“Don’t doubt yourselves and go for your goals, but do your research well, seek out help, and always plan ahead.”
– Gustavo Mayen, Trial Attorney, Law Office of Gustavo Mayen
Gustavo Mayen grew up in difficult financial circumstances, but he persevered amidst myriad challenges and eventually set up his own law office in a city he wasn’t familiar with. He learned from his experiences, set proper goals, planned well ahead, and strategized to find success against overwhelming odds.
Overcoming Challenges
Gustavo arrived in the US as a 10-year old who didn’t speak any English. This in itself was a huge disadvantage. Gustavo overcame these challenges and finished law school. He, however, faced a major challenge in establishing himself in his chosen career.
As an outsider, it took a lot of courage from Gustavo to open up his own law office in Boston. He had not grown up in the area and not attended any school there—basically, he had no network in Boston. Opening a law office without being familiar with an area was a huge challenge. Gustavo also took the risk of forgoing any opportunity to work for established firms in the area.
Achieving Success
Gustavo shares how he turned his disadvantage into his advantage. “Having grown up poor and having been an enlisted Marine allowed me to work with the bare minimum,” he says. Explaining about his success, he further says, “I was able to achieve success by looking at this as a business venture and acting accordingly. This means I developed a business and financial plan well before actually opening up the law office.” Not only did it help him properly plan the business aspect but also saved him a lot of time and money.
These experiences also motivated Gustavo to persevere and emerge successful amidst trying circumstances. He says often people don’t understand how big an accomplishment opening and succeeding one’s own law office is, especially when pitched against such seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Setting Goals in a Smart Way
Gustavo cautions that one should not simply plunge in without a plan. Instead, they should do proper research, seek out help and advice when possible, and create a plan well ahead of time, even though things rarely go as planned.
How are you striving? Order Strive today to start your journey to a life of fulfillment and joy, one that holds the possibility of discovering your fullest potential.
