The Secrets to a Happy, Successful Legal Career Part 1 of 2

The Secrets to a Happy,

Successful Legal Career

Florida Bar Mid-Year Meeting - January 19, 2018

Who is Larry Port?

Husband. Father. Animal-lover. Coder. Software Exec. Author. Little League Coach. Fighter of

hate. Seeker of wellness. Homo Sapien.

This is my wife and our three animals.

These are my parents and my kids.

This is my team at Rocket Matter.

This is what we work on.(FL Bar Member Benefit)

This is one of my favorite places on Earth.

This is my location in the galaxy.

This is my galaxy’s location in the

observable universe.

For the past twelve years I have tried to cultivate happiness, ever since I heard this on a podcast:

The best predictor of how happy you'll be in 20 years' time is simply how happy you are now, which is a sobering thought because we all believe that we're going to have some incredible transformation in the next couple of years that will change everything. But, you know, statistically speaking we won't.

-Dr. Daniel Nettle

Is Happiness All In Your Head, Science Friday, NPR

“

Mind. Blown.Then I heard this:

It’s never the right time to get married. Or have kids. Or start a business. Or buy a house. So you might as well just go for it.

-Guy named Neal in Larry’s Office

“

Our journey begins at the dawn of humanity.

188,000 of our 200,000 years was spent foraging.We worked several hours a day and spent time

with our community. Our diets were diverse,

consisting of what was gathered.

The Agricultural Revolution is considered by some as terrible for homo sapiens.“A catastrophe from which we have never

recovered” says Jared Diamond, due to imposition

of government, subjugation, worse nutrition, and

elimination of free time.

We spent about 188,000 years either procuring food or hanging out talking with our community.

Ikaria, an island of Greek centenarians, gets it.

The modern world is replete with amazing things.

Air conditioning. Refrigeration. Modern

medicine. Reduction in infant mortality.

Survival of childbirth. Democracy. More

educated people than ever. Less people in

slavery than ever.

Homo Sapiens are not designed for the modern

world.

We are preprogrammed to seek out calorically dense

foods.

We spent about 188,000 years either procuring food or hanging out talking with our community.

Restaurants and food scientists take advantage of this fact.

We evolved to survive by exploring our environment.

We spent about 188,000 years either procuring food or hanging out talking with our community.

We are not designed to sit for extended periods.

We do not foster community like we used to.

We spent about 188,000 years either procuring food or hanging out talking with our community.

Neighborhoods are not what they were, families live apart, and politics divides communities.

Our instincts for self-preservation and

environmental awareness are hijacked by screens.

We spent about 188,000 years either procuring food or hanging out talking with our community.

“Integration of smartphones into daily life” appears to cause a “brain drain” that can diminish such vital mental skills as “learning, logical reasoning, abstract thought, problem solving, and creativity.”

We. Are. Screwed.

Are we screwed?

37%increase in sales...

https://hbr.org/2011/06/the-happiness-dividend

Happiness results in a

31%…increase in productivity…

19%…increased accuracy on tasks…

Increased stress levels reduce the effectiveness of

the immune system.

Proven Ways to Cultivate Happiness

1. Express gratitude.2. Exercise.3. Meditate.4. Consume proper nutrition.5. Focus on achievements.6. Understand how your mind works.

Express gratitude.

Write down three things

you’re grateful for every day.

We spent about 188,000 years either procuring food or hanging out talking with our community.

“Grateful people are happier and more satisfied with their lives…Gratitude brings freedom from envy.”

Exercise.

Find something you enjoy.

Either use that to exercise or

as a motivation to exercise.

Play a sport!

Most important thing is to pick

something you have a passion for

and gets you out there.

Running: for those that have limited time and are injury free.

Nothing is more efficient and goal-

oriented than running. Just make

sure you stretch!

Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong: Options for lower-impact workouts.

These disciplines require the time

for a class. They have a spiritual

component to them. Some “hot”

and “vinyasa” yoga classes are very

intense, so make sure you ask the

right questions.

Swimming: Waterproof Headphones and Total Immersion

Swimming for exercise is a total-

body workout that’s low impact.

You can listen to music and get

swimming lessons to help you build

up endurance and learn proper

technique.

Kickboxing, Ultimate Frisbee, Raquetball

Don’t forget non-traditional sports

as a way to stay motivated and keep

in shape.

Meditate.

A couple minutes of quiet

breathing every day.

There’s an app for that.

I’ve found, after being trained by

three different disciplines that the

Fitness22 Meditation app is as

effective if not more than anything.

Consume proper nutrition.

Eat as many whole foods as

possible, mostly plants.

One of the best ways to understand the nutritional value of your diet is with food logging.

Even if done for a two-week period,

will give you idea of the holes in

your eating.

Focus on your acheivements, not the goal.

Goals consistently move.

Don’t get stuck on the

hedonic treadmill.

I am never going to look like this.

Logging your achievements from the previous day is a big deal.

Understand how your mind works.

Your mind is governed by neurons,

synapses, and neurotransmitters.

Thank You!larry@rocketmatter.com