As I looked around the room filled with LNCs attending the AALNC conference last week, I saw many people who were successful in overcoming obstacles to their success. Some had to juggle their calendars, some had to brave storms, and others had to get geared up to take a risk. For some, just getting to the conference to network and show a commitment to legal nurse consulting was a risk.
There were 100 first time attenders who found AALNC in time to attend.
To be successful as an LNC, you must overcome a great many things. Some of those obstacles are created internally. You can overcome these self-created obstacles with a little hard work and determination.
No matter what task you’re taking on, you can set yourself up for success!
Here are some ways of overcoming obstacles.
Understand your goals
Know exactly what it is you’re trying to do. You can’t just succeed in legal nurse consulting without a plan of some kind. Take the time to define your goals and the steps you intend to take to reach them.
- Do you want to build a large LNC business?
- Do you want to seek a job at a law firm?
- Do you want to subcontract?
These roles require different paths, although they all require fundamental skills in analysis and report writing.
Even with an exceptional plan, the reality is that things rarely go exactly as you’d expect. You’ll have to stop and make changes at times, and that’s okay! Be prepared for the unexpected with ideas on how to handle a situation if it arises.
As an independent business owner, you encounter a difficult client who makes you rethink your systems – and may even cost you money. 
- At the law firm, you find that several attorneys are giving you work and they all want it done at the same time.
- As a subcontractor, your workflow suddenly stops without warning.
- Identify the parts of your plan that may become problematic and lay out alternatives.
Trust yourself and your abilities in overcoming obstacles
You’re in charge of your journey to success. You set your goals and you’re the one making it happen, so you must trust yourself. If you truly have a great passion for what you’re going to do, then you’ll be the best judge of what you want.
Follow your instincts. That little voice in the back of your head may very well end up telling you exactly what you need to succeed.
Get help
If there’s something in your way and it’s too big of an obstacle for you to remove on your own, get help! You can’t do everything by yourself. As humans, we’re social beings and we need help from those around us. Ask questions and get guidance from an experienced LNC coach who built a large business.
Get your friends, family, other business owners or co-workers involved and welcome their input on how to move around an obstacle in your path. This will bring in innovative ideas and fresh perspectives on the problem in ways you may have never considered. Ignore the dream stealers who tell you that you’re better off not taking risks.
Gain a fresh perspective
There are times when, no matter how hard you try, things just don’t go your way. This is where you need to stop, take a step back, and look at things from an unfamiliar perspective.
One of my favorite expressions is “Proceed as the way opens.” Don’t keep banging your head against an immovable wall. Look for another way around the wall.
Take a break and walk away for a little bit. Change your focus for a time; then come back to the problem and you may see something you missed.
Being too rigid can be counterproductive. To succeed, you sometimes must completely change your approach. Keep at the problem until you find a solution. It’s there; you just need to find it.
Never ever give up
Nothing has ever been solved or accomplished by giving up. Vince Lombardi said it best: “Winners never quit and quitters never win!” It takes perseverance to succeed as an LNC. Your attention to details and analytical skills make an enormous difference in the high-risk world of litigation.
I’ve talked to many LNCs who have gotten discouraged and gave up their business. They couldn’t deal with rejection, lost their drive, and forfeited their goals. They were bitter and felt like failures.
Start again
Sometimes, despite all your efforts, you need to rebuild from the ground up. You may need to fire your employee, fire your client, or take on a new area of legal nurse consulting. A key client goes out of business. The law changes and cases you relied on disappear. Overcoming obstacles happens at all phases of your LNC life.
With a little more effort and hard work, you can do it! No one promised you that being an LNC is easy. If you heard that, you weren’t getting honest advice.
Being successful involves a lot of hard work, dedication and sometimes sacrifices. With these tips, a good plan, and positive people around you to help, you can accomplish your dreams and be successful in overcoming obstacles.
Need help from an experienced LNC coach? Let’s talk. Go to my coaching site for details and let’s see if you and I are a fit.