How do you define success? Merriam-Webster defines success as a favorable or desired outcome. What is your favorable or desired outcome? Law students are often led to believe “success” means going to a well-known school, making high-grades, serving on law review, and getting hired by a well-known firm. Lawyers are often led to believe that “success” means working at a reputable firm, making partner or shareholder within seven years, and joining the firm's equity ranks soon thereafter. But can’t success be different for each law student or lawyer?
Robert J. Witte, a partner at Strasburger & Price's Dallas office and leader in the Dallas-Fort Worth community, cautions against allowing others to define your "success." He believes a narrow and generic view of what makes a lawyer successful is unhealthy for the legal profession – it can lead to destructive outlets for dealing with stress like substance abuse and sadly, in some instances, suicide. Mr. Witte notes that those entering law practice and currently in practice should embrace that success may be different for each person. He also believes a lawyer may determine whether they feel successful by answering one question - “are you happy?”
As Mr. Witte advocates, success can mean different things for different people. To assist in identifying my formula for success, I asked myself the following seven questions:
1. What makes me happy?
2. What is my desired outcome?
3. What drives me?
4. What are my core values?
5. Do I have a purpose, and if so, what is it?
6. How am I fulfilling my purpose?
7. Where do I envision myself in 3, 5, and 10 years?
Identifying your success formula helps clarify your career path. In turn, you set more focused goals because you know where you want to go, and more importantly, you know why. I encourage you to follow Mr. Witte’s advice and define what success means for you, it can only help you create a more focused and fulfilling life.
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