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.
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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.
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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).