“The problem is most people don’t take the time to think about their definition of success. Which is kind of ironic considering that as lawyers, we are trained that the first thing you do when you’re drafting a contract or making a settlement agreement is you have to define the terms.” – RJon Robins, author of Profit First for Lawyers

Welcome to the latest season of the Profit First for Lawyers podcast. In this season premiere, we tackle the foundation that makes everything else possible: defining success in measurable terms. Most lawyers spend decades building their firms without ever defining what “successful” actually means to them. In this episode, RJon reveals his three-part framework and demonstrates exactly how to transform vague aspirations into trackable, achievable goals.

Pulled directly from Chapter 4 in the Profit First for Lawyers book, RJon defines a successful law firm as one that achieves:

RJon demonstrates the process of how to define success during a powerful clip from 2016 with a real law firm owner. He guides them through how to define and measure success financially, personally, and professionally.

As RJon states, without measurable definitions, “there’s room to bullshit yourself.” Beautiful sentiments about spending more time with family, or revenue or fitness goals are aspirational, but not measurable. By defining success objectively, it becomes a standard that can be tracked and therefore achievable.

How you define success is entirely up to you. Not friends, family, colleagues, or neighbors. It is personal and only your opinion matters. Your definition must be personal, honest, and quantifiable.

Define success in measurable terms: