On Getting Butterflies

In the cut and thrust of criminal defense law, there are few more skilled than Mike Edleson. He is, frankly, legendary, and deserves to be.

Mike struts. He glowers. He paces, he menaces, he terrifies. In the courtroom he is some kind of dark deity in a thundercloud. He is a force of nature. He knows when you’re lying and he will beat the truth out of you. He is ten light years ahead of any escape route you may be contemplating, and you’d better not even dare think about evading his questions. If you think you can dodge out a side entrance, he’ll be there waiting for you at the exit.

So, having watched Mike walk on water and jump over tall buildings, I was initially stunned by his off-the-cuff response on a panel discussion. Someone had put the question to these four top-flight defense counsel, “Do you still get nervous before a trial?”

Mike’s answer was succinct and powerful, and I’ve never forgotten it: “Yes. Always. I get butterflies before every trial. And the day I stop being terrified is the day I stop doing trials.”

Mike, the thundering deity of Eastern Ontario’s criminal defense bar, terrified?!?!?!

Yes, indeed. And I’ve heard the same notion from many other towering professionals, in law, in theater, in sports, in sales. Professional musicians who throw up before they march triumphantly onto the stage. No matter that you are the giant in the room, a healthy fear of failure and a respect for all that could go wrong is exactly what separates the pros from the amateurs.

Without doubt, it’s talent and training that makes you capable, but it’s preparation and calculation that make you win. Many of us can be good, very good, but only those who are prepared and alert can win the prize.

There’s a very fine line between being properly afraid of losing and being terrified of the contest itself. It’s one thing to have butterflies, it’s another to chicken out. Many a talented young person has faded forever into obscurity because they flinched and walked away from the contest, but many others have gone out in flames because they lacked a healthy respect for the opposition.

Somewhere in the middle is the right amount of fear to keep you honest and alert, but not so much as to make you stay hidden under the bed.

Need to talk about your professional fears? Drop me a note.