In other words, think career “strategy” before “tactics”.
This is true in marketing as well. Before you decide what organizations to join, whether to do any speaking, or what your website should look like, you have to know what kind of practice you want to build.
As lawyers, we don’t always do that. We are great at execution so that is where we gravitate. We are not always great with the big picture.
I see this all the time in working with my clients (who are all attorneys).
Clients want to dive straight into tactics.
They want feedback on their resume…before they’ve figured out what job they want. They want to focus on their website…before they’ve decided where to focus their practice (ideal clients, types of matters they want to work on, etc.)
But as I explain almost daily: tactics without strategy is like trying to figure out the shortest route before choosing a destination.
You may get “there” more quickly—but to where?
Whether you’re considering a career move or trying to build your practice, the first step is strategy:
💡What kind of work excites you?
💡Who are your ideal clients?
💡What kind of life do you want to build?
Once you’re clear on direction, the tactics become tools. Until then, they are mainly distractions.
Start with the “why” and “where.” Then we can figure out the “how.”
The one caveat is that putting thoughts down on paper or taking actionable steps can be a way to gain more clarity about one’s goals.
So working on a resume or starting to draft an overview of your services for your website, can help you gain more clarity.
Overall, however, know where you are going before you “get in the car and start driving”.