It's My Turn

I have been thinking about creating a blog for some time, and the first week of a new year seemed about as good a time as any to get my blog going.  It's not a New Year's resolution, it's my attempt at conceptualization, expression, and sharing. Basically, it's time to show up.  I am a real estate lawyer in Boston, but that is not the inspiration, nor will it comprise the overwhelming subject matter of my blog posts, although items of interest from the legal world will certainly creep into my posts.

Today's segment germinated on the commuter train going to work, while reading the sports section.  I was pondering the thought, as I often do, that life and sports carry the same lessons and insights. It's the 10% rule.  What really matters in life and sports is not the 90% of things that you do well, or those tasks for which you are trained, and can execute flawlessly. That is what is expected of you.  The difference, the distinguishing feature, talent, or attribute, whether it be in providing extraordinary service to clients, winning the game, or succeeding at the task, whether it be professionally or personally is how you react, respond, tackle, and complete the 10%. It's not the 98 perfect pitches, it's whether the batter, at the right time, has the aptitude, hand-eye coordination, or presence of mind to take advantage of the one pitch in a hundred that is one-tenth of an inch off the plate. The point in the meeting, personal interaction, courtroom argument, or deal negotiation where the blink of an eye, the shifting of a foot, or the twitching of a shoulder muscle tells you that they have no answer to your question, strategy, or pursuit. The way that you deal with that opportunity is what makes the difference, that's the long touchdown pass that wins the game, it's the 10%.

Hopefully, I will have have some nuggets of wisdom to post here, I will try to articulate my interpretation of zeroing in on that 10%, or at a minimum present you with some entertaining story, anecdote, or observation.

In any event, welcome to my blog.

I read a 2006 article by a smart lawyer, Fred Tannenbaum, who quoted Oscar Wilde's observation that good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. Fred was illustrating the point that we often miss the real meaning of it all, and that sometimes you just have to get into the game.

So here goes . . .