It sounds like a horrible cliché, but if you don't know where you're going, you'll never achieve your goals.

I don't mean "know" where you're going in a vague, "I want to have employees and a strong reputation" sense. You need to so vividly picture your future that you can see the faces of new associates, hear your firm's phone greeting, and feel the emotional state of mind you will be in.

It's this level of clarity that sets remarkable lawyers apart from the average.

Without it:

Press play and I'll explain how you can become the remarkable lawyer that others look up to.

I spent a day and a half migrating data, organizing content, testing new features, and changing settings on gadgets. I probably wasted more time than I needed to, but I enjoy the process.

We can either take the path of least resistance (and save a day or two) and leave the default settings alone, or we can dig in and tweak them to suit our goals. Most of us leave the defaults alone.

Defaults go beyond tech, though. We subconsciously "make decisions" like attending college, having a house and kids, or investing because they're the defaults of life.

We don't make many decisions in our businesses either; we do what we do because it's what lawyers do.

Raise your consciousness and ask yourself, did I make these choices, or were they the fallback default?

Not all defaults are bad. Some save time and resources. But the law firms that are outperforming their competition are tweaking the defaults.

Which type of law firm are you running?

Finish what you start, or don't bother doing it.

Most of us are terrible at seeing projects through to completion. We're either distracted by newer, shinier things, or we get mired in last-minute perfectionism.

It's these mental obstacles that formed the basis of Rule #10: Have a Bias for Action.

Think about the law firm culture you're creating when---as the leader---you are uncommitted to finishing projects. It's always better to have a bias for action.

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Uncertainty makes planning an incredibly stressful guessing game. It's one of the biggest reasons why my firm's payroll is 100% variable.

When times are good, I earn more, I sleep better, and I'm a pleasant guy to be around. When times are bad, I don't earn as much, but I never have to dig into my profits to compensate underperforming associates.

Variable pay is a massive incentive for your employees. The better they perform, and the more clients they sign, the more they (and you) earn.

Now, transitioning to variable pay didn't happen overnight. I dealt with employee fear, listened to rants and tantrums, and said goodbye to a few resistant lawyers.

Getting to the other side is well worth the small struggles. You'll be happier, stress less, and sleep better at night. These are the nine steps I took to make the switch—improved upon after learning a few lessons along the way.

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We've been using fixed fees for a long time, and the number-one question I'm asked is how I set my rates.

How we set our fees at Rosen Law Firm isn't universally applicable. Every market has variations that you'll need to factor in to the fees.

Setting fixed fees requires some trial and error–we're always refining and experimenting with our system–but there is one guiding principle that applies to every practice regardless of location, demographic, etc. Press play to learn more and begin setting your first fixed fee.

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Your only secrets are the ones you've thought but never expressed. If you watch the news, you already know that.

Data comes out. It doesn't matter how powerful you are, how many experts you've hired, or how you've shared information. Your secrets will be revealed.

After processing the fact that nothing you've shared is secret, how do you feel about it?

More importantly, how are you going to handle the fallout?

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The conversation started in a Rosen Institute Slack channel. I told him he needs to charge for initial consultations.

"I can't," was the response I got back. "No one else does it, and my market is too competitive."

Too competitive...

Look, every market is competitive. It's normal. It's how business works. Someone else is always going after the same dollars you are.

Competition means you're onto something; it's a signal you're headed in the right direction.

The only way to do better is to set yourself apart.

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Psychologists call it avoidance coping.

We have a clear vision of what our future looks like. We know what it will take to achieve, yet we do everything but the steps required to make our vision a reality.

For most of us, networking is the behavior we avoid. We know the huge return on investment it carries, and we want to make it happen, but we're held back by fear.

It feels like asking someone out in high school. There's a chance for rejection and an irrational fear of it. So, instead of making phone calls, we do everything but grow the business. We develop systems and spend hours evaluating client management software all in preparation for no clients.

Avoidance coping is debilitating.

Press play. Learn to recognize when you're avoiding and how to overcome self-imposed limitations. Put yourself in charge.

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The idea of working "on" the business instead of "in" the business sounds appealing. It's not for everyone though, and it certainly isn't what you're "supposed to do." Changing your involvement in your practice is a decision that should be driven by your vision. Is this what you want?

Most of us start this transition at the worst possible time: when we're overstressed. Client work is uncharacteristically burdensome, and we want out. We put on blinders and race toward comfort, making rash choices along the way.

In reality, you're always working on your business. (It wouldn't exist otherwise.) The real question is how to make the shift from "worker" to "director" while at the same time making more money, generating new business, and eliminating your current job. Tune in to today's podcast to learn how to make this transition.

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