The One Mindset To Get You Ahead In Your Legal Career

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door”– Milton Berle
‍

The mindset in which you see a situation can dramatically affect the actions you take, and therefore the outcome in which you achieve.

Have you ever noticed a colleague or friend of yours, who despite the challenges that they’re confronted with, they seem to make it work and come out of the other side stronger than ever? Where others may feel stressed and overwhelmed, these individuals seem to tackle it with ease, no challenge being too large to overcome.

Likely, the resourceful state from which these individuals operate is cultivated through an abundance mindset, a term, originally coined by Stephen Covey in his best-selling book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, which refers to the paradigm where one realises that there is plenty out there for everybody – and the focus is on what you have (as opposed to what you don’t).

Coming from a place of abundance results in sharing of recognition, prestige and decision-making, often leading to the opening of greater opportunities, alternatives and creativity.

On the other hand, a ‘scarcity mindset’ keeps us feeling like we’re stuck, that we don’t’ have enough, and frankly, that we aren’t enough.

So – you decide, where would you rather operate from?

If you’re like us, abundance is the place to be.

But how do we work to cultivate an abundance mindset?

Here are a few actionable tips to help you reframe your thinking and get you focused on the positives:

1. Recognise and celebrate the achievements of colleagues

Operating from a place of abundance means that you recognise there’s no competition, that instead, those that are successful pave the way for you to succeed as well. As such, expressing your gratitude for their efforts and contributions is a way to shape your thinking towards abundance – and hey, you may even brighten someone’s day!

2. Gratitude Journal

It’s a simple practice but noting down the things that you are grateful for each and every day is an effective method to help train your mind to see the positives. In his book, Life, the Truth, and Being Free, coach and speaker Steve Maraboli says, “Those with a grateful mindset tend to see the message in the mess. And even though life may knock them down, the grateful find reasons, if even small ones, to get up.”

3. Ask for Guidance

Coming from abundance means recognising that there are plenty of resources available to you to get to the next level – and the onus doesn’t have to be all on you to get there. In fact, the highest performing individuals recognise the power of coaches and mentors and have regular touch points with these individuals to assess how they can more effectively achieve their next ambitions.

As a legal professional, capitalising on the resources at hand to help you fulfil on your ideal career trajectory is a powerful method to get you to the next level. The weight of securing your ideal role doesn’t need to fall only on your shoulders, legal recruiters can help by partnering alongside you, and providing feedback to maximise your chances of succeeding through the interview process.

Sonder Consultants are a boutique legal recruitment firm specialising in both in-house and private practice, and have opportunities in domestic and international markets. For more information on career advice or opportunities in your respective field. Contact Kevin for a confidential discussion on: email kevin.sinnott@sonderconsultants or give him a call on 02 8277 4511

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations”
– Charles R. Swindoll