Charles Kramer, The Levison Group
For as long as David Jenkins, Esq. could remember, he’d toyed with the idea of being a writer. He also dabbled in artistic painting and in photography for a time.
When he graduated college, he headed to law school, not because he necessarily wanted to be an attorney, but because he saw it as a flexible degree. He was also intrigued by the idea of creating a business, a true entrepreneurial spirit.
Given this background, it is not surprising that many, including Jenkins himself, referred to David as a conflicted soul, torn between his right-brained drive for success and interest in business and law, and his left-brained artistic tendencies.
In law school, Jenkins decided not to write for law review despite his standing in the top 10 percent of his class, and to use the time instead to complete a novel he was writing with his brother. When his post-law degree judicial clerkship was coming to an end, he seriously considered taking a year off to pursue a writing dream, before ultimately opting to join the law firm at which he is now a senior partner. David continued to pursue artistic tendencies now and then, on the side, but dedicated the overwhelming majority of his energies and focus to his law career.
He excelled. He made partner within five years. He was recognized by several awards organizations. Literally changed legal precedent, changing the laws that governed his state and community in the process, and helped draft critical legislation and constitutional amendments. He helped the underwhelmed and underrepresented, and all in all contributed much to society.
Then, six months ago, he turned 53 years old, and his focus swerved. He remains committed to his legal practice, and continues to do an above average, to say the least, job at it. However, he has rediscovered his left-brain as well, and now spends a fair amount of time pursuing writing, music, photography and art. Moreover, to hear him talk, it is these newer activities that now command his passion, his drive, and his desire. His law job is now a job. His wife has accused him of having a work-only midlife crisis, saying he is cheating on his attorney-self with his side projects.
What is a mid-life crisis? The best definition I heard used the term to describe a period when an adult evaluates where they are in life compared to the dreams and goals they once had for themselves, to the status of others they desire to be more like, and to their potential to leave their mark on the world around them.
In actuality, it may not be a crisis, and it most assuredly is not limited to, or defined by, mid-life. In fact, the phenomenon was originally called, more accurately, “midlife transition” when Daniel Levinson, a Yale Psychologist, introduced the concept in his book, Seasons of a Man’s Life” in the 1970’s. It only became a “crisis” when a journalist, Gail Sheehy, later published a similarly themed epic, which she based heavily on the work of Levinson and others, including UCLA psychiatrist Roger Gould.
Interestingly, although the concept has remained a part of the public dialogue ever since, its scientific basis was questioned virtually from the get go. The publication of Levinson’s and Sheehy’s books caused others to engage in larger, more scientifically valid studies to examine the newly announced phenomenon.
However, literally none of the studies which followed found there to be any age-based trigger for such a personal reevaluation, and in fact, none even found a statistically significant number of men or women even suffered such a crisis during midlife. Those persons who did exhibit the symptoms of the articulated condition reported they came on during a wide variety of ages (25 to 65), including times that were most assuredly not “midlife.”
It turns out that the people who tend to go through such periods of evaluation or reevaluation are those who, like Jenkins, had always clearly seen two different career or life paths, and had chosen one. The wonder of what would have happened if they’d chosen the other sometimes causes action when the person subconsciously feels the time to pursue the other path is slipping away.
Other midlife crisis sufferers tend to be people who have anguished through periods of extreme stress or depression in the past, and who deal with such feelings by avoidance or escape. If the stresses of a life path seem impossible to escape, such persons may simply try to change their life. The final group are people who suffer some impactful event, loss or trauma, which simply causes a dramatic shift in their view of the world. The rest of the population appears safe from the temptation to dramatically switch careers.
Given this view, it would appear that, as more and more lawyers are developed from the ranks of those who simply didn’t know what else they want to do, or who are seeking a more economically stable careers than the ones they would prefer, there will be more and more attorneys venturing out or leaving the practice forever, at some point.
If you ask David Jenkins, however, he doesn’t see this as a crisis at all. The only crisis he sees is the fact that he has to meet with a music producer on Tuesday, and file a brief with the Supreme Court by Monday.
Did I tell you he also wants to learn how to juggle?
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©2016 under analysis, LLC. Under analysis is a nationally syndicated column by the Levison Group. Charles Kramer is a principal of the St Louis based lawfirm, Riezman Berger, P.C. It is only a rumor that he sometimes goes by the name “David Jenkins.” Comments or criticisms about this column can be sent to your newspaper, direct to Charles at Ckramer@riezmanberger.com, or the levison group at comments@levisongroup.com
