Author name: Anisha Saleem

During the media session on the Monday following his third Super Bowl Championship win in February 2024, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked by a reporter to compare his “innovative” and “unpredictable” playing style to a non-football activity and explain why. After a few moments of thought, Mahomes, much to my delight, responded: “A top-tier lawyer. Someone who has to think on his feet, execute at the right time, and deal with high-pressure situations.” As a lawyer or member of the legal industry, you may not immediately see yourself as a three-time Super Bowl champion. But as a high-performance and burnout coach for lawyers, I encourage my clients to think of themselves as exactly that—elite athletes. Like Patrick Mahomes, I see strong parallels between professional sports and the legal profession. The Striking Similarities Between Athletes and Lawyers Both are highly selective and intensely competitive. In the U.S., fewer than 2% of NCAA student-athletes go on to play professionally. Similarly, only about 0.36% of the U.S. population are lawyers. These are rare and demanding paths that require excellence. Another key similarity is that both fields are performance-driven. Athletes must consistently perform at their peak to stay on the team or compete at elite levels. Likewise, lawyers must sustain high performance throughout the long marathon of their careers—whether to remain at top firms, run a successful practice, or thrive in other legal roles. Just as high levels of trust and cohesion are essential for a sports team to win, they are equally critical for law firms and legal teams to succeed. Athletes and lawyers need to stay committed, disciplined, and motivated to put in the daily efforts and training/work that may not be the “fun” aspects of the job but are necessary to get the desired results. Both face intense pressure to perform in high-stakes environments when tension can run high. The nature of the performance environment is adversarial with a battle mentality in both sports and law. The ultimate goal in both arenas is to win – thrilling victories are celebrated, and the emotional roller coaster can swing the opposite direction, feeling the agony of defeat. Lawyers and athletes can face intense periods of work/training/competition requiring time away from family, friends, and support systems, which can place a strain on relationships. The Dark Side: Mental Health Challenges in Both Fields There’s a dark side to both industries as well. We love to put athletes on a pedestal and see them as superhumans. But the excessive physical demands on their bodies and pressure of the sport can lead to mental health issues, an invisible burden they carry. According to a 2019 consensus statement from the International Olympic Committee, about 35% of elite athletes suffer from mental health challenges, which may manifest as stress, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and other addictions, PTSD, and burnout. Athletes can practice and perform in environments with coaches who are verbally abusive and sometimes worse. This only exacerbates fear, insecurity, anxiety, and depression. Lawyers may not be Olympic athletes, but they perform mental gymnastics all day long. There are tremendous mental demands and practicing law requires high levels of physical energy, too. Add in the pressure to bill hours, develop new business, juggle a high caseload with competing deadlines, and navigate an ever-changing legal and economic landscape, the daily experience can be filled with stress and overwhelm. Some lawyers also experience vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue with their work. Unhealthy work environments negatively impact lawyer performance and well-being, too. Research regarding lawyer well-being and mental health consistently shows that lawyers experience high rates of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and burnout. Like athletes, this can be an invisible burden for many lawyers. There is fear to admit or disclose they are struggling behind the superhuman uniform they wear while performing as a lawyer. They carry the pressure to be perfect from the office to the courtroom to home. Learning from Elite Athletes Here’s where lawyers and law firms can take a page from the playbook of elite athletes and teams. The sports industry understands the mind and body are connected. For an athlete to be at their best, both mind and body must be healthy. They also understand that the superstar athlete performing in their uniform is still a human who deals with human challenges and emotions – on and off the field. For an athlete to bolster against experiencing significant mental health issues and burning out, their mental and emotional fitness must be trained and strengthened just like their physical skills. Elite athletes and sports teams have employed sports psychologists and mental performance coaches as part of their staff for years, if not decades. They view mental performance coaching as an enhancer to optimizing performance, bolstering resilience, and increasing the odds of winning. Performance coaching also helps to reduce mental health issues that impair athletes on and off the field. What other skills can lawyers borrow from an athlete’s mental performance mastery playbook to optimize well-being and performance? While there are many, and articles can be written on each one of them separately, here are a few highlights: Mental Performance Strategies for Lawyers Rest and Recovery All elite athletes focus on rest and recovery more than training. One Olympic athlete I worked with during her transition out of track and field said during a coaching session, “I trained hard, but I rested harder.” An athlete’s body needs proper recovery to fuel muscle growth, increase capacity for the stress of performance, and restore energy levels. While athletes need to physically rest to prevent injury and restore energy levels, lawyers need to incorporate movement and exercise as part of their daily routines and habits of excellence to boost energy levels, maximize cognitive performance, and strengthen resiliency (to highlight only a few of many benefits of exercise). Rest needs to be viewed as productive and a critical component to success. Mindset Athletes do not leave their mindset to chance. Mindset is a vast topic, but to

My daughter has a radar for bugs. We can be walking along, and she will suddenly stop and exclaim, “Oh my gosh, look at this cute spider!” I, myself, am wondering how she even spotted said tiny spider! She can spot the tiniest of creatures while moving quickly. She will stand and marvel at the spider, its colors, observe what’s happening in the web, and express “awws” usually reserved for more cute and fluffy animals. Whether it’s spiders or bringing cicadas, moths, and katydids into our house, she has always loved bugs. Or let’s be honest, she loves all creatures, great and small. They usually love her back, too. Through animals and nature, she experiences awe on a regular basis. What does this have to do with attorney well-being, you ask? In the fast-paced, high-pressure world of law, emotions often take a backseat to logic and reason. Yet, emerging research suggests that one emotion, in particular, can be a powerful tool for lawyers: awe. Far from being a frivolous indulgence, awe can enhance cognitive function, reduce stress, and boost creativity – all essential qualities for legal practice. The Science of Awe Awe is a complex emotion characterized by a sense of wonder, vastness, and humility. When we experience awe, our brains undergo a shift, focusing on the bigger picture rather than immediate concerns. This shift has profound implications for our well-being and cognitive function. Stress Reduction A study published in the journal Emotion found that individuals who reported experiencing awe more frequently had lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This suggests that awe can serve as a powerful antidote to the chronic stress often associated with the legal profession. Increased Well-being Research has shown that awe can boost overall well-being. A study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that participants who were induced to feel awe reported greater life satisfaction and a stronger sense of purpose. Enhanced Creativity Awe has been linked to increased divergent thinking, a cognitive process associated with generating a variety of ideas and solutions. This is a critical skill for lawyers facing complex legal challenges. A study published in Psychological Science found that participants who watched a video that induced awe performed better on creativity tests than those who watched a neutral video. Improved Decision Making Awe can help us make better decisions by expanding our perspective and reducing our reliance on stereotypes. A study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that participants who experienced awe were less likely to rely on stereotypes when making judgments. Cultivating Awe in the Legal Profession While the legal profession can be demanding, there are opportunities to cultivate awe within this challenging field. Here are some practical strategies: Mindfulness and Gratitude Incorporating mindfulness and gratitude practices into your daily routine can help you cultivate a sense of wonder and appreciation for the present moment. Even brief moments of mindfulness can have a significant impact. Studies have shown that gratitude journaling can increase feelings of awe and well-being. Connect with Nature Spending time in nature is a powerful way to experience awe. Research has consistently shown that exposure to natural environments can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase feelings of awe. Take a walk during the workday. Catch the sunrise, the sunset, or gaze at the stars and moon after a long day. Engage in Creative Pursuits Whether it’s painting, writing, playing music, or any other creative activity, engaging your artistic side can open you to experiences of wonder and inspiration. Creative pursuits help shift your perspective away from daily stressors and toward possibilities. Seek Out Inspiring Experiences Attend concerts, visit museums, watch documentaries, or read books that challenge your worldview. Exposing yourself to beauty, knowledge, and different perspectives can spark feelings of awe and expand your mental horizons. Read Awe-Inspiring Stories Literature, biographies of remarkable individuals, or stories of human triumph can evoke powerful feelings of wonder and remind you of the extraordinary potential within ordinary circumstances. Volunteer Giving back to the community can be a powerful way to experience awe. Helping others can put your own problems into perspective and foster a sense of connection to something larger than yourself. “There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle. The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt is awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” ― Albert Einstein Awe and Legal Practice Experiencing awe can have a direct impact on legal practice. For example: Improved Client Relationships Awe can foster empathy and compassion, which are essential for building strong client relationships. By understanding the broader impact of a legal issue on a client’s life, lawyers can provide more effective representation. Enhanced Negotiation Skills Awe can help lawyers approach negotiations with a more open mind, leading to more creative and collaborative solutions. By seeing the situation from the other party’s perspective, lawyers can build rapport and increase the likelihood of a successful outcome. Increased Resilience Awe can help lawyers cope with the inevitable challenges and setbacks of legal practice. By maintaining a sense of perspective, lawyers can bounce back from adversity more quickly and effectively. The Challenge of Slowing Down It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, the to-do list, the demands of work (especially in the grueling legal profession), and the need to be productive. I am guilty of this myself. On a recent hike with my daughter, I was feeling that pressure. She was crouched down and looking at a mushroom. I was rushing her to keep walking. Her response was to not give into my rush but to challenge it. She said, “I’m just adoring nature.” This was my cue to question why I was rushing

Your career spans many decades. Maintaining the eager enthusiasm you once had for lawyering can be challenging. You had the motivation to get through law school and graduate. You had the motivation to study and pass the bar exam. You had the motivation to go above and beyond to get your dream job. You’ve checked all those goals off; now what? Life is showing up and doing the job every day for the next 40 years. The reality sets in, the dream job has lost its luster, and many lawyers I work with express having lost their motivation. They are stressed out, anxious, and cynical about their job. Is it possible to rekindle the motivation? If so, how can you create long-lasting, sustainable motivation to get you across the finish line of the career marathon? The Two Essential Components of Sustainable Motivation Two essential components to motivation are: Understanding Motivation: The Goal Framework Challenge Motivation is the desire to act in service of a goal. When you have time-limited, specific goals, it is easier to maintain motivation because you can see the finish line. Graduating from law school and passing the bar are two such examples. Individual days may be challenging but keeping your eye on the prize sustains your drive. But you cannot see the finish line when you’re in the thick of your career, and it is easy for that drive to disappear. The Motivation Spectrum: Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation lies on a spectrum. On one end is extrinsic motivation, and on the other is intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic Motivation: The Problem with External Rewards Extrinsic motivation involves accomplishing a goal because: Examples include: Stress, fear, and insecurity fuel these externally-motivated goals. Intrinsic Motivation: The Path to Lasting Satisfaction Intrinsic motivation involves working towards and accomplishing a goal because it is inherently rewarding. Examples include: Desire, reward, and satisfaction fuel intrinsically motivated goals. The Research: Why Intrinsic Motivation Matters Extrinsic goals do not help you achieve lasting well-being; they are associated with: They keep you busy and believing, “If I get __, then I’ll be happy and satisfied.” The problem is that there’s no end to this, and the satisfaction is only temporary. For example, if your main motivation at work is to hit your hours, the satisfaction drops off quickly because you start the following month back at zero. What Goals Lead to Lasting Satisfaction? Heidi Grant Halvorson, a leading researcher on goal achievement, explains in her book Succeed: “…not all goals lead to lasting feelings of true satisfaction and well-being, and that’s because not all goals satisfy our needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Which ones do? In general, goals that are about making, supporting, or strengthening relationships do. So do goals that focus on personal growth, physical health, or self-acceptance – addressing your shortcomings or, if they can’t be helped, simply coming to terms with them. Goals that have to do with contributing to your community or helping others also fulfill these needs.” Ask yourself: Do you have a unique definition of what success as a lawyer means to you? Or what constitutes a meaningful career? Transforming your goals from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation is one component of creating long-term sustained motivation. Component #2: Harnessing the Power of Dopamine The other component is to tap into your biology and harness the power of your natural source of motivation: dopamine. Understanding the “Motivation Molecule” Often called the “motivation molecule,” dopamine provides the drive and focus we all need to be productive. It is heavily involved with our: The Consequences of Dopamine Deficiency If we are deficient in dopamine levels, this can cause an imbalance in our life. A lack of dopamine is associated with: Dopamine-dominant people are usually focused go-getters. Unfortunately, many things people do to boost their focus and energy backfire. The Dopamine Trap: Unhealthy “Quick Fixes” There are many unhealthy ways to seek out a “dopamine fix.” For example, anything addicting like: These actions all flood your brain with dopamine and can motivate you to complete demanding tasks in the short term. However, these actions have unpleasant side effects and disrupt natural dopamine production. The result is: Natural Dopamine Production: The Sustainable Solution How can you produce dopamine naturally instead? Here are proven methods: eat foods rich in tyrosine (almonds, bananas, avocados, eggs, beans, fish, and chicken), exercise regularly, learn to meditate or practice mindfulness meditation, get a massage, get adequate sleep each night, listen to calming music, learn something new, play sports, finish a task or project, socialize and connect with others, and spend time in the sun. Yes, these activities may take longer than the unhealthy ones mentioned above, but you are not relying on substances or unhealthy activities to fuel you. They are components of a thriving career and life. Ready to Reignite Your Passion? If you have lost the motivation and drive you once had for your career, I invite you to Book a call with me to discuss how we can reignite that passion and sustain motivation for the long-haul. P.S. Not a lawyer but resonate with this overall message? Great – I work with many types of professionals including doctors, corporate leaders, finance professionals, entrepreneurs, and more!