Page 19 - January 2020 BarJournal

EXTRA FEATURE

The next step requires a pen and paper and The report person will be someone you two things per day or week. Don’t let setbacks
writing down your goal. Then, consider where consider an accountability partner. A close or slow progress stop you. So many lawyers
you want to be in January 2021 and start to friend or colleague who will hold you want balance in their life and EPIC goals
carve out an articulated goal. Goals have to accountable for what you say you will do for relentlessly executed will get you there. Lean
have a few components, I challenge you to each small step. Someone you can call on when on your accountability partner when you are
create an EPIC goal. you need encouragement. I am a firm believer in waning and need some encouragement. Using
• Explicit – specific, stated clearly with sharing my goals with many people. This helps the techniques here you can start to see waves
definition, no room for doubt you to exercise stating your goal over and over. of change in your ability to crush your goals.
• Planned – has a timeline, steps, and specific Repeating and sharing your goals also sets you Wondering if your goal is EPIC? Feel free
goal dates up to be responsible to yourself to achieve what to reach out to me and share your goal with
• Illustrated – physically written down and you told so many people you would achieve. It me and I’ll help you redesign your goal, if
detailed — pictures could help too! becomes a conversation piece when you bump necessary, to make 2020 and EPIC year for
• Calculated – intentional and done with into that person again. This keeps your goals in you! Happy Goal Setting New Year!
awareness of certain deadlines and urgency the front of your mind. This is motivating!
Obviously, you should set more than one
goal each year. Some goals are small such as How EPIC goals help you Natalie is a lawyer, success coach,
“remember or learn at least two new people’s Setting goals can help to make you feel more in and practicing attorney. As a coach
names each week.” Other goals are big goals, control and be able to keep anxious thoughts she focuses on whole life happiness
“Get a job in the insurance legal industry and actions at bay. Depression and anxiety are for lawyers, she takes a no-BS
earning at least $75,000/year.” If you set a lot of complex issues. Obviously, setting goals will approach to breaking through major
small goals, you can work the EPIC framework not immediately cure these issues. Setting goals barriers and achieving massive life-changing
really quickly. A big goal will take longer to that can actually be achieved and having the success for new and overwhelmed attorneys. She
work through and might change over time steps in place to ensure you achieve them help has been a CMBA member since 2019. She can
since the EPIC framework will cause you to to avoid depressed thoughts or overwhelmed be reached at (216) 337-7738 or natalieLthomas@
keep recalculating, and revising your plans. thoughts that lead to anxiety. yahoo.com. Follow her @the360lawyer on Twitter
Many attorneys set goals around work- or via Facbook at bit.ly/the360lawyer.
Crushing your goals life balance. Work-life balance is not easy for
Once you have an EPIC goal in mind, write anyone, but it is attainable! Almost no one in
it down and then the magic begins. To be the world will ever have an exact 50/50 split of
someone who achieves their goals, and not their work and home life. This is not the goal of
another resolution failure statistic, you have work-life balance. If you want balance you have
to break your goals down into smaller steps. to work to be present where you are. When you
Each EPIC goal can be made up of smaller are at work, you are mentally working on work
goals to be reached. If your goal is to get and dedicated to that. When you are at home,
your first legal job as a city prosecutor, you you are present with your family, friends, pets,
can have smaller goals such as attending at etc and you are not thinking about work. This
least three bar association meetings before is balance. Setting goals will help you to feel
April 2020, or connect with at least two new comfortable about getting work done at work,
attorneys each week via LinkedIn. Breaking and being mentally free when you are outside
your large goals into smaller goals will create of work. For example, you may set a goal that
a manageable amount of work to do in each you will spend at least two hours at home each
small step. Smaller action steps for each goal day without looking at your work email is an
increase the likelihood of your success as you EPIC goal. This goal can increase your ability
will be able to see progress and feel in control. to be present at home during those two hours.
This helps to manage the anxiety that creeps in This can also help you feel more motivated
when looking at “daunting” big goals. This also to work while at work as you will want to get OVER 25 YEARS OF
helps you to avoid ethical issues because you things finished and accomplished knowing
will be intentional in your actions and paying you have a planned break later in the day. PERSONAL INJURY,
attention to each step. MEDICAL MALPRACTICE,
Each goal should have a small chart that Final steps to achieving your goals AND AUTO / TRUCKING
looks something like this: The last part of setting and achieving your goals CASES
is to relentlessly execute. You are in control
Action Report of how effectively you execute your goals.
Goal Deadline
Steps Person Execute, execute and execute some more. Keep 216.223.7535
working until your goals are reached. If you ROBENALTLAW.COM
feel overwhelmed start breaking it down into
small steps and commit to doing just one or

JANUARY 2020 CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN BAR JOURNAL | 19