Futurelawyer

Is There A Stoic In The House?

When someone falls, we call for a Doctor. But, for life's real emergencies, we all need a Doctor of Philosophy. 

Where Are You Going To Live Your Life?

I was reminded of this Teddy Roosevelt speech today by a quote published at Cultural Offering, which brought to mind the excellent series about Tom Brady, the GOAT, who has been "in the arena" all his life. I also thought of the brave souls who jump in every day, whether the arena of words, or other conflict, and who suffer the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat". The critics, naysayers, and other human vermin who presume to judge the actual warriors are despicable. How are you going to live your life?

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

—Theodore Roosevelt
Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

Wisdom - Live In The Present.

I don't know who among you needs to hear this today; but, I do. We all go through rough patches, in which we find ourselves worrying about something that happened in the past, or about what we expect may happen in the future. Intellectually, we know that this is useless thinking; but, sometimes, it is tough to disengage. In any event, concentrate on what is happening right now. What are you doing right now. How can you find joy and contentment right now. The rest is useless. The hardest thing for me is to remember the death, anguish and mistakes of the past, and to dwell on them. Or, to worry about the future, and to become anxious and fearful with worry. Both activities are totally irrational and useless. Just stop it. Right now I am at my desk on a Saturday, waiting to enjoy playoff football, and time with my current love. Nothing from the past or future can touch me. How great is that?

 

#WhyIAmASolo - It Is Much Easier To Be An Individualist.

While it is a good thing to have empathy for others, and to do your best to help those who cannot help themselves, the choice of when to do that should not be dictated by others. Individualists built America. Individualists cannot help others until they are comfortable being themselves. It is much easier to find the freedom to be a help to others when you are a solo. Large law firms can certainly cultivate an environment in which all are encouraged to act independently; but, for the large organization to survive, some controls must be in place, or everything will lead to chaos. Solo practice has given me the freedom to act alone, the decide for myself what needs to be done, and the basis for the happiness that results when one is not a slave to any other person. 

#WhyIAmASolo - The Adequate Lawyer. I Decide When Good Enough Is Good Enough.

Good Enough Isn't Always Good Enough. In law, and other professions, the pressure to be perfect is unyielding. We aren't allowed to make mistakes. Of course, perfection is an impossible standard to meet. And, looking back, the stress and anxiety and worry has contributed to more unhappiness than anything fate can throw your way. In BigLaw, however, this pressure can also be external, and the standards are set by others, who are senior in the bureaucracy. Solo practice, over the years, has been my salvation. I get to set the standards; and, I have been much happier when I decided what is good enough. I still struggle with the concept; but, at least I get to control the struggle. Peace, contentment, happiness; these are what most of us want out of life. Why, then, is everything we read or hear always telling us to be "exceptional", "outstanding", "the best", or whatever superlative adjective is in vogue at the moment? To be productive, you must hold back most of the time on the desire to be "perfect". You will never achieve it, and the stress of perpetual failure will make you unhappy. But, then, if you aren't always striving for excellence (example: Vince Lombardi), you may never achieve anything worthwhile. Mindfulness teaches us to observe without controlling, and that the only thing we can control is ourselves, and our reactions. Perhaps it is enough to try to learn when "good enough" is good enough.

Groucho Marx Was A Stoic.

One of my favorite Stoic principles is the Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus insight that, no matter what is happening in our lives, we have the power to choose happiness. It is also one of the hardest things to do. We all get depressed at times, and we need to remind ourselves every day of this reality. I choose happiness today, no matter what. I may die today, and I want to have a day of happiness. Thanks, Groucho, for the reminder. (and thanks to my friend, Clinton Herlein, for the heads up).

Most Of Us Live Lives Of Quiet Delusion.

Go Outside And Look At A Sunrise.

In this poem, I was thinking about the narrow focus lives we lead, filled with non-essentials and pretend happiness. I shot this image at sunrise nine years ago today, standing on a path at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The real world is so much bigger than we are. Take a moment and marvel at it. That is living. Everyone says they will stop and smell the roses. But, we don't, do we? 

 

Their money they buried.

Their daughters they married.

Their valuables they carried,

everywhere they went.

They locked their doors.

They seldom took risks.

They ate healthy food.

They spent hours on exercise machines.

They lived like they wouldn’t die,

and refused to think about death.

They worked until they slept,

and slept for half the day.

They didn’t learn the lessons of history.

They spent their time

trying to control their environment.

They never wanted to risk rejection,

so they never loved.

They didn’t want to disappoint the neighbors,

so they bought everything they saw.

They never saw a sunrise,

and spent their sunsets watching TV.

They were surprised when life ended,

and wondered where the time went.

They thought they would live forever;

but, the money and valuables and

swimming pools and fancy houses

lived longer than they did.

Those things live forever.

We don’t.

What did you say you were doing today?

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Surround Myself With People Who Have Opinions About How I Should Live My Life.

You know who they are. Someone else always has an opinion about what you should be doing, with whom you should be doing it, and how you should go about it. In large organizations, such people are legion. They have to control the organization, don't they? A smooth functioning large law firm has to mirror the desires of the owners (partners), right? Well, being a Stoic, I try to avoid such situations and people. Do you?

“How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbour says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.”

MARCUS AURELIUS

How To Have A Happy New Year.

Only one post today. I have been feeling under the weather, and my energy levels are way down. However, I only have one goal for the coming new year. Staying alive, and smiling no matter what. The toughest time to find joy is when fate isn't kind. So, call me anything but serious. If you aren't laughing at the twists fate brings us, you aren't living.

A Serious Man.

He was a serious man.

His days were spent,

brow furrowed,

arguing about serious things.

He was never idle,

and didn’t tolerate those who were.

His time was spent

arguing about serious topics,

and thinking about serious things.

He made lists of things that needed doing.

He attacked them with dedication

and resolve.

No one could say that he was derelict

in fulfilling the duties assigned to him.

He had no time for fun.

Life was too serious for that.

He demanded that everyone

treat life as seriously as he.

He avoided those who frolicked

and spent time in useless inaction.

He would not waste his life

that way.

We all knew that he was a serious man,

not to be trifled with.

He got things done.

He never blinked.

He never swore.

He never was seen

to smile.

Smiling was a waste of time.

Things needed doing.

He was just the man to get them done.

When he died,

no one mourned his loss.

No one came to the funeral.

No one smiled at a memory of him.

But, everyone agreed

that he was a serious man.

#WhyIAmASolo - No Hierarchy To Impress.

It is difficult enough to navigate our competitive society. In order to be financially successful, lawyers and other professionals need to impress Judges, clients, colleagues, and opponents, with their ability and competence. Why do we complicate things by joining a hierarchy, such as a large corporation or institution, or Big Law, and then spend valuable living time trying to impress those higher than us in the hierarchy, and even those lower than us? What a waste of energy. What a waste of our precious little time on this earth? Mitch Albom said a wise thing, when he said:    

If you're trying to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down on you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for people at the bottom, forget it. They will only envy you. Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone.”

                                                                                                                                                           Mitch Albom

This is actually a sister principle to the Stoic advice that we should never consider the opinion of others; but, to live our lives according to our own light. This is much easier to do in an environment where others have less of an effect on your life.