Throw Back the Little Ones

Law practice, like any small business, forces you to think about where you've been, where you are, and where you're going. I do this more as I get older, realizing there is not an infinite time frame to get it right.

Today I was thinking about what I want to do, but it's so hard to stay focused on THAT. My learned thought patterns kept taking me back, thinking about what I've done.  After a bit of that, it was a look at what I'm doing now.  Much of that are things I really don't want to do any more.  I have some ideas, and have had them for quite some time.  Have you ever felt that way?  How can the bigger ideas get going?

I DID figure out that I want to be working on things that excite me, BIG projects and bold business ideas. I've had some of these kicking around for years, and they haven't been done. Why? WHY?? One reason is working on a high volume of small stuff, rationalized under the heading of "having to make a living". Would I be making a better living if I were working on bigger and better things? If I made a decision to go after them? If I did not "keep busy" with the small stuff?

As I pondered this, FISHING came to mind. If I were fishing for bigger fish but had my lines full of smaller fish, what would I do with the smaller fish? Give them to someone else, or....THROW THEM BACK. Naturally, this made me think of the Steely Dan song "Throw Back the Little Ones". It's an obscure one, but I always really liked it. Here's a link....with lyrics.  Give it a listen and let me know if you like it.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA3RYtxUKow

If you are fishing, and you don't throw back the little ones, and you keep bringing them on board, do you know what happens? Your whole ship smells like mackerel!!!