I wish I could do what you’re doing (said a senior partner - who had been practicing more than 25 years - when I told him I was quitting the firm to start my new coaching/consulting business).

[No, he didn't want to start coaching but he did want to leave law firm life behind].

I’ve heard this a lot over the past 6 years.

And almost all of these attorneys are still practicing. Which begs the question...

Why do they stay?

Most people assume lawyers stay because of the proverbial golden handcuffs.

Although that can be a reason, it’s often not the primary reason they stay (even for those who claim it is).

Like most high-achievers, we attorneys are risk-averse people-pleasers who care (an insane amount) about what others think.

We tell ourselves it’s better to stay with the devil you know than leave for the devil you don’t know.

And we worry no one will understand.

That’s how you end up barking up the wrong tree, refusing to come down (even when you know you're in the wrong tree!).

Where might you be barking up the wrong tree, Friend, because change feels risky and you worry about what others might think?

What I want you to know is that you’re thinking about risk all wrong.

Although there is risk with making a change, there’s also risk in staying put.

Risk to your mental health. Risk to your relationships (because how you feel IS impacting how you relate to those you care about).

Time to get honest about that so you can compare apples to apples.

And when it comes to your worries about what others will think, have you considered who you're becoming by not making the change you want?

How might you be perceived as a warped shell of your former self?

Doing nothing might just be the bigger risk.

XO,

Heather

P.S. If you feel stuck in the wrong career/profession, listen to my podcast interview with Sarah Cottrell who helps unhappy lawyers find careers they love. Although she works specifically with lawyers, anyone unhappy in their career will benefit from her advice.