Rainmaking Recommendation #165: You Have to Change For Rainmaking Success

A brand new year had started and you are being given a blank slate upon which to write another chapter of your life story. I get excited whenever a New Year comes around because it reminds me of the expectations I have for a great new year.  Particularly since 2018 was not an easy year for me – my father (my mentor and teacher), who was one of the reasons I went to law school, passed away and it truly knocked me down for a little while. 

Whether you had a good past year or bad, you have the opportunity to make 2019 a great year!

See, what I have discovered is that most attorneys, and indeed many people, don’t have a new year, but that they have the same year over and over again. In fact, most have the same day over and over again.  There is a word for this: “statis” which the Collins English Dictionary defines as

“a state in which something remains the same, and does not change or develop.”

You cannot stay in this loop if you want to become a Rainmaker. If what you have been doing in the past isn’t bringing you your ideal clients, if what you have been doing in the past isn’t bringing you the number of clients you want, and if what you have been doing in the past isn’t working for your life – your whole life, because I truly believe that if you want to be a successful rainmaker than you have to have a great life as well as legal practice – then you need to make a change.

How are you going to do this? How about these 10 ideas (blogs detailing how to do these are in the future):

1. Change your outlook to a Rainmaker’s Mindset;
2. Create a business development plan for 2019;
3. Determine your ideal clients;
4. Join groups both on and offline where these people congregate;
5. Get out from behind the computer and meet more people who can become potential clients, referral sources or mentors;
6. Enhance your reputation by becoming known as an expert in your practice area by giving seminars, writing blog posts, articles, white papers or even a book, or create informational videos;
7. Become involved in Social Media or enhance what you are already doing;
8. Join a Rainmaking training group (see January 16^th’s newsletter for a new class starting in February and for your exclusive newsletter price); or
9. Get individual coaching (feel free to contact me for more information and special newsletter pricing – please mention that you receive this);
10. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!

I know that for me, last year I lived the same day for almost 364 days.  However, I made the decision on December 31^st that I was going to try all new things this year – both in business and in my personal life.  And as a result, I went hatchet throwing for the first time and as the picture shows, I actually got a bullseye (In fact, over the course of the time we were throwing axes, I was able to hit the bullseye 6 times!!!  Mind, you, I know that it was luck and not really skill, but it was still really exciting each time the ax hit the target rather than bouncing off, which seemed to be my norm.

So after you read this, take a few moments and ask yourself the following question:  If you could be, do or have anything – both in your legal practice and your life – what would it be? 

Then figure out how to get it!