The Great Good Fortune of Mentors

I am sitting on my couch, tea in hand, writing a legal document. In point of fact, I'm writing a complaint, which is the document that starts a law suit. Essentially: "I am suing you for hurting me in the following ways and listing how much money you should pay me." It's not my most favorite part of this law gig, but it's pretty high up there. My inner idealist (who usually lives in hiding) gets excited by working to write a wrong. #joanofarkcomplex

It's coming, but slowly. Which is not uncommon, because it takes me a while to write a good complaint, because it shapes the lawsuit and the way that it will go. Think of it as the opening gambit in chess.

But anyway, I've been having trouble connecting to my law practice for a bit now. I just don't feel the same excitement and passion about it. I still think that it's good work and that I generally enjoy it. But I don't jump out of bed because of it.

Which is odd...

Because yeez, I have loved law since the first day of law school. When things are full on fire drill crazy busy and I'm managing 12 things at a time while trying to focus on one (and immediately images of my two former assistants pops in my head), I am utterly THRILLED with life. A good portion of the time, I get paid to write and think, which is just as it seems it should be. So I am struggling with this complaint, despite feeling strongly about the case and the clients, and my mentors voices are clear in my mind.

And that is how I get through it.

I have had the great good fortune of mentors throughout my life. Mostly, I've just stumbled into my mentors through luck and interesting career decisions. But I always find so many things to learn and it's not always the big things.

I was listening to a podcast over the weekend and the (podcaster, p-logger, DJ?) speaker said she didn't think she needed a mentor because she was self-sufficient and resourceful and she could just figure it out.

Rubbish.

We all need teachers who show us how to do the next good thing, either by instruction or example. Maybe we can do without it, but when you are struggling at 6 am, having them along for the ride sure does help.