Getting Ideas Into Action – One Lawyer’s Story

Having a new idea or insight form in our mind feels great. Each “aha” comes with a release of dopamine that gives us a sensation of pleasure.

Unfortunately, most good ideas don’t progress beyond the initial insight. Goals, no matter how worthy, take a lot of time and resources to implement.

It can be a long and tedious process to put plans into action. It is one thing to have an idea for a book and quite another to undertake the arduous effort to write and publish it.

That is why I was excited this month to speak with lawyer Ellen Vandergrift about her recent success with taking a worthwhile goal from idea to completion.

Vandergrift is a lawyer who works with other lawyers to help them win applications, trials and appeals. One of the things she does well, and has considerable experience with, is writing compelling legal submissions. She had a goal of creating a series of short videos to help others improve their written advocacy skills.

Ellen achieved her goal this summer. You can access Ellen Vandergrift’s “Video Guide to Written Advocacy” on her website.

I met with Vandegrift in August to ask her three questions. Why did she have the idea for a video guide to writing? What obstacles did she encounter along the way? What tips did she have for others on following through with their big ideas?

Here’s what she shared with me:

Why a video series about writing?

Writing about writing, no matter how good, is boring! Writing about writing doesn’t allow you to show off some of the most important techniques you are imploring your readers to use–such as focusing on people and actions–which can be frustrating.

Whiteboard animation delivered the colour and action! It is a wonderful medium for promoting understanding and retention, with the text and images reinforcing the audio, and the motion of the hand and slow revelation of text and images consistently engaging attention. Creating visuals that hit the right balance between fun and professional was a challenge! I have used map and journey language to describe good legal arguments for nearly as long as I have been writing them, so that was a good starting point.

What were the biggest obstacles?

The first was the fear of doing something different, and standing out negatively. The response I received from several colleagues on the first few videos was encouraging, and the work came easier and faster following that.

The other obstacle, as I was collecting my ideas along with those from other CPD programs and books and articles, was keeping it all organized when I was working in small chunks of time between other things. It could be dispiriting to open up my enormous ideas document and have to reorient myself every time.

What tips do you have for readers about following through with a big idea?

Set a launch date and work back from that in terms of setting markers for when things need to be completed. Get other people involved so that you are in a position of having to respect their timelines. That really worked for me: once I was asking favours of time-pressed people, I had to prioritize the project like I did my billable work.

Also, find yourself a credible cheerleader! Make sure it is someone whose judgment you trust and who understands the end goal. Their encouragement can keep you engaged and propel you to the finish line.

Thanks to Vandergrift’s ability to set a worthwhile goal, overcome obstacles, and take consistent action, there is now a valuable resource for any lawyer seeking to better their written advocacy skills.

Have you got a big goal you are thinking of committing to?

If yes, I recommend Michael Bungay Stanier’s book “How to Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters.”

Bungay Stanier maps out a three-step path similar to the one that Ellen Vandergrift followed.

His book offers an in-depth process for developing your “worthy goal,” testing it out, and getting clarity on the desired result.

He offers an approach to committing to your goal with clarity on what it will require and how you will benefit.

In the book’s final section, he introduces a formula for follow-through, including taking small steps, remembering your best self, and accessing support.

From experience, setting and acting on worthy goals has brought me great joy, satisfaction, learning and growth. I encourage you to find and act on your own “something that matters.”