Why Lawyer Well-being Isn't Just about Feeling Good: The Path to Sustainable Success
January 2025
By
Jordana Confino

When I was a junior lawyer, I wore my perfectionism as a badge of honor. Graduating from Yale Law School with two coveted judicial clerkships and a Big Law position, I believed that “success” would require throwing myself 150% into work and that things like breaks, socializing, and self-care were unnecessary distractions that would only throw me off course. This approach seemed to work brilliantly – until it didn’t.
Like many legal professionals, I discovered the hard way that sustainable success requires more than relentless drive. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I ultimately hit my breaking point, at which point a last gasp Google search on “how to be happy” led me to discover positive psychology, which is the science of human flourishing. My first positive psychology course completely blew my mind and revolutionized my understanding of the relationship between well-being and professional achievement. What I learned wasn't just transformative for my own career; it revealed a crucial insight every lawyer needs to understand. While we often assume that success leads to happiness, the scientific evidence shows that this formula is backward – that is, it is happiness that fuels success, rather than the other way around.
The importance of this insight for lawyers in particular could not have been more timely or critical. While there’s been a dramatic spike in stress and mental health challenges across all sectors in recent years, the legal profession has long grappled with disproportionately high rates of these issues. A 2017 report from the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-being marked a significant turning point, calling on members from all corners of our profession to start taking decisive action to build a healthier legal community.
As the Task Force recognized, well-being isn't just about feeling good. It's also about performing better. Research consistently shows that happy workers are more productive, perform better in leadership positions, earn higher performance ratings, and are significantly less likely to burn out. One striking study tracked 272 employees and found that those reporting higher levels of positive emotions at the start of the study received better performance ratings and higher pay 18 months later, even after controlling for other variables.
This finding challenges a deeply ingrained belief in our profession: that happiness will eventually be a byproduct of our success. Many of us operate under the assumption that if we just work hard enough, land that prestigious position, or earn that next promotion, then we'll finally be happy. But the truth is that by cutting ourselves off from everything that brings us feelings of joy, meaning, or connection as we pursue "success, we're not just making ourselves miserable. We're actively undermining our professional potential.
Lawyer Well-Being: The Science of Flourishing
Most legal professionals don't actually know what would make them happy. And if they think they do, research suggests they're probably wrong. When asked what would increase their life satisfaction, most lawyers' minds immediately jump to external circumstances: landing a prestigious job offer, earning a promotion, buying a new house, or achieving some other concrete milestone. However, research reveals that all of these external factors combined account for only a very small portion of our overall happiness.
This can be explained by what psychologists call "hedonic adaptation." Even when we achieve something we've long desired, any resulting spike in happiness we experience quickly fades as we acclimate to our new circumstances, leaving us on a hamster wheel of ceaseless striving. This effect is particularly pronounced when we measure our success through comparison to others. While pursuing goals is undoubtedly valuable and important, it's crucial to recognize that reaching external milestones will never create the internal feelings of satisfaction that we crave.
Instead, sustainable well-being comes from actively cultivating six essential elements: Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement, and Vitality (PERMA-V). While individuals may prioritize these elements differently, none of them can be completely neglected without compromising our overall well-being. The good news is that each of these elements can be strengthened through intentional practice.
Practical Strategies for Legal Professionals
Harness the Power of Positive Emotions
Positive emotions aren't just nice to have – they're performance enhancers. Barbara Fredrickson's research shows that positive emotions flood our brains with dopamine and serotonin, expanding our cognitive awareness and enhancing creativity and problem-solving abilities. In one study, doctors were 20% quicker and more accurate at diagnosing complicated cases after being primed for happiness with something as simple as a small bag of candy.
The power of positive emotions extends far beyond temporary mood enhancement. Fredrickson's "broaden-and-build" theory demonstrates that these emotions create lasting benefits because when we experience positive emotions, we're more likely to engage with our environment and build crucial social, emotional, and physical resources that support long-term success. The result is a positive upward spiral of resources and opportunities.
Embrace Self-Compassion
Too many lawyers believe their harsh inner critic drives excellence. However, research by Dr. Kristin Neff shows that self-compassion, or treating ourselves with the same kindness we'd offer a friend, actually enhances performance by deactivating our threat response and increasing our ability to focus under pressure. Self-compassionate people maintain equally high standards but are more willing to learn from failures and take on new challenges.
Understanding the neuroscience helps explain why self-criticism is so counterproductive. When we respond to setbacks by berating ourselves, we're impairing our ability to learn and improve. Brain imaging studies show that self-criticism can activate the amygdala so intensely that it silences the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for rational thinking. By contrast, self-compassion calms our nervous system and broadens our awareness, allowing us to examine our performance strategically – and it is a completely learnable skill!
Cultivate Meaningful Connections
Similar to positive emotions, our relationships are also crucial not just for well-being but for professional success and resilience. Every positive social interaction, even a brief one, triggers the release of oxytocin, reducing anxiety and improving concentration. These "high-quality connections" also lower cortisol levels, helping us recover more quickly from stress. For legal professionals navigating high-pressure environments, this insight is game-changing: Positive social connections make us more physiologically resilient, enabling us to work longer and more effectively with far less strain on our brains and bodies
The key for all the busy lawyers is recognizing that these benefits don't require lengthy interactions. Even micro-moments of connection like a genuine smile, shared eye contact in the hallway, or a supportive comment in a chat can trigger this cascade of positive effects. The challenge is allowing ourselves to embrace these moments rather than treating them as distractions from "real work."
Align with Your Values
Research shows that authentic alignment with our intrinsic values is the strongest predictor of long-term lawyer well-being. Yet far too many legal professionals advance deep into their careers without taking the time to identify their core values or strategize about how to align them with their work. Others enter the profession with a clear sense of purpose but lose sight of it amid daily pressures and demands.
But it is never too late to pause to identify our values and recalibrate. One powerful approach requires no career overhaul is "cognitive job crafting." This involves reframing how you view your work's purpose. Consider the 1960s NASA janitor who, when asked by President Kennedy what he was doing, famously replied, "I'm helping put a man on the moon." This sort of mindset shift can transform how we experience our work, leading to higher levels of well-being, engagement, longevity, and performance.
The Healthy Path Forward
In sum, the journey to professional well-being isn't about chasing external markers of success. It's about building sustainable foundations for flourishing. These insights are particularly relevant for legal professionals, who often operate in high-pressure environments where external metrics can overshadow personal fulfillment.
The good news is that even small shifts in perspective and simple daily practices can create meaningful change. Whether it's cultivating self-compassion, reframing how we view our work, strengthening our professional relationships, or reconnecting with our core values, each step moves us closer to sustainable satisfaction in our careers.
Remember, well-being isn't a destination: it's an ongoing journey of growth and realignment. As legal leaders, when we prioritize our own well-being, we not only enhance our personal and professional satisfaction but also create positive ripple effects throughout our teams and organizations. The path to flourishing is available to all of us, and it begins with small, intentional steps toward authenticity, connection, and purpose.
💡 Set yourself up for success this year and gain more insights and skills on flourishing as a legal professional. If you’d like more personalized support implementing these strategies, visit jordanaconfino.com.
Posted by
Jordana Confino
Jordana Confino is an attorney, certified professional coach and Founder of JC Coaching & Consulting, a company dedicated to advancing the well-being of the legal profession by supporting lawyers through individual coaching and partnering with law schools and legal employers to build positive institutional cultures where all members feel valued, stimulated, and supported.
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