A great leader I know used to conclude his staff presentations by saying, “They say that showing up is half of life. I thank you for showing up today.”
There is a lot to be said by that statement. Showing up is important. It means you care enough to take time out of your day to consider, and maybe even engage, in important discussions. It gives your voice a chance to be heard. You can offer solutions. It beats doing nothing, but it is only half.
The other part requires you to roll up your sleeves and do the hard work. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes risk. It’s hard. But it is half of life. Too many people, lawyers, law firms only show up.
It’s a tough legal climate out there. The economy seems to be turning, albeit slowly, for the better. Opportunities appear to be on the horizon. For those that spent the downturn showing up to talk about what they needed to, it’s not going to be enough.
It’s time to put plans to action. It’s time to make the investment. It’s time to execute. Don’t let half your life go by.