avoiding self-less lawyering
A little while back, I pointed to a thought-provoking post on The culture of dissatisfaction in which author and blogger Seth Godin views the epidemic discontent in our country (and beyond) through the lens of Las Vegas culture. Contemplating his message, I wrote: “Somewhere along the line, many of us lose sight of our own greatness and aptitudes. We forget what fulfills us – that is, what sparks and supports our curiosity, interests and desires. It’s this disconnect of self from self that’s at the heart of the individual and societal depletion Godin depicts” [emphasis added].
In a related post, I voiced some insight I’ve gained time and again from lawyers in my training and development programs. These practitioners recognize and deeply feel their own career malaise and understand that it’s rooted in the kind of self-sacrifice described above. Yet, they still balk at my notion of self-reflection and self-expression as vital business and life skills.
Keenly aware of the perils of self-less lawyering, I’m very happy to see that Tom Mighell currently features [Self] Improvement Sites in The Strongest Links column he writes for Law Practice Today. I’m also very happy to note that he includes legal sanity in this collection of ten sites that “will definitely help you with something, whether it's getting your job done faster, de-stressing from the hassles of the day, or taking a vacation.”
For another view of the journey to finding our selves in our work, check out this Worthwhile post called When Your Bliss Meets the Abyss. We can also gain some self-understanding by accepting David Maister’s invitation to rate our “demonstrated track record on building mutually beneficial, mutually supportive relationships” via this questionnaire on Relationship Strength.
