The Red Velvet Lawyer

Be Like Jerry Seinfeld As I get older, I think I get better at keeping promises to myself, although as a 7 on the enneagram , it is never easy. As a 7, I run from the pain.  I search for more immediate pleasures rather than the pleasures achieved by meeting a long-term goal. Some of the promises I want to keep this year are to: Complete two law review articles for publication. Exercise four times a week with my accountability buddy, Heidi. Blog at least once a week. Complete research on the status of ADR in the Arab Gulf region. Eat and drink more mindfully in a way that supports my health. Save more money now that I am through my transition to Doha. Learn to speak Arabic. I need a few gimmicks (aka strategies) to help me keep those promises. I've collected many of them in a book I like to call my coaching journal.  It keeps the highlights from various self-help books I have read since moving to Doha. Right now, it houses tips...

What do you say to new law students about being successful in law school? We will welcome our incoming law school class at the end of this week. For the first time in many years, I will play a role in our week-long Introduction to Law course.  At the end of the week, I will give a presentation on test-taking skills and strategies.  I gave this talk for the first time earlier this summer during our LSAT prep course. This week-end I updated it with several helpful tips based on a couple of blog postings. The first blog posting  -- Identity-Based Habits: How to Actually Stick to Your Goals -- suggests that fundamental changes must happen at our level of identity.  If you seek change by focusing on your appearance or your performance, the change will likely be short-lived. So, for example, if I want to lose 40 pounds by Christmas (as I do), I can focus on how my body looks in the mirror or to my friends. But, as all dieters know, it takes at least 8 weeks be...