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Attorney and Author Eve Wright Discusses the Path to Personal Fulfillment

Published: Apr 11, 2014

 Job Search       Law       Workplace Issues       
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Many attorneys and other professionals may seek out careers they believe will be economically and personally gratifying only to later find themselves stuck in a rut, or worse, completely unhappy with their jobs. Finding job satisfaction and personal fulfillment is possible, but often, busy professionals need a push in the right direction.

As such, I was pleased to have to opportunity to discuss attorney Eve Wright’s new book Life at the Speed of Passion: Create a Life of Intention, Purpose, and Integrity, a guide to reaching goals and finding career and personal satisfaction. In addition to serving as the Vice President and Associate General Counsel for the Miami Heat and the American Airlines Arena, Eve is an inspirational speaker and author. The resulting Q & A discusses ways in which attorneys and other professionals can attain more positivity in their lives.  

Q: How can Life at the Speed of Passion help attorneys and other professionals who feel unfulfilled in their careers?

Eve: It can help them, and anyone really, figure out what they want their lives to look like and it can teach them strategies they can use to help them achieve it.  It will help them focus on what really matters to them, cut the emotional and professional “fat” out of their lives and streamline their personal and professional decision-making processes.

Q: Are there any daily steps attorneys and other professionals can take to find more job satisfaction?

Eve: First, recognize that, for most of us, the life we want just doesn’t fall into our laps.  We have to commit to creating and putting the pieces together.  That usually means focusing on what matters to you, putting together a plan to achieve it and taking some risks to execute it.  It doesn’t have to be done in “life jarring” steps.  Start with the small things – learning a new skill set or extending yourself for an opportunity to gain a different experience – and before you know it, you’re on your way to creating a life that satisfies you (rather than just a job).

Q: What do you think prospective students should consider before making the decision to attend law school?

Eve: I think students should take the time to get a realistic and accurate grasp of what it means to practice law every day.  I speak to a good amount of young professionals who are disillusioned when they actually start practicing law (and after they have acquired a good amount of debt).  It’s usually because they didn’t use the type of techniques I discuss in my book to plot their course. It’s certainly a noble and, sometimes storied, profession.  However, they should think about what kind of work the practice of law involves, the hours, the lifestyle, etc. and whether that meshes with what they are interested in and the lifestyle they want for themselves.

Q: How can law students stay motivated in the face of constant competition and rejection?

Eve: By continuing to invest in their personal development.  Whether it’s through motivation and improvement tools like my book – Life at the Speed of Passion – or something as simple as taking a class to obtain a new skill set.  You never know how it will help you down the road and it will keep you motivated to stay focused on your own positive improvement.

Q: How do you balance your personal goals and relationships with your career goals and relationships?

Eve: Life’s not all about my career to me.  Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely love it but it’s important to me to have a life and explore my personal interests!  Now, that doesn’t always mean it’s perfectly balanced.  In fact, I don’t know that I’ll ever have balance.  I have priorities and my personal relationships – my family – aren’t secondary to everything else.  I need 360 degree fulfillment so I arrange my activities and commitments around what’s most important for me to be present and in the moment at that time.  The rest I may or may not fit in; however, I’m consistently transparent and up front about what I can and can’t commit to. 

Get your copy of Life at the Speed of Passion, and follow Eve on Twitter

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Read More:

Finding Happiness and Practicing Law are Not Mutually Exclusive
Challenge Yourself to Mindfulness at Work

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