The Notebook

Now that I have the attention of every Nicholas Sparks fan, I must tell you that this article is not about romance, but it is about passion. The past four months have been hard for many people including me and my business. The first quarter of 2020 started with a bang. I was celebrating the best first quarter I had ever had as a coach, trainer, and speaker. Then, overnight, I saw the entire world change as did everyone around me. Retreats, speaking engagements, and conferences canceled, rescheduled, and then canceled again. Luckily, my coaching business remained steady and this kept me sane.

I spent the next sixty days thinking the setback was temporary. Then in late July, I had the realization that COVID 19 was not temporary, but life-altering for me. I was in a funk…feeling like Linus from the Snoopy series with a dark cloud following me. Please understand this is my personal story and as I think about my last sentence, I realize I am healthy and that my family has not been directly impacted by the virus (at least not yet) from a health standpoint. For that, I am very grateful. Still, I found myself in late July, ready to give up. After almost six years of building Law Strategy Corp, I was ready to quit. I was defeated, depressed, and becoming desperate. I spent days in June doing…but I can’t tell you what I was doing if that makes any sense. Then, I decided to get out of my chair and buy five notebooks. Why? Each of the law firms I work with has its own notebook. Since March 17, 2020, I have not had to add one new notebook despite working very hard to obtain new work. But here is what I decided:

1.       I will not quit. My calling is to help lawyers and law firms become better. It is what I do well, and it is what lawyers and law firms need now more than ever. I will continue to do what I am called to do. I may have to change how I do what I do, but I will not quit. 

2.      When one door closes, another door opens. So maybe I cannot go out and speak at large conferences, but I can create a new way to train, teach, and lead lawyers. I can create, learn, and grow. 

3.      I know what success means and I will continue to work to obtain it. I know that success is not, for me, determined by dollars. For me, success is determined by the legacy I am creating. Who am I influencing? Who am I mentoring? Am I kind? Am I generous and attentive? Do I leave a positive impression on every person I touch? If I can say yes, to these things, I am a success. Dollars matter don’t get me wrong. But success flows, in my opinion from the pursuit of a life well-lived. I will continue to pursue this. 

4.      I will not live in fear. I will choose to be careful and do the right things, but I will not watch the news 24/7 or check the COVID 19 stats daily. I will eliminate negative thoughts and I will react to others who are negative with kindness and encouragement. While it is easy to be fearful, negative, and angry, I choose to be grateful, positive, and fearless. 

5.      Failure is not an option. I have failed and I do not like it. I have failed in multiple ways, but each time, I have gotten up and dusted myself off and moved forward. I have learned from my failures, but I am not in a “learning from failure” mood. I am going to be successful and stay focused on making my business even better for 2021. I will provide my clients with the best service I can offer, change the ways I provide my services, and learn to do things in different ways. I will not fail.  

So, I bought five notebooks, because these notebooks represent the future, the success that is to come, and my hope in tomorrow.  Here’s to you and never giving up.