Who Are You Voting For? The Answer is...

Over a decade ago I had it good, really good. I was living in the Midwest in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I was surrounded by friends. My family was growing. The Firm had started, and we were achieving much of what we set out to do with an amazing legal team. And then, with The Parable of The Talents as my guide, I decided it was time to change it all. I moved to a big city with no friends. I bought a house site unseen. I did so with a 3 year old, a 6 week old and my wife in tow. I found office space, and I started building a bigger legal team.

Every time I tell this story, I get asked why I did it. My answer then and my answer now: because I bet on myself.

As I cast my early vote this election, I jokingly wrote in my name (only to cancel and cast my real ballot) for President. In fact, I sent this picture to my Dad, who, politics aside, said I had his vote ;). It all serves as a good reminder of what I tell my kiddos, my mentees, my colleagues and others, which is to first and foremost bet on yourself.

Put another way, here is why voting for yourself is so important:

1. Abstention, or a no vote, is indicative of no confidence. If you do not vote for, or believe in, yourself, noone else ultimately will. Sounds trite and cliche, but it is absolutely true. When is the last time someone successfully elected voted for someone else? I had a plan, and I had a Firm with purpose and a mission, but no one (not even my law partners) would have agreed had I not first voted on myself to grow.
2. Voting is action. Plans and debate are talk. All those years ago when I chose Austin, I did my research, I considered alternatives, and I likely even waffled a bit as to whether such a drastic move was in the best interests of those I loved and myself. I could have kept talking about it, thinking about it and worrying about it. Instead, I made the call, I voted for Austin, I voted in favor of myself, and I took action that begot more action.
3. Voting creates accountability. It forces one to take a position, to plot a course of action to accomplish a goal. In doing so, you secure followers (and even constituents) who want you to see it through. Sure I could have returned to the Midwest and the life I had, but once I bet on myself I was hellbent on accomplishing my goal, happily choosing the journey over any safety net.
4. Voting has consequences. Winning and losing matters and there are winners and losers. Hem and haw all we want about whether that is good or bad and whether binary outcomes really exist so long as you try. Not every vote I have cast for myself has been a winner. That said, I've won far more than I have lost, and I have never regretted my vote, including the biggest one I made all those years ago when coming to Austin.

So next time someone asks you who you are voting for, answer with an emphatic "Me."

PS: Sorry to the volunteer at the voting location for using my phone to take this picture. You were right to yell at me. Know I did it in the name of Freedom of Speech :).