Last week I spoke at an NCBA CLE Program on marketing yourself and how to do it. One of the things that I tried to stress was to be yourself and not try to be what you think others expect you to be. Before you can market yourself or even run your own law firm (or even a legal team) you truly have to not only know yourself but be yourself.

I see far too many lawyers trying to live up to the lawyer image in their minds. I am absolutely convinced no one knows what a lawyer image is today. Lawyers and law firms are changing the rules daily on what is the image and look needed to succed. Those that are succeeding are doing it only because they are comfortable in their own skins.

One of the advantages of age (Wisdom of the Ages) is the ability not to worry about what others think but to worry about what you think. Once you get yourself aligned with you values, living the life of character you want, then the rest comes easy. It truly is the laws of attraction.

And every year you give yourself a personal tune-up. Think about where you are in life. Ask yourself if you are doing what you want to do. Have you made progress in your goals. Do you have a passion for what you do. And does your family have a passion for what you do.

As we come to the end of this year I am encouraging everyone I know to take a couple of days. Make it your wake-up call for this year. You can hire a facilitator or do it yourself but walk away from your business and your life and go through a thought process of where you want to be short term and long term. THEN MAKE A PLAN! Best money you have every spent.

IF YOU STAY THE WAY YOU ARE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE WAY YOU ARE!