The Australian Corporate Lawyers Association and Freehills hosted an interactive expert panel discussion last week on the ongoing need for career fulfilment in the law. The panel consisted of Lisa Pryor, author of The Pinstripe Prison and columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald, Dr Timothy Sharp, founder of The Happiness Institute, Sandy Wright, former lawyer and founder of The Inner Journey Centre and Peter Butler, Freehills’ Managing Partner.
Finding fulfilment
The discussion opened up with defining passion. Peter Butler gave a considered response. ‘Passion is a word I use quite a lot and I do it for a reason. A lot of people think it is not cool to talk about passion and it is cool to be a little cynical. My long-term observation is that passionate people actually come in and achieve something but they do it in a way that gives them enormous fulfilment personally.’
The importance of risk
In The Pinstripe Prison, Lisa Pryor examines why neurotic over-achievers get trapped in corporate jobs. Her criticism lies with workaholic nerds who are too afraid to follow their passions and stay in corporate jobs just because they got the marks. She lives by her passions, having exchanged a career in law for journalism. ‘A problem with a lot law students is that as lawyers you can end up being really scared of taking a risk,’ said Lisa. ‘It was almost like the people with the most opportunities in the whole world, living at one of the most fortunate times in human history feel scared to take a risk. I’m saying it is really important to be brave, take a risk and do something you enjoy.’
Craft a life, not only a career
Sandy Wright built on Lisa’s sentiments of imprisonment saying that lawyers who sought life satisfaction solely from their jobs can only be disappointed. ‘I’m really passionate about my work, but if you think you’re going to get everything from the job then I think that you are not going to find the happiness you want,’ said Sandy. ‘There’s got to be another aspect to it and getting to know yourself and your inner life is important. My friends are really good lawyers and they just left the law because they couldn’t cope with the stresses and the other things that were going on in their profession.’ Sandy coaches lawyers to stay in their roles and she helps lawyers work through their issues. ‘Maybe at the end of the day you do want to leave, but work is like a marriage,’ continued Sandy. ‘Don’t throw it out when you’ll just end up in another company or another firm that’s not going to satisfy you. You have got to know who you are and what really makes you happy.’ Sandy told the audience to listen to their bodies because they are a key indicator of stress and anxiety levels. Her ambition is for all lawyers to practise yoga in the next 10 years.
Tim Sharp highlighted that people often get stuck in jobs that ‘they are good at’—not what they are passionate about. ‘Everyone should take the time to identify what you love and then create a life and a career around that,’ said Tim.
Approach your job differently
Changing jobs is not always the solution to finding happiness. Instead, a few simple changes at work can alter how people feel about their jobs. ‘The first question I ask is “What can we do to try to make your current situation better?” and it is often a lot easier to improve your current situation than to move somewhere else,’ said Tim. ‘So the question needs to be “How can you utilise your space on a daily basis?” Many of the people that I have worked with haven’t changed jobs but they’ve approached their job differently and, as a result, found more satisfaction and happiness than they thought imaginable.’
Peter went on to note that it is a common theme for lawyers consider suicide every month. ‘Depression is very real in our profession,’ said Peter. Recognising its existence and improving lawyers’ current situations is his aim. New research by Professor Ian Hickie from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Institute highlights depression’s prevalence with it affecting almost one in three solicitors.
Happiness through elimination
Happy people are people with a plan. Dr Timothy Sharp highly recommends that everyone should take time out to be idle and think about where their lives are headed. ‘We have lost the art of doing nothing,’ said Tim. ‘It’s not about being lazy. The fact is that in many offices in city, if you’re not seen to be busy every second of every day you must have something wrong. We are working at our peril and we need time for contemplation.’
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