Happy New Year to all of you! I hope that you have enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and are ready to take 2016 by storm. If you put your energy into it, the new year will be very positive for you, both personally and professionally.
The funny thing about all of the New Year resolutions and calls to arms — like the one I just made — is that the new year comes on the heels of the festivities of the November and December holidays. Lots of fun and activity and plenty of distractions during the holidays, but it does not last.
Along comes January and the beginning of the doldrums of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. The weather is dismal in many parts, and the energy and motivation for actually carrying out the resolutions can be hard to find. After cleaning out the closets and making a good show of “turning over a new leaf,” little actually gets done.
Don’t fall into that trap. The first quarter of the new year is an ideal time to plan. Find your warmest sweater and fluffiest slippers and get some hot cocoa brewing. Pull out that quilt your grandma made for you in the eighth grade and cuddle up. Planning is where it all begins. Make lists and start to execute on them. Don’t be overly ambitious or you will psyche yourself out. Manageable tasks is the goal.
You CAN do this, and by the time that Spring rolls around, you will be well on your way to making a powerful showing in 2016. Today is the first day of your planning season. Make it count!
Your list might include:
- Having that important conversation with your supervisor at the office about your professional future;
- Joining the Young Lawyers Section of the local bar association to increase your contacts and take advantage of great programs;
- Stretching yourself and taking the risk of that first deposition, first Federal Court argument or first trial experience; and
- Executing on your business development plan (hopefully you have one).
What’s ahead for you in 2016?
