Service

Tony Robbins is a globally recognized author and motivational speaker. He has risen to, and has access to, the highest echelons of society. He appears as avid a student as he is a teacher. More than that, he seems to be a decent, sincere man.


In his recent book "Money: Master the Game" he infrequently and obliquely discusses his own path to success. It is in those passages one finds little nuggets of wisdom. There is no doubt that the success Robbins has had came with some difficulty and challenges. His offhand remarks in that book  provide some useful insight on how to become more valuable.  One observation of his was particularly resonant with me as a seeker of success in life, and in the practice of law.


"How do I serve the greatest number of people?" he asked himself. That is the question that woke me in the wee hours this morning. How can I serve more people as a lawyer?


I have been actively searching for opportunities to make money in my law practice and in other areas of business.  It is a difficult challenge to look for these "opportunities." They are like the fabled jackalopes. There are no obvious markers and they are not easily seen. They take on varying colors and are as wispy as smoke---until you understand what they are at their source. That is where Robbins made the connection and asked the right question: How do I serve the most people?


That is the heart of opportunity. It is providing a service to those in need of a solution.


This focus point makes it far easier to actively seek out opportunities and even stumble upon some. As you look around your practice and the needs of your clients,and those who could be your clients, ask yourself how can you best serve them. That may be all that you need to focus your advice, your marketing efforts and your capital. With this insight in mind, I am going to focus on casting all of my efforts as service. In this mindset, I will be providing value as a matter of course.


It is not enough to ask how can I make money from this contract, dispute or transaction. It is the epitome of value to provide a useful service. If what you provide does not serve your client or customer, then it has little value and will likely be wasted time, or the source of dissatisfaction.

Serve first and serve many.