Be a Better Lawyer with Dina Cataldo

We need to shake up our belief systems, and this episode is going to do that for you. No doubt!   If you've ever felt anxious about money or avoid looking at your finances, you'll want to listen to this episode a few times. The first time, your brain will probably want to shut off while it's hearing the new concepts I talk about. It's trying to numb out, so it doesn't feel any negative emotions.  ...

If you've ever had a sleepless night because your brain kept running even when you were exhausted from a long day at the office, listen up. Ruminations don't have to ruin your sleep or cause you anxiety. I'll tell you exactly what you can do to stop them, and get the sleep (and sanity) you need. In this episode you'll learn: Exactly what is means to ruminate How ruminations interfere with our ment...

When lawyers ask me how they can be happier in the law, they don't always like my answer, but they always come around. Even the lawyers who think they're basically happy feel more fulfilled in their practice and their life once they learn the principles I'm covering in today's episode. Becoming a happy lawyer or reducing stress isn't about finding your zen. It boils down to how our brain processes...

Let's talk about getting what you want. Sound like fun? It's easy to feel good when we get what we want, right? But what happens when we don't? You'll want to listen in if you: have interactions with other humans want more time want to create better results in your life overall This episode is courtesy of a lovely listener who offered up a great question in my DMs on Instagram. A big thank you to...

In the legal world, there's a myth floating around that you can't practice the law and have other interests. Some lawyers judge other lawyers and believe they need to choose between their legal practice and having other interests. Why? These are false beliefs. When we begin to unravel a few of the lies we've been fed in law firms and in law school, we begin to open up our mind to possibilities. I'...

If you've tried thought work, but you're noticing that it's hard to believe the new thought you want, it's because you're having cognitive dissonance. It's uncomfortable. Honestly, it feels like your brain will explode. It may even feel scary. That's a good thing. That means you're on the right track towards the change you want to make. The first thing to know is that cognitive dissonance is not a...

Using goals against ourselves is more common than you think. When we do, we sabotage the results we want to achieve, and we create a false sense of anxiety and urgency that feels horrible. Today I'm walking you through the signs that you're using your goals against yourself, and I'll help you use goals the way they were meant to be used. Accomplishing what you set out to do will be more enjoyable...

What's entitlement? The "belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges." Time entitlement is the belief that we're deserving of and entitled to more time. I've experienced feeling time entitlement first hand, so know that I'm not calling you out. I'm talking to you today coming from so much love.  We do not have a right to more time than we have. We are not entitled to a right...

If this is your first time listening, start with an earlier episode. This episode can be mind-bendy, and I want you to have a good foundation before you jump in. What do you believe? About yourself? About your partner? About the world and how it works? Today we're questioning all of it. This is gonna be fun. Let's do this! RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to Getting 5 Hours Back Weekly (P...

Today we're diving into the Thought Models that create the best results. If you've been listening for a while, you're likely familiar with the Model. If not, I'll give you a crash course on the Model, which will help you take your life to the next level. The Model is a simple way to understand exactly how our thoughts create the results in our lives. Listen to this episode if you're frustrated tha...

Want to feel better and be more effective at everything you do? Even if you don't have a one-on-one life coach, you can coach yourself. Nothing beats having someone call you on your B.S. every week like a personal coach will, but you'll learn the key to coaching yourself better in today's podcast. We'll apply it to each of these areas, so you know exactly how to use it: 1. decision-making 2. relat...

You know planning is important, but for some reason you keep putting it off. Today I'm walking you through why you're not planning your week and show you exactly how you can begin. In this episode I'll share with you 4 tips to help make it easier for you to plan. I'll break down the mindset, so you can begin making the changes you need to become more productive. RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start...

What if we could strengthen our brain, so that we could become more focused? Spoiler alert: we can. Today I'm sharing 6 tools [really 7 because I have a bonus one for you] that will help you strengthen your focus, so you can be more productive and stay focused on what you achieve in a day or in a year. RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to Getting 5 Hours Back Weekly (PDF training) How to S...

When you're deciding between where you want to focus your time, energy and money to achieve a goal, a pro-con list isn't the way to go. Understanding how your brain works when you're attempting to make choices and procrastinating on making choices is essential to making a decision that will create fulfillment. In this podcast, I break down how to trust in yourself and in your decision. RESOURCES B...

If you're a lawyer who wants to serve more clients, the most valuable skill you can cultivate is learning how to be with the feeling of discomfort. It's what moves the needle in any goal you want to achieve whether it's growing your law practice, losing weight, stopping drinking, or writing a novel. If you learn how to invest in discomfort instead of avoid it, this skill will transform your life....

If you haven't listened to last week's episode, I highly recommend you listen to it, but it's not strictly necessary. This podcast will give you what you need to evaluate any result you're trying to achieve. Our brain's first response is to make judgment about what our results mean about us. I'm walking you through a three step process that will help you remove the judgment and help you add fuel t...

Ever wish you knew how to build a habit? Find yourself not doing the things that you know will help you achieve your goals? I'm walking you through a habit jump start process, so you can give your habit a jump start just like you'd jump your car to get it going after the battery dies. It's going to take thinking on your part before you do anything, so be sure you grab a pen and paper. If you're dr...

A lot of times when I'm talking with new clients, and I also know this from personal experience, they expect they'll be happy when...our practice is making more money, our partner acts differently, or we've achieved a goal. When it doesn't happen the way we want it to, we feel anxiety, anger, stress, despair, or hurt. We get stuck in a loop of feeling this way. Today you'll learn why you feel this...

What does it mean to have a breakthrough in your life? What would it mean to you if you could create consistent breakthroughs? I'm sharing how to have more consistent breakthroughs in your life, so you can become better at achieving your goals. Building your practice doesn't have to feel overwhelming. In fact, to build it bigger and better, there are other emotions you'll need to connect with. I'l...

Having a tough time finding the time to work on business development? You're not alone. I talk to a lot of lawyers who tell me the same thing. Today I'm helping you think about your practice in a more conscious way, so you can focus on the priorities that will generate more clients and help your firm run more smoothly. I'm going to give you some tough love here, but I'm also going to give you some...

Over the years, we develop #lawyerbrain: patterns of thinking that don't serve us. If we let these patterns rule us, then we stay stuck. Creating awareness around them gets us UNstuck. Today I'm walking you through 5 common thoughts that lawyers think when building their practice that keeps them stuck at the same income and stress levels. I'll show you how you can begin cracking the code to your l...

Creating success isn't a fluke. When we focus on the container we create for ourself to create the success we want, we can narrow down where we spend our energy and where we give our attention. I'll give you the exact questions to ask yourself to create your own container for success. I'll also share with you the container I've created for myself to create a life where I'm a full time lawyer with...

Lawyers and most Americans are taught to have an employee brain. We think there's a right way and a wrong way of doing things to become successful. The legal profession encourages this, so it's understandable. But if you want to build your own legal practice, the employee mindset is going to be devastating to your business. You'll learn exactly what you need to know to see where the employee minds...

A lot of us believe that inspiration strikes, we don't control where inspiration comes from, and that it's going to come from outside of us like a bolt of lightning. A muse will inspire us to write that blog post, social media post, book, article, or generate that big idea for your practice.   Or, we think we'll do something when we "feel like it." Doesn't that sound nice? As if when we feel like...

Today we're doing something a little different. Take a walk with me as I answer a listener's question about working towards goals and creating the identity we need to create to overcome setbacks. RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to Getting 5 Hours Back Weekly (PDF training) How to Stop Procrastinating Masterclass (Video Training) CONNECT WITH ME On Instagram @dina.cataldo On LinkedIn WORK...