Reaching Full Potential in your Career

1. Reaching Full Potential in your Career Lawyers Assistance Program Facilitated by Robert Bircher

2. Power of Purpose • It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined!! • I have observed from teaching our “ What can you do with your law degree” courses that about 60% of lawyers became lawyers almost by accident-i.e. they went to law school simply to avoid having an almost worthless B.A. or didn’t really have a better idea or were unsure of what they wanted so went with it • For this reason many lawyers, after about 1-5 years after graduation ask themselves- why am I doing this? Or while appearing successful to the outside world are in fact quite unhappy- “this is not the life I wanted” is a common sentiment

3. Power of Purpose • I believe this to be as a result of a lack of clarity about their overall purpose in life and their overall purpose in being a lawyer • If you are working in a situation that is inconsistent with your purpose and/or values there will always be a vague sense of unease or that something is missing in your life-and you are right-what you want is what is missing!! • Many people are living someone else's purpose (parents, relatives, the culture etc.) Every parent wants to say “my daughter is a lawyer”-which often means “Obviously, I didn’t screw up as a parent too badly!!”

4. What is Purpose? • It is “right livelihood” what you are meant to do • Everyone is born with a purpose-identifying, acknowledging, and honoring this purpose is the most important action anyone can take • Without conscious awareness of your purpose you can be easily sidetracked and lead an aimless life-there will be a sense of lifelessness in everything you do • Most of us have been trained since birth to kill our dreams- “Be realistic-Be practical-Focus on what you can make a living at”

5. On Purpose • If you are aware of your purpose it is easy to make decisions-it means you are doing what you love to do, doing what you are skilled at and accomplishing what is important to you • You will be successful- meaning you will be in the process of creating that which is most important to you • Most people feel if they are not struggling or suffering something is wrong-when in fact the opposite is true!!

6. Purpose Blockers • Most people can easily see the value of knowing their purpose but can’t figure out what it is. “I would follow my purpose if I only knew what it was!!” • Why is it so hard?-it should be obvious-after all how could you not know it? Theoretically it forms the centerpiece of your life • One common reason has been mentioned-following someone else's purpose-the life your parents wanted for you-the problem is it is your life not theirs

7. Purpose Blockers • Another reason is that following your purpose requires courage and it is easier to just follow the herd-also it may not be trendy, popular or lucrative • Also people who follow their purpose may be seen as mavericks and eccentric • People may have to make a radical shift like changing jobs, careers or going back to school, moving to another city or country etc.

8. Value of Purpose • Sense of fulfillment or accomplishment rather than rather than being on a treadmill • Usually results in helping others in some way • Makes decision making easier • When you are old you will have a sense that you lived a “rich full life” rather than “living with your reasons why not” • You will have a sense of having lived a valuable life rather than “ all I did was work and accumulate a mountain of junk, then I died”

9. Types of Purpose • Purpose can be about life in general or about a part of life such as my purpose as a lawyer • It will not come as a blinding flash of insight • It will not likely be that grandiose “ I am here to save the world” • It can be simple “raising my children to be loving human beings” • It can be big “to inspire people to live their highest vision in a context of love and joy” Jack Canfield • It can be general “to help others by teaching spiritual and personal growth” Robert Bircher

10. Finding your Purpose • Story time-living your purpose doesn’t have to be complicated • Visualization exercise-what is in your treasure chest? • Cognitive written exercise • Presentation exercise • How much of your present life situation is on purpose? • What changes (if any) do you need to make? • Remember what success is: being in the process of creating that which is most important to you-start now!!