“Just move forward into the unknown!” Steven W. Bennett (’90), founder Salt Lake City law firm Bennett Tueller Johnson & Deere, urged students at this year’s BYU Law’s Honored Alumni Lecture. Bennett reflected on how making decisions and taking action have benefitted both his career and personal life and he offered students four objectives to propel them forward with success.
- Start moving forward even if you don’t know what the end result will be. Emulate Nephi, who set out to retrieve the brass plates “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.” (1 Nephi 4:6)
- See opportunities, not obstacles. President Russell M. Nelson viewed Spencer W. Kimball’s suggestion that members learn Mandarin Chinese as an opportunity; he was undeterred by his busy schedule as a cardiac surgeon.
- Motivation matters. Bennett shared his experience representing an entrepreneur whose practice of sharing ownership with employees produced an energetic and grateful workforce.
- Be decisive. Lawyers are trained to spot issues and calculate potential risks. They must then transition from counselor to advocate by helping clients make decisions and move forward.
Bennett encouraged students to build law practices and create businesses … “go and do!” This, he says, is the basis for a satisfying career and life.
Comments (0)