The
other
day,
my
son
started
his
second
semester
of
college.
If
I
am
being
honest,
I
was
not
sure
he
was
going
to
make
it
through
the
first
one.
There
was
some
unsettling
phone
calls
about
missed
classes,
a
blown
midterm,
questionable
sleep
habits,
and
a
moment
where
he
miscalculated
something
as
basic
as
a
bibliography.
It
was
not
trending
well.
Then
something
shifted.
He
regrouped,
owned
the
mistakes,
adjusted
how
he
prepared,
and
quietly
pulled
his
grades
up
to
mostly
As
and
Bs.
He
saved
the
semester.
No
drama.
No
excuses.
Just
effort,
accountability,
and
better
habits.
Around
our
house,
we
call
him
the
comeback
kid.
That
story
matters
because
many
lawyers
feel
the
same
way
about
the
past
year.
Maybe
2025
did
not
go
the
way
you
planned.
Maybe
you
did
solid
work
but
did
not
originate
what
you
wanted.
Maybe
business
development
slipped
while
client
work
took
over.
The
key
point
is
this,
none
of
that
disqualifies
you
from
having
a
breakout
year
ahead.
There
is
a
fresh
calendar
sitting
in
front
of
you,
and
2026
can
absolutely
be
your
comeback
year.
Here
are
three
solid
ways
to
make
this
a
reality
not
just
another
year
of
hoping.
Mindset
Is
Not
Motivation,
It
Is
Behavior
When
lawyers
hear
“mindset,”
they
often
think
it
means
attitude
or
confidence.
Those
matter,
but
they
are
not
where
real
change
starts.
What
I
have
seen
after
working
with
thousands
of
attorneys
is
that
mindset
follows
behavior,
not
the
other
way
around.
When
you
start
doing
positive
business
development
actions
consistently,
your
mindset
improves.
When
you
send
a
few
thoughtful
emails,
post
something
useful
on
LinkedIn,
or
schedule
a
lunch
with
a
strategic
partner,
your
attitude
toward
business
development
changes.
Momentum
builds.
Confidence
follows
action.
Consistency
is
what
separates
a
temporary
push
from
a
permanent
shift.
Anyone
can
have
a
good
week.
Rainmakers
build
habits
they
can
repeat,
even
when
they
are
busy.
Recommit,
Put
It
on
the
Calendar,
Write
It
Down
Recommitting
to
business
development
does
not
require
a
massive
overhaul.
It
requires
structure.
Start
with
your
calendar.
Schedule
time
with
yourself
and
treat
it
like
a
meeting
you
would
never
cancel
with
a
client.
Consider
a
time
in
the
day,
before
client
emergencies
and
wildfires
can
hijack
your
day
away.
Thirty
minutes
a
week
is
enough
to
start.
An
hour
is
even
better.
Use
that
time
to
do
the
things
you
already
know
matter,
follow
ups,
relationship
building,
visibility,
and
staying
top
of
mind.
When
lawyers
cancel
meetings
with
themselves,
it
quietly
chips
away
at
confidence.
You
may
not
notice
it
immediately,
but
over
time
it
erodes
belief
and
trust
in
your
own
commitments.
The
calendar
is
not
just
a
scheduling
tool;
it
is
a
confidence
tool.
Next,
write
a
simple
plan.
One
or
two
pages
is
plenty.
If
you
are
winging
it,
results
will
always
be
inconsistent.
A
written
plan
gives
direction
and
focus,
even
if
it
evolves.
Think
of
a
road
trip
with
or
without
a
GPS
in
place.
One
gets
you
there,
the
other
causes
panic
to
set
in.
I
cover
this
in
detail
in
my
first
two
books,
“Sales
Free
Selling”
and
“The
Attorney’s
Networking
Handbook.”
The
goal
is
not
perfection.
The
goal
is
clarity
and
consistent
execution.
Between
a
calendar
and
a
written
plan,
you
are
already
ahead
of
most
lawyers.
Go
After
What
Is
Already
Working
The
final
recommitment
is
the
easiest
one
to
overlook.
Go
after
the
low
hanging
fruit.
Your
best
opportunities
are
usually
right
in
front
of
you.
Existing
clients
who
love
your
work.
Strategic
partners
who
already
trust
you.
Friends
and
professional
contacts
who
know
your
value.
Invest
time
with
ten
to
twenty
of
the
right
people.
Ask
good
questions.
Be
genuinely
curious
about
what
they
are
working
on
and
who
they
are
connected
to.
Help
others
first
before
making
requests.
This
is
not
about
being
salesy.
It
is
about
being
intentional.
You
do
not
need
to
ask
for
business
directly.
Often
it
is
enough
to
say
that
you
are
focused
on
growing
this
year,
that
you
value
working
with
people
like
them,
and
that
you
are
open
to
conversations
if
they
know
others
who
might
benefit
from
what
you
do.
How
you
say
it
matters
far
more
than
what
you
say.
Rainmaking
is
relational,
not
transactional.
The
Comeback
Is
a
Choice
My
son
did
not
turn
things
around
because
he
waited
for
motivation.
And
it
certainly
wasn’t
because
Dad
said
so…
He
changed
how
he
showed
up.
Lawyers
can
do
the
same
thing.
Get
your
lawyer
brain
pointed
in
the
right
direction
by
not
overthinking
things.
Just
follow
my
direction
and
take
immediate
action.
Recommit
to
business
development
in
2026
and
make
this
your
year!
Focus
on
the
relationships
and
opportunities
that
are
already
within
reach.
You
do
not
need
to
reinvent
yourself
in
2026.
You
just
need
to
recommit.
If
you
want
additional
resources,
you
can
find
plenty
at
bethatlawyer.com
or
reach
me
directly
at
[email protected].
More
than
anything,
I
hope
you
decide
to
make
2026
the
year
you
go
from
comeback
kid
to
rainmaker.
Steve
Fretzin
is
a
bestselling
author,
host
of
the
“Be
That
Lawyer”
podcast,
and
business
development
coach
exclusively
for
attorneys.
Steve
has
committed
his
career
to
helping
lawyers
learn
key
growth
skills
not
currently
taught
in
law
school.
His
clients
soon
become
top
rainmakers
and
credit
Steve’s
program
and
coaching
for
their
success.
He
can
be
reached
directly
by
email
at [email protected].
Or
you
can
easily
find
him
on
his
website
at www.fretzin.com or
LinkedIn
at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin.