Are
you
happy
with
what
you’re
doing?
If
the
answer
is
no,
it’s
time
to
reconsider
what
you’re
doing,
why
you’re
doing
it,
and
how
you’re
doing
it.
It’s
easy
to
feel
stuck
when
the
pressures
of
performance
and
prestige
can
overshadow
any
sense
of
fulfillment.
But
here’s
the
truth:
you
have
choices
and
those
choices
can
lead
you
to
a
career
and
life
that
brings
you
joy
and
purpose.
I
didn’t
always
believe
that
was
possible.
Early
in
my
career,
I
was
a
litigation
associate
at
a
law
firm,
working
cases
and
chasing
billable
hours.
My
days
were
consumed
by
the
relentless
grind,
and
my
life
outside
the
office
seemed
nonexistent.
I
measured
my
vacations
not
in
weeks
or
months
but
by
the
moment
I
hit
my
billable
target
for
the
year
—
only
then
could
I
truly
breathe.
But,
the
work
felt
empty.
It
had
no
meaning
for
me,
and
as
a
result,
no
joy.
I
would
finish
a
case,
meet
a
goal,
or
close
a
deal,
yet
feel
no
satisfaction
in
the
accomplishment.
My
days
became
a
cycle
of
tasks
completed
for
their
own
sake,
not
because
they
mattered
to
me.
Eventually,
the
unhappiness
became
too
much.
I
decided
to
leave
the
law
all
together.
For
a
short
time,
I
stepped
away,
hoping
that
a
break
from
the
profession
would
restore
my
sense
of
self.
It
didn’t.
During
that
brief
hiatus,
I
discovered
something
surprising:
I
was
just
as
unhappy
without
the
law
as
I
had
been
with
it.
The
problem
wasn’t
necessarily
the
work
—
it
was
how
I
was
approaching
it
and
who
I
was
working
for.
With
this
realization,
I
decided
to
return
to
the
profession
but
to
do
so
differently.
I
took
a
job
that
paid
a
fraction
of
what
I
had
earned
before,
still
as
a
litigator
and
still
billing
hours.
On
the
surface,
it
might
have
looked
like
a
step
down,
but
this
time,
something
was
different.
For
the
first
time,
I
found
a
client
who
truly
mattered
to
me.
My
work
wasn’t
just
about
hours
and
deliverables;
it
was
about
supporting
a
mission
and
aligning
with
values
that
resonated
with
me.
This
client
became
the
anchor
for
my
professional
reinvention.
Over
time,
their
goals
became
my
goals,
their
challenges
became
my
challenges,
and
their
success
became
my
joy.
I
believed
in
what
they
were
trying
to
achieve,
and
that
belief
transformed
my
relationship
with
the
law.
One
day,
this
client
asked
me
to
work
for
them
exclusively.
Saying
yes
to
that
opportunity
changed
my
life.
At
that
moment,
it
wasn’t
about
money,
title,
or
prestige.
It
was
about
purpose.
I
became
an
in-house
lawyer,
joining
a
single
team
with
a
shared
mission.
My
work
was
no
longer
defined
by
an
endless
list
of
cases
or
a
clock
ticking
toward
the
next
billable
hour.
It
was
defined
by
solving
problems
and
making
a
difference
for
something
I
believed
in.
Since
that
day,
I
have
never
looked
back.
I
no
longer
work
for
that
first
in-house
client,
but
every
role
I’ve
taken
since
has
been
chosen
with
intention.
I
no
longer
chase
money,
titles,
or
status.
Instead,
I
choose
clients
and
organizations
whose
values
align
with
mine,
whose
missions
inspire
me,
and
whose
work
gives
me
a
sense
of
purpose.
This
journey
taught
me
an
important
lesson:
happiness
in
your
career
is
a
choice.
If
you’re
unhappy,
it’s
your
responsibility
to
change
it.
No
one
else
can
do
it
for
you.
Change
doesn’t
have
to
mean
walking
away
from
the
law
or
abandoning
everything
you’ve
built.
Sometimes
it’s
about
reassessing
what
truly
matters
to
you
and
aligning
your
work
with
your
values.
So,
if
you’re
unhappy,
stop
chasing
the
things
that
don’t
truly
fulfill
you.
Titles,
money,
and
prestige
may
seem
like
the
ultimate
goals,
but
they
often
leave
us
feeling
empty.
Instead,
take
a
step
back
and
ask
yourself:
What
inspires
me?
What
motivates
me?
What
gives
me
a
sense
of
purpose?
Then,
make
choices
that
reflect
those
answers.
Doing
nothing
is
also
a
choice
—
but
it’s
not
one
that
will
bring
you
closer
to
happiness.
You
have
nothing
to
lose
by
trying
something
different
and
everything
to
gain.
You
may
find
that
the
law
can
be
more
than
a
job.
It
can
be
a
calling,
a
way
to
connect
with
others,
and
a
means
to
create
impact
in
the
world.
Take
it
from
someone
who’s
been
there:
you
have
the
power
to
change
your
story.
If
you
decide
to
make
a
change
in
2025,
choose
purpose,
choose
joy,
and
choose
something
that
matters
to
you.
Lisa
Lang
is
an
in-house
lawyer
and
thought
leader
who
is
passionate
about
all
things
in-house.
She
has
recently
launched
a
website
and
blog
Why
This,
Not
That™
(www.lawyerlisalang.com
)
to
serve
as
a
resource
for
in-house
lawyers.
You
can
e-mail
her
at
[email protected]
,
connect
with
her
on
LinkedIn
(https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawyerlisalang/)
or
follow
her
on
Twitter
(@lang_lawyer).