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GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 4:02 pm
by kykiske
2015 grad here. Just started a new job recently. With every project, I feel as if I make so many mistakes. Mistakes that I should never make.
What's even worse is that the partners haven't been harsh on me, yet I still feel dejected. When I screw something up, they'll just say, "can you re-write the analysis part? Thanks." Or, "Can you please find some better case law? I don't think the cited cases are relevant. Thx."
Moreover, I'm immersed in a new area of law that I have zero experience in. The partners have been pretty understanding, but I feel like their patience may not last forever.
I'm constantly worried about missing deadlines and turning in work that just completely sucks.
Re: GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 4:59 pm
by lawschoolftw
Understand that mistakes happen, take ownership of it, and do your best to do better next time. Wish there was some magic to it, but there's not.
Are you understanding your assignments? Two years ago I started working in a bankruptcy practice and understood very little of what I was asked to do. I found that after I started doing research id need clarification on what exactly I was being asked to find. While it may seem like you're being annoying, don't be afraid to ask questions if you're confused. Better to ask than to turn in subpar work product. Best of luck.
Re: GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 5:07 pm
by Tls2016
Don't let anxiety cripple you.
Be really clear about deadlines, missing a deadline is easy to avoid if you communicate.
Re: GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:18 pm
by DELG
Paranoia is your best friend. Nothing has ever been reviewed enough times.
Re: GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 9:25 pm
by Neff
Anxiety of this kind can often stem from a fear of losing not so much the job as the paycheck. Review your apartment lease, car payment, shopping budget etc etc to make sure that should you lose your job you are not as deeply f'ed as you may otherwise be.
Re: GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:11 pm
by zot1
Honestly, I would be more concerned about the fact that you're consistently providing weak analysis and irrelevant case law. If they're not providing you feedback, ask for it and make sure not to make the same mistakes again.
Re: GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:30 am
by Anonymous User
You will fuck up. A lot. You will continue to fuck up, a lot, as by the time you become good at writing concise email memos and doing legal research, they will ask you to do something completely different and you will fuck up at that.
You just need to get used to fucking up. This is not school. You can't always be successful just by grinding your way through. Fucking up is part of being a new lawyer.
Re: GAH! How do I deal with this constant anxiety of making mistakes?
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:13 am
by lawschoolftw
Anonymous User wrote:You will fuck up. A lot. You will continue to fuck up, a lot, as by the time you become good at writing concise email memos and doing legal research, they will ask you to do something completely different and you will fuck up at that.
You just need to get used to fucking up. This is not school. You can't always be successful just by grinding your way through. Fucking up is part of being a new lawyer.
Hah, so very true.