Be a Better Lawyer with Dina Cataldo

#1 problem I hear from lawyers?   They can't get their brain to turn off.   When they try to sleep, their brain runs through all the things they did wrong during the day or turns to the to-do list they have to get through tomorrow.   When they're spending time with their partner, they're thinking about the office, their to-do list and feel like they have to check their e-mail to stay on top of wor...

In this episode you'll hear: One unexpected change that made the difference in my business and my clients' law practices (it's #6) How I managed my mind around the time I spent in my legal practice and my business (#1) a simple way to feel better about yourself (#3) a different way to think about networking for lawyers(#5) a tool to sleep better (#2) Visit the show notes to get the resources menti...

If you're feeling stuck in any area of your life, you have self-doubt. Of course you do. If you've never done something before, it's normal to have self-doubt. On today's podcast, you'll learn: What self-doubt is EXACTLY Where it comes from How it shows up where you least expect it 3 steps to overriding self-doubt Find everything I mentioned in the podcast in the show notes . RESOURCES Busy Lawyer...

Race car drivers must have an intense focus to get to their destination. When they practice how to refocus over and over, they become better at ignoring the temptation to look anywhere else than to their next place on the road to their destination. As entrepreneurs, we need the same intense focus, but too often we find ourself getting side-tracked. Today you'll learn how to begin training your bra...

We have blind spots in every area of our life, but there are 5 blind spots lawyers tend to have when it comes to their businesses. This podcast is a mini-training to help you see those blind spots and work on them. In this episode, you'll learn: 5 blind spots lawyers have when thinking about their practice one mistake almost all of us make when handing over the reins of our business to an employee...

There are certain thoughts that are useless.   As soon as we think them - if we don't do any conscious work to get out of them - we'll be stuck where we've always been.   We won't make any progress in building a legal practice, improving relationships, and we're definitely not going to achieve any goal we have.   Today on the podcast, you'll learn: how our brain chemistry changes how we respond to...

Poor 2020. It showed up with so much promise. Oprah started doing a 2020 Vision Tour to celebrate it, then everything went downhill.   Everywhere I turn I hear people badmouthing 2020. Like its 2020's fault that there's a pandemic, a heat wave in northern CA, huge fires across our state, protests over racial injustice and so much more.   I was joking with someone that it's like turning to your fri...

Feeling a bit disconnected lately? You're not the only one. A lot of changes and distractions are adding to the list of reasons you have for not reconnecting with yourself. Lawyers are especially prone to working to disconnect because of our high-achiever tendencies, but we work on the wrong things when we do... Once you learn these tools, you'll find yourself taking more productive actions that w...

What are the right questions to ask yourself to get your brain thinking up better solutions to your problems? Today I'm explaining the difference between a good question and a bad question and test driving some questions you can use in your own life. Get inspired to create the solutions you need to move forward in today's episode. RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to Getting 5 Hours Back W...

As lawyers, often we live by the quote, "The beatings will continue until morale improves." Today, you're going to learn a simple shift that will change: how you manage your calendar how you take action on things you're procrastinating on what you decide is important to you the boundaries you make for yourself RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to Getting 5 Hours Back Weekly (PDF training)...

You might think the difference between people who get massive amounts of work accomplished and those who don't is that they're super-human. Nope. We just think differently. Today I walk you through a study of handling distractions to stay committed to what you planned to get done without stressing out about it. When you apply what you learn to your day, you're going to be shocked at how much more...

What we focus on expands. Each time we focus on what we don't want in our life, we create more of it. The stories we tell ourselves are made up of thoughts. When we focus on thoughts that don't serve us, we're preventing ourselves from creating the life we want. Know that your thoughts are optional. Listen in to learn more. RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to Getting 5 Hours Back Weekly (...

This is it, my friends. This is the podcast episode that is going to change everything for you. If you just start paying attention to what I'm going to talk about here today, you will change your relationship with your life. Does that sound exciting? I'm excited. I want you to know that if you experience shame about how much you get done during your week, or don't get done during your week, you ar...

If you feel stuck or unsatisfied with anything in your life, then you'll want to listen in. Our beliefs aren't always true, and the ones we don't see may prevent us from achieving what we truly want. Today you'll learn: - why uncovering hidden thoughts is important if you want to change anything in your life - what a belief is - how to uncover thoughts that you may not know you have that are hinde...

Today we're talking about one of the most important things you can do for yourself: play. In today's episode you'll learn: Why play is so important (it's probably not the reason you think) How play generates productivity What is NOT play Some ideas on what you can do to play more How to incorporate play in your busy schedule RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to Getting 5 Hours Back Weekly...

I called this episode "Racist Thoughts" because it places the finger on the issue.   Our thoughts.   Our thoughts are informed by the world around us and our past. Unless we decide that we are going to intentionally direct our thoughts, then nothing changes.   But the first step to create change is awareness.   Today we talk about: What is a thought Where thoughts comes from Where racist thoughts...

Today we're talking about how you're sabotaging your momentum towards your dreams daily.   These are sneaky things that pop up when we least expect it.   I'll walk you through 5 ways I've seen myself and clients sabotage hard-won momentum in their lives and in their legal practices.   #5 is the MOST important practice you must do, so listen until the end.   I explain why our brain does this and ho...

Let's talk about pain. Specifically, what we can create on the other side of pain. Today you'll learn: The difference between a productive and unproductive emotion How to process emotions Where emotions come from How to create the emotion you want, so that you can create what you want in the world The most productive emotions I've linked to more resources to process pain in the show notes . RESOUR...

Fire gone out of your law practice? Maybe you find yourself worrying and stressing more than enjoying what you're doing. Or maybe you find yourself grinding through the business side of your practice, and you feel stuck trying to be both the technician and the business strategist. I want to introduce you to the concept of the Manual. We have Manuals for every one and every thing in our lives. If w...

Working hard but not making traction towards your goals? This episode is for you. Today you'll learn: the difference between taking passive action and taking massive action how the stories your tell yourself are preventing achieving your goal how to know whether you're taking massive action a process you can use to move into taking massive action today RESOURCES Busy Lawyer's Quick-Start Guide to...

How much do you trust yourself to follow through on what you say you're going to do? Do you trust yourself to make good choices? Do you trust yourself to make good choices not only for the present moment, but for your future self? The one who has already achieved your goals? The theme of trust or the lack of trust pops up a lot when I coach lawyers. The typical non-lawyer might think that we have...

Every day, we create results for ourselves. But how often do we step back and ask ourselves what thoughts helped us create those results? Today, I break down the process to understand how we each create (or fail to create) our desired results. Once we understand how our brain works, it's then a matter of systematically chipping away at the thoughts that don't serve us to achieve what we want most....

What I'm going to teach you about using your calendar and getting things done is going to be different than you've probably heard anywhere else. Today we're talking about concepts counterintuitive to someone who's a workaholic. Like say...a lawyer. Does it feel wrong for you to think about how you can love yourself more and get more done? Good because that's cognitive dissonance. That feeling mean...

There are 8 lies that permeate our lives from childhood to adulthood. If we don't recognize them for what they are, they'll hold us back from achieving our goals. They're insidious because they "feel" true. They only feel that way because we've been told them for so long. Listen in to begin designing your life to create what you want rather than continue living a life you were told you were suppos...

It's episode 100 y'all!   If you're listening to this podcast when it comes out, it's my birthday!   I'm turning 40.    My hope is that this episode inspires you to check in with yourself. Maybe get clear on what's most important to you.   I do have a birthday wish.   Would you leave a review for Be a Better Lawyer Podcast on Apple Podcasts?   It would mean a lot to me because that's how podcasts...