Futurelawyer

#MementoMori -

Before I go back to my sick bed, I leave you with this. Do you feel invincible today?

It Is But A Scratch

I have been doing my best Black Knight imitation this week, as I suffer in bed with a bad adenovirus infection. Those who have missed my blog posts, thanks for reaching out. However, when life gets you like this, it is a challenge to live up to Stoic prinicples. I control my reactions to what fate brings my way. Like the Black Knight, I cry out: "It is but a scratch!"

 

#MondayWisdom - Walk Softly, And Carry A Big Spear

Novels For Lawyers And Everybody Else

Execupundit.com: Novels for Leaders. Execupundit quotes the iconic novel by Joseph Heller, "Catch-22", and this paragraph:

“There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.

"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.”

 

Lawyers, and everyone, often recognize that Catch-22 applies to every endeavor in life. We are crazy if we attempt to live our lives by taking risks; but recognizing those risks makes us sane, which makes us available for control and manipulation by others, and thus eligible to be crazy. Which are you? Not that it matters to fate and death. They will happen whatever you do. Why not take the risks? 

What's Holding You Back?

Why aren't you as successful a lawyer as you think you should be? While money and its accouterments shouldn't necessarily be your focus, we all aspire to something. What is holding you back? Is it physical? Size, distance, disability, money? Mental? Fear, uncertainty, inexperience, prejudice? Ryan Holiday discusses these issues in his book, based on the Marcus Aurelius quote: The obstacle is the way. We all have obstacles. We all experience disappointment and failure. Those who pick themselves up and keep going are the only ones with a chance to succeed. Which are you?

Respect Time? Does It Matter?

Execupundit.com: Time. When I first read this pithy quote from Execupundit, I asked myself the question: "How do I respect time?" Then, I remembered my daily mantra: "Memento Mori". Remember, every single day, that you might die today. Remember that time is neither an ally nor an adversary. It just is. So, our time on this planet is limited; and, the true adversary is to neglect that fact. Remember. Make it a point to remember. Do it every day. Then, go live like there is no tomorrow. Because, there isn't.

Just Say No

One of the most difficult lessons for a young lawyer to learn is how to say NO. We want to please and to help our clients and prospective clients. Saying no can hurt feelings, create anger, and other emotions, all of which can be exacerbated by a problem client. You don't have to represent every one who walks through the door. You can't anyway. Today's daily Stoic message suggests that we be ruthless to the things that don't matter. Practice it today, and you might find your day to be much more satisfying. 

"How many have laid waste to your life when you weren't aware of what you were losing, how much was wasted in pointless grief, foolish joy, greedy desire, and social amusements--how little of your own was left to you. You will realize you are dying before your time!"          Seneca

 

Monty Python Has A Stoic Message For The New Year

Life got you down? Are you having a bad year already? Monty Python has a message for you. Watch and learn.

The Daily Stoic: A Better Life In 5 Minutes A Day

The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living - Kindle edition by Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.. As we begin a new year, it is common to consider reinventing ourselves, considering ways to make our lives new again, and to put the past behind us. Allow me to join the chorus, and provide my lawyer readers, as well as anyone else who reads this with a simple prescription to improve your life, love each day, and be happier. The best part is that it will cost you only $1.99 to join this club, and only 5 minutes a day of your time. You waste more time than that worrying about your next trial or hearing. It always amazes me that no one, before this bright young man, Ryan Holiday, thought of taking thousands of years of Stoic wisdom, and placing it before us in bite sized chunks that anyone can appreciate. Come on, you've already missed a day.

Want A Happy New Year? Read This Post

Execupundit.com: 21 Things I Wish I Knew In My Twenties.  I am going to stop making New Year's Resolutions. As Michael Wade says in this piece about things life has taught him, we don't do enough specific goal setting. We tend to be vague in our goals, and this is a setup for failure. So, instead of saying: "I am going to diet and lose weight", say "I am going to lose 40 pounds". Okay, you probably won't make it. But, your chances will be improved. (Note: I did make it in 2018, losing 50 pounds for the year.) Be spiritual. Don't try to impress others. Impress yourself, and keep it to yourself. Use humor as a defense. There are more. But, you have to read the post. I am much more sanguine about how much time I have left. But, more understanding helps to concentrate on the present. Enjoy.