“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”
— Andy Bernard (The Office)

In the series finale of The Office, Andy Bernard delivers this bittersweet line that has lingered in the minds of fans for more than a decade. Recently, in a conversation with Adam Grant, Ed Helms reflected on the weight of those words. He admitted that during the height of filming The Office, he and his castmates were often too focused on what was next to fully appreciate what they were living through. Only in hindsight did they see those years as golden.

The truth of that observation extends far beyond television. In the legal profession, the pace is relentless. We are constantly scanning the horizon for the next deadline, the next client meeting, the next trial. We are often so focused on winning the case or closing the deal that we often forget to notice the ordinary moments in-between. Brainstorming a case strategy with colleagues, getting to know a new client, or mentoring a younger lawyer are the very experiences we may one day remember most fondly. At the moment, these seem like routine parts of the job. Later, they reveal themselves as the connective tissue of a career.

Lawyers are particularly susceptible to missing the “good old days” in real time because the culture of law rewards the wins and achievements. The next case, the next billable hour, the next goal met often takes precedence over the present. We tell ourselves we will savor things when we get older or when our schedule slows down, but that day rarely comes. As Helms and Grant discussed, even successes can feel strangely fleeting if we never pause to take them in. This habit of looking past the present not only diminishes our ability to enjoy the work, but it can also accelerate burnout.

Recognizing the “good old days” while we are still in them requires intention. It means allowing ourselves to be aware of what is going well, even in the midst of stress. It might be the easy rapport with a client you’ve served for years, the camaraderie of a trial team pulling together under pressure, or the satisfaction of solving a thorny legal puzzle. Naming and acknowledging these moments gives them staying power. Over time, it builds a reservoir of meaning that can sustain us through the profession’s inevitable challenges.

In a field that prizes logic, precision, and efficiency, taking time to notice and appreciate the present may feel indulgent or unproductive. In reality, it is a discipline in its own right. It guards against the tendency to view our careers only in terms of milestones achieved or crises managed. It helps us to remember that meaning is made in the middle of things, not just at the end looking back. Andy Bernard’s line is a reminder that the “good old days” are not just a memory. They are also unfolding around us right now. The question for lawyers is whether we will recognize them in real time.