you need to find enough time to do the things that restore you, nurture you, and bring you back into balance with yourself. Listen to your body and mind; you will know when you have invested enough time in yourself to be fully of love and service to your family, friends, colleagues and clients. Always remember that I have made my choice to be a coach, a consultant in my profession because I want to share my experiences with others and let them learn from my experiences.

TODAY: Do something that fills you up. Go for a walk. Sit and enjoy a cup of your favorite tea while being fully present (no multitasking here!) Take a few minutes to just breathe deeply and remember all you have to be grateful for in life. Whatever it is, make the time to restore yourself so that you can be at your best, for yourself and for those around you. It is a win-win, so remember to be a little selfish once in a while!

About the Author

Kendra Brodin, MSW, JD is author of the Happy In Law blog. With a powerful background as an attorney and social worker, Kendra helps lawyers experience the best of life and legal practice, while helping law firms attract, retain, and advance their best and brightest women attorneys.