025: The Courage of Not Yet with Kimberly Lee
It’s easy for attorneys to get stuck in the work grind. They often have difficulty taking time off for themselves, and when they do, they think about work. They live and breathe their practices.
None of us are designed to work seven days a week. Taking time off can increase your productivity and creativity and make you a more interesting person to talk to. Unfortunately, when you’re stuck in a cycle of living to work, it can feel impossible to break free and begin investing more time in learning to do things you enjoy outside of the law practice.
In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®, Steve interviews Kimberly Lee, founder of Desert Law Group in Palm Springs, California. She immigrated with her parents from Taiwan to the United States at 17 and mastered English, graduating from law school as a single mom.
Deriving her work ethic from her parents, Kimberly only took time off from her hectic schedule once she challenged herself to take 30 days off. That’s when she discovered what she calls “not yet” projects, which allowed her to find some interesting hobbies outside of work. Having those projects taught her that it’s okay not to master everything she takes on and just to enjoy them as a part of her life. Today, Kimberly is still finding new “not yet” projects to take on.
In this episode, you will hear:
- Kimberly Lee’s struggle as an immigrant to the U.S., where her work ethic is derived from, and the shock she felt in a new country at 17 years old
- How she learned English from Sesame Street and graduated from law school as a single mom
- Her secret weapon to success and why taking time off was challenging for her
- What happened when Kimberly finally took some time off, and how she learned to embrace downtime
- What a “not yet” project is and the first ones she took on
- The lessons “not yet” projects have taught Kimberly and why she’s learned to embrace frustration
- The benefits of intentionally taking time off and what the time off taught her about her law practice
- Kimberly’s advice for starting your own “not yet” project journey
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Supporting Resources:
Kimberly Lee: Adjunct Practice Advisor & Attorney
Steve Riley
Certified Practice Advisor & Attorney
Steve Riley has coached attorneys for more than 20 years. His one-on-one coaching focuses on a limited number of top producing attorneys committed to taking their practices to new levels of excellence, profit, and personal success. He also presents at group coaching workshops around the country for individual law firms, state bar associations, and other legal organizations.