I, (along with, I suspect a large proportion of lawyers) could be described as a success addict. This article really hit home as a reminder that success ≠ happiness. (1/) https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/07/why-success-wont-make-you-happy/614731/

As a junior lawyer, I constantly feel pressure to keep up with the ever-quickening treadmill which brought me to where I am today. My thoughts have gone from: If I work hard in high school, I'll get into a good university, and then I'll be happy. (2/)

To if I work hard in university, I'll get into law school and then I'll be happy, to if I work hard in law school I'll get an articling position, and then I'll be happy, to if I work hard in articling then I'll get hired back and then I'll be happy. (3/)

Don't get me wrong, I did those things and they did make me happy, but the feeling was temporary, as there is always another rung to climb. This article is an excellent reminder that running faster and climbing higher do not lead to happiness in and of themselves (4/)

I am happy with my life, but I am still too quick to sacrifice the things that make me happy in pursuit of "success". Two weeks ago I blew off dinner with friends I haven't seen in months because there was a deadline I was convinced I had to meet. I missed the deadline. (5/)

And you know what? Missing the deadline was completely inconsequential, the only lasting consequence was that I felt guilty about missing dinner with my friends. (6/)

One of the things that is really hard about being a junior lawyer is that because I don't yet always know when I something is ACTUALLY important, I tend to think that EVERYTHING is important, and I make personal sacrifices as a result. (7/)

Don't get me wrong, I love my job, and I knew it was going to be hard work because sometimes there are situations which require lawyers to drop everything. HOWEVER, this article is an excellent reminder that always making those personal sacrifices has consequences. (8/)

Putting up boundaries is hard, especially when we are all electronically accessible 24/7. We as lawyers should be try to remember that we will be more successful if we are happy, but being more successful will not necessarily make us happier. (End of rant.)