At eight years’ call, having returned to my criminal practice after working abroad on a voluntary human rights project, I’d temporarily lost my legal ‘mojo’. It was reignited through coaching, after which I stayed at the Bar a further 11 successful years. Now as a coach, vicariously through barrister clients, I know only too well the challenges presented when facing a ‘career crossroads’ moment – questioning the current path; the uncertainty as to next steps; and, of course, the ‘how?’ Junior counsel struggling with the vast expanse of a career without obvious opportunities for hierarchical progression until 15 plus years’ call, when it might be time to turn minds to King’s Counsel or the judiciary. Senior barristers stuck in a rut in their current practice area, with no desire to take silk or go to the bench, wondering whether another area of law or career transition into, for example, lecturing, might provide the shake-up or new challenge they seek. Even the possibility of working differently – part-time or flexibly – may feel a bridge too far. New working parents concerned that a career break return is quite enough among the daily juggle, without rocking the boat and throwing what can often feel like unattainable progression or promotion into the mix.

In these instances, working out what you really want pays dividends, particularly when not immediately obvious. As Baroness Hale alludes to in her book, Spiderwoman, the legal profession offers a wealth of different opportunities, so it’s worth exploring beyond well-trodden, traditional career paths. Consider the road less travelled, even if it takes you away from the original plan or – as in my case – decidedly off-piste! Fortune favours the brave, after all. For example, we know that law firms promote women while still on maternity leave. At the Bar, when senior juniors ‘decide to decide’, taking time out to finally commit to which career progression route they will take, they’ve succeeded; particularly when fully committed, with a renewed sense of confidence, and perhaps the support of mentors too.

Practical strategies to figure it out

Barristers are often time-poor, fighting daily fires while operating in a highly demanding, deeply responsible job. If ever there were a spare five minutes to consider the question ‘What is it you want?’ it’s often easier to list all the stuff you DON’T want, rather than a few things that you do.

1. Reflective practice to work out what you want

Thinking clearly in the midst of a crisis, whether perceived or otherwise, can feel an impossible ask. In a first coaching session, an overworked and highly stressed family law solicitor, in a fit of pique, stated she wanted to leave law and become an alpaca farmer (yes, you read that right…). While clearly a knee-jerk response to perilous workplace overwhelm, and never a serious proposition, it’s a good example of why it’s imperative to carve out time to reflect, and calmly. Whether with a coach, a mentor, even alone to self-coach, monthly, take an hour, blocked out, non-negotiable, sacrosanct: Your future self will thank you.

Only then will you have the head space to work out what it is you want – what you really, REALLY want. Thereafter, consider the steps required to get there.

2. Dream-catching

Getting closer to what you truly want may, at first, require you to pull yourself out of the treacle of indecision. Explore possibilities, even if unrealistic. Look at hopes and dreams without censorship as a means by which to snap you out of the funk. Ask ‘What five things…?’ you desire for the next steps or new approach. For example, What? Where? With whom? Paying what? What else, or when?

Think outside the box. Allow yourself to dream. Imagine the things that bring you joy. Identify the changes you wish to make, approaching things differently, and expansively. This then allows you to ask: What do I want? What is it I REALLY want? What’s important to me?

3. Goal setting

That’s when you set your goals. As a coach, I’m a big believer in goals, but I know that not everyone shares the same enthusiasm.

So, what to do? Start gently. Think about short- and long-term goals very loosely. Write them down. Then once you start finding a degree of clarity, move to ensuring they aren’t just SMART but SMARTER – that being Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Relevant; Timebound; Evaluated; Reviewed. Begin by downloading the free goal-setting exercise on my website here, not forgetting to tie them to an accompanying date (T for Timebound) which takes your goal from wish to plan.

4. Isolate what YOU want, no one else – then conduct a sense check

Once you have the goal, be honest in the context of what it is YOU want, in isolation from, and aside of, everyone else. It’s a well-known maxim that ‘comparison is the thief of joy’ but the evidence speaks for itself. In research with end-of-life patients, Australian palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware found that one of their top five regrets was ‘not living a life true to myself but the life that everyone else expects’. Ask: ‘What does success look like for me?’

Answering this question also requires you to sense check that vision with your values, ensuring goals are congruent with beliefs. For example, if one of your values is stability, are your goals appropriately framed around achieving a regular monthly income? How might this be achieved – better briefs? Employed work? Part-time regulatory work? Only you decide.

5. Now time for the reality check

The final R – Reviewed – is a reminder to revisit goals and check they remain relevant. Otherwise, imagine the futility of continually striving for the same, out-of-date, goals. Comparing my goals as a 22-year-old, single, pupil barrister with a love of travel and adventure to a 44-year-old criminal hack with three children under 5 was quite the eye-opener!

‘What does success look like to me NOW?’ is such a powerful coaching question, particularly post-pandemic, or after becoming new parents, navigating health challenges or dealing with the demands of elder care responsibilities. There’s nothing like a significant life event/change to revise priorities in professional and personal lives, with the inevitable knock-on effects to goals, and the need to re-evaluate and re-adjust accordingly.

6. Finally, take action

‘A dream with a date becomes a goal. A goal with a date becomes a plan. A plan backed with action becomes reality.’ This is a simple articulation of how to chunk down goals into realistic timeframes and commit to taking practical, actionable steps to achieve them. At the Bar, this might mean ensuring you stay motivated between tenancy and silk by giving yourself shorter term, and more easily measurable, goals – such as panel progression; seriousness of the cases you take on; number of times you appear against silks; even size of your bank balance. Or if you are a recent career break returner, not delaying in having your practice review meetings – allowing you to have honest, open conversations with clerks about your career progression, and indeed your personal, goals concerning the type of practice you wish to have now. Whether that’s working part-time, with adjusted expectations, or in a new area – perhaps paper-based – to allow greater flexibility and the option to work from home.

If you’re still wondering where or how to start, think about doing one small thing, consistently, on a daily basis, with intention and purpose, to lead you to your goals: a dripping tap still fills a bath. Over to you… What is that ONE action you will take? And WHEN? Don’t delay.