What can lawyers learn from the protagonist of Showtime’s Billions, Bobby Axelrod, and NBA superstar James Harden? As depicted on the hit show, the former is the epitome of the driven hedge-fund manager, obsessed with adding to his unimaginable wealth, in the face of a huge target on his back from jealous competitors and federal prosecutors convinced his gains are ill-gotten. The latter is in the midst of a historic season, putting up unimaginable offensive numbers of his own, despite having a huge target on his back from opposing defenders and coaches, who know he is the focal point of his team’s offense. Both are driven to succeed, with their respective ambitions fueled by real and imagined slights coming from those around them.

While Axelrod and Harden share much in common — with each other as well as with high achievers in other fields — their differences have much to teach us about how to achieve lasting success, while enjoying the road to that success in the fullest. With Axelrod, his success is fueled by his maniacal drive, whereby his foot is always pushing the proverbial accelerator all the way down in both his professional and personal lives. On Billions, he lives fast, but by doing so he also exposes himself to risk. As with many dramatic figures, his biggest asset is also the source of his biggest vulnerability. Despite knowing that he is under investigation, he can’t help but take reckless actions that put him under greater scrutiny. His inability to slow down is at the root of his troubles.

In contrast, Harden’s most unique athletic skill is precisely his ability to slow down. There are many players in the NBA who are taller, some who are faster, and a smaller group who are better shooters. But almost no one has Harden’s ability to decelerate from full speed as quickly, and as a result no one is able to get to the foul line as often as Harden does. Harden’s game is all about creating leverage with his body movements, lulling defenders to sleep before blowing past them, often followed by stopping quickly in the lane just before a taller defender can set himself to block his shot. From Harden’s talents we see the value of being able to decelerate, even in a fast-paced and competitive environment.

For lawyers, particularly those in small firms, there is tremendous pressure to always be productive. Considering how hard it can be to originate business, or achieve good results for clients, it is unsurprising that many lawyers in small firms feel that they are operating without a safety net. To compensate, small firm lawyers can have a tendency to try and outrace any chance of facing a dreaded slow period business-wise, and push themselves in an effort to always be busy. This approach has risks, of course, including burnout or overextension of the firm’s resources in a way that leads to sloppiness and errors in work product. In extreme cases, a culture of “foot always on the accelerator” can lead to addiction or criminal behavior. Biglaw lawyers are not immune to these ills, but can have a different mix of pressures and triggers that they need to navigate to stay mentally and physically healthy.

Knowing when to go full bore towards a professional goal and when to take a short respite to recharge is often a skill that develops as a lawyer becomes more experienced. A lawyer’s satisfaction with their professional life is often tied to their ability to switch between indulging their ambition and taking time to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Over time, experienced lawyers, particularly at small firms, learn that the business will not blow up if they take an extended weekend with their spouse, or leave before noon on a sunny spring day to take one of their children to a ballgame. Both married and single lawyers also learn to recognize that it is important for them to have active and fulfilling social lives, even if it means that they will need a few extra days to wrap up that marketing piece or finalize a presentation.

None of this is to say that small-firm lawyers need to sacrifice any of their ambition, or on the other hand are somehow making a mistake if they are not taking frequent vacations. Rather, it is important to recognize that each of us has a different need for balance in our lives, and should take care to avoid overindulging in our natural predispositions to certain behavioral pathways. Someone who sees a kindred spirit in Bobby Axelrod may need to focus more on avoiding reckless behaviors or riding themselves too hard. For them, taking a short break after a big work event like a trial or closing may be more important than it is for others.

For those who celebrate Harden’s ability to decelerate at will, and are constantly looking for ways to do the same in their legal careers, it is perhaps important for them to remember that Harden uses his unique skill in the service of a top-level athletic career, where winning counts above all. There is no way to thrive in a competitive field like law without a drive to succeed and the desire to work hard towards that success. Too frequent rest stops can derail progress towards those goals.

Ultimately, it can often seem like small-firm lawyers are constantly flirting with overextending themselves. For that reason, it is important to have trusted colleagues, friends, or family members who are not shy about letting you know when you are taking on too much and need a break. It is hard to unwind, especially when we spend so much of our time pushing forward with as much vigor as we can muster. But there is value in the well-timed slowdown, and benefit in building up our endurance for confronting career challenges. When we achieve success, we need to make sure we also take some time to enjoy it and prepare for the next push to even greater heights.

Please feel free to send comments or questions to me at gkroub@kskiplaw.com or via Twitter: @gkroub. Any topic suggestions or thoughts are most welcome.

Gaston Kroub lives in Brooklyn and is a founding partner of Kroub, Silbersher & Kolmykov PLLC, an intellectual property litigation boutique. The firm’s practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and related counseling, with a strong focus on patent matters. You can reach him at gkroub@kskiplaw.com or follow him on Twitter: @gkroub.