The Law Through Rose-Colored Glasses
October 26, 2022 by Heather Fuller
I have always been drawn to the French song, La Vie en Rose (life in pink) and the companion phrase to see the world through rose-colored glasses. I’ve been fascinated by the thought of seeing situations and people I encounter in a soft, pink-hued light that obscures blemishes and harsh realities. Instead, my lens is often a bright, unflattering light that reveals imperfections. I lay my cards on the table – I may be programmed as a pessimist on certain levels. Fairly or not, I blame my legal training as the reason I see most things as complex and immediately begin to look for the holes and vulnerabilities in a position or argument.
But isn’t that what a good attorney is supposed to do?
An ABA Journal article touched on this, confirming that “when handling legal matters, lawyers often have to envision the worst possible outcomes for their clients and work to protect against them.” Given that, I stand by my inclination to be initially skeptical of information and evidence that is presented to me. I don’t think this perspective is necessarily being negative; rather, it is being realistic and seeing things as they are. From the minute I get a new case, I immediately go into analysis-mode, look down the road and plan my strategy from the start. I assess the strengths but also focus on the weaknesses so that I will be able to overcome them. There is a limit to this though and once your realistic viewpoint has served its purpose and the work is done, it’s time to switch gears and lean into the optimistic side.
Believe in your client and case and see yourself winning at the end of the day.
While that may be easy to make this attitude pivot professionally, I struggle at times to do this outside of work. My default setting can be an occupational hazard when this initial skepticism bleeds over to my personal life. To constantly be “on” and remain rigid in your viewpoint is exhausting. I envy those who see things simplistically and at times I want to borrow their rose-colored glasses. How wonderful it must be to not analyze and overthink everything that comes your way, but we each have our own natural inclinations and should embrace our strengths and work to turn our weaknesses into positives. My often hypervigilant state helps me navigate and avoid tricky situations. In a crisis, I am your girl.
In the end, I think Maya Angelou had it right – “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.”
Goals.