Summary: This episode of the Early Accountability Podcast is the first of a two-part mini-series featuring Zana Williams, a returning guest on the podcast. Zana joined us back on episode 10 to discuss conquering law school in her father’s memory, and on the next episode of this series, we will be catching up with Zana to see what she has been up to the past 2+ years since her last visit. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Zana’s original interview, you should definitely go check it out, but this episode serves as a summary. Zana knew by the time she was 12 years old without a shadow of a doubt that she wanted to be an attorney. She took a Mock Trial and Debate class in high school that further solidified this desire for her, and the rest is history…not quite. Right around the time Zana was studying for the LSAT, she lost her grandmother and her father and she was in 3 car accidents. She – understandably – didn’t get the score she had hoped for, so she received many denial letters from law schools. She didn’t let this get her down, however, and she refocused her efforts on retaking the test and she received several acceptances this time. In the midst of her educational and professional ups and downs, she was also dealing with her own personal ups and downs, which she has been able to frame with great perspective now. The eulogy that Zana gave at her father’s funeral prompted several of the attendees to tell her how impactful her words were and encourage her to use that clear gift of motivational speaking in a broader context. This was the springboard for Zana to pursue speaking opportunities to discuss grief, loss, and motivation after experiencing hardships. She credits God and her mom with providing her the strength, encouragement, and love she needed to press on despite her pain, and she now passes those gifts on to others. Topics Covered in this Episode: • Early accountability • Law school • Overcoming hardships • Achieving your goals • Grief and loss EAP Episode 10 - Conquering Law School in Her Father’s Memory: https://soundcloud.com/kimiwalker/eap10 EAP Episode 54: The Best of the Best: Favorite Guest Clips From the Past Year (1 Year Celebration Episode): https://soundcloud.com/kimiwalker/eap54
