Andrew Grace Associates

How do you know if you are stuck in your legal career or just having a rough time that will pass? Here are a few clues that your feeling is not something that will soon pass away.

• You feel a sense of dread when the morning alarm rings to go to work.
• You feel angry (not just disappointed) when work prevents you from attending a special event.
• You feel frustrated when your practice of law is not what you envisioned when you graduated from law school.
• You feel overwhelmed when you see yourself boxed in - no reasonable ways to generate change.

I agree with those who believe that fear is often the sticking agent that prevents change.  Once you can pinpoint the cause of your fear, you can move forward to overcoming the obstacles. 

I recall the Peanuts cartoon character Linus (the character who always needed his blanket for security) once came to Lucy with a plea, "My life is full of fear and anxiety. I need help!"  Lucy counsels her friend to pinpoint his fears and give it a label.  She asks if he is suffering from Hypengyophobia - fear of responsibility? Or Ailurophobia - fear of cats? Or Climacophobia - fear of staircases? Or Thalassophobia - fear of the ocean? Or Sephyrophobia - fear of crossing bridges? Or Pantophobia?  What is Pantophobia? askd Linus.  Lucy responded, "The fear of everything." "That's it!!!" exclaimed Linus.

Do you have symptoms of Sephryophobia - fear of crossing bridges?  Look around. Look for a bridge.  Look for a bridge to connect you with another job, to another avenue to practice law, or to another career outside the law. Getting unstuck in your legal career may be finding the right bridge.