The Power of Going Off Script and Finding Success on Your Terms
“There is only one way to do this.”
This narrative is pervasive in the law.
We get to law school, and we start getting indoctrinated with the mindset that there is only one path to success as a lawyer.
So we power through, without asking any questions. We think all the pressure and anxiety we feel is going to be alleviated once we get a good job.
But it’s not true.
I sat down with lawyer and coach, Lauren Klein, to talk about breaking out of that mindset.
Lauren is the co-owner of the Flourish Law Group. She has an extensive 12-year legal career that includes working with the largest private wealth services group in the US and a Big Four accounting firm.
She also works with law school students through her coaching program, Law School Blueprint, and hosts the Wealthy Future Lawyers Squad podcast.
One of the most pivotal moments in Lauren’s life happened while she was working for a big firm.
She found herself in a conversation with one of the partners talking about a coworker who had retired early.
She would never forget him saying, “I wish I could do that. Must be nice.”
This man had been practicing law for over twenty years, making a lot of money.
“You definitely could’ve done that,” she thought. “You can do that now.”
Lauren, who hadn’t grown up wealthy, was already amazed at her own salary. Even though this man was making far more than her, he still didn’t feel good about his money.
At that moment, Lauren realized:
It’s not about money. It’s about the way we look at money.
Years later, Lauren was sitting in her home office, pregnant, working for a big firm, and billing 12 hours a day.
The pandemic had just hit, and Lauren was listening to a lot of different life coaches, trying to keep herself in a good, healthy space while the world was going insane.
All of a sudden, she thought, “Why don't we have this in the law?”
She realized how much law students needed to hear discussions about what was possible for them.
The work Lauren had done on her own mindsets was transformative for her - both as a human and as an attorney. So she started talking to more people about starting a community for female law students.
She created a coaching program with multiple modules ranging from overcoming imposter syndrome to morning routine to vision boards. She covered topics like money, abundance, and budgeting in law school.
Through this program, Lauren now gets to talk about two of her favorite things: money and mindsets.
She coaches young lawyers and law students to question the stories they’re telling themselves about finances and practicing law.
I asked her to share a couple of those key mindset shifts:
- Debt is not bad.
We’ve created a scary monster out of debt, but debt is not actually good or bad. It’s neutral. How we think about it and what we do about it is what really matters.
Lauren tells her clients that taking out debt for law school is making the decision to invest in yourself. You don’t have to feel bad about it, but you do need to be mindful of it. Everything you take out, you will have to pay back, so be aware and intentional about how much you take out.
- Money can come from many sources.
Your law career can be an amazing revenue generator, but it’s not the only way to make money. There are other ways to make money - even within the practice of law.
Lauren tells her students to surround themselves with people who have an abundance mindset and are doing things differently. The more you listen to this kind of thinking, the more it becomes normalized. You start to realize the negative self-talk is just a story. It’s not the truth.
- The life you want is possible.
Whatever you want is available to you. There's something about law school and the practice of law that makes us think there’s only one way to do things. We think we’ve failed if we don’t do things that way, but it’s not true.
When Lauren’s law school clients come to her with a goal like, “I want to make good grades and get a good job,” she helps them figure out why they want those goals. What would it mean for them to get there? How are they going to feel once they get there?
Once they get to the bottom of what they really want, she helps them come up with practical, inspired action to take towards their goals.
Doing this mental work is like exercising a muscle.
When you first go to the gym, you think, “Oh this is really hard.”
It’s the same thing with your mind. The more you take a step back, process the stories you’re telling yourself, and say, “Hold on, is that true? Do I like what I’m thinking? Do I want to change it? What do I want to replace it with?” the easier it becomes to do this.
If you’re interested in shifting your mindsets and doing the work this blogpost talks about, I have a couple options for you:
- Listen to the Powerhouse Lawyers Podcast - This podcast is designed to help you confront any limiting narratives, especially the ones that are prevalent in the law, so you can build the life and career you want.
- Jump into the Powerhouse Lawyers Facebook Group - This place has been curated for you and other listeners of the podcast to have discussions about the podcast, share resources, network, and above all, find strong community and support.
- Book a Coaching Call - If you’re serious about changing your mindsets, book a call with me. One-on-one coaching is the fastest and most direct way to confront limiting beliefs head-on so you can start going after the fulfilling, values-driven life you want.
See you next time, Powerhouse!
Erin
How to connect with Lauren:
Flourish Law Group Website: flourishlawgroup.com
Coaching Website: laurenalexisklein.com
Instagram: @wealthyfuturelawyersquad
