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You’ll never feel ready the first time you try something new. Be as prepared as you can be and do your best. Ask questions on things you don’t understand and rely on more senior people. And keep in mind that none of this is brain surgery.
Im actually not a fan of fake it till you make it, to the extent that means pretending to be something you’re not. You are going to be nervous when you first try something. I still get nervous on occasions decades in, even when doing things I’ve done many times before. You just get better at dealing with the nerves. But it’s critical to accept that this is normal and not pretend otherwise. You will survive, things will get easier, and you will absolutely get better the next time.
As said above, you’ll never feel ready. I’m 7 years in and still don’t half the time. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.
1. You can handle more than you think you can. Your partners aren't trying to set you up for failure. They're goal is to make their clients happy and they wouldn't put you on those tasks if they didn't think you could do it (perhaps with guidance, assistance, etc.).
2. You are a terrible judge of your own capabilities. You are way more judgmental and critical of yourself than you are of others and than others are of you. Evolutionarily, your brain is trying to protect you from what it has identified as a threat (possibility of failure, disappointing the partners, being exposed as a fraud, losing your job, becoming a pariah, or whatever). Your cave man brain is reacting to this just as it would react to a bear attack. But your brain is not your friend here. This isn't a bear attack and you'll get through it just fine, and likely even stronger/better at life and your job than you were before.
3. You can try therapy to figure out what is underlying your fear and how to address it, but that's more of a longer term solution.
This happened to me a few years ago. While it was a time of tremendous growth in my skills and confidence, it was also very stressful. I relied a lot on partners and senior associates to help fill in knowledge gaps because I didn't have time to work everything out on my own.
Break tasks down and simplify. Then address each issue one by one.
A couple of partners leaving my firm in the last couple years has been the best thing that could have happened for my career. I got an influx of new cases, and the firm was forced to trust and invest in me in a way they hadn't before. A year or so later, and I'm thriving. Trust in your skills, and hopefully you'll look back a ways down the road and will be thankful for the unexpected opportunity to prove yourself.
I feel for you. I started working in a whole new field two years ago- very niche complex litigation and the guy in my satellite office that was my supposed mentor quit 4 months later. Have been on my own ever sense. Lost my shit for a bit (not publicly) but it’s caused me have to learn quick and fast and that’s starting to turn into my favor!
You just do things. If you’re wholly unsure of next steps or what to respond, can run your game plan and/or draft email by partner. Wouldn’t do this a ton, but as you get more integrated and see that your gut is right, you’ll start realizing you don’t need partners sign off as much.
Also, don’t be afraid to speak up and/or flag very clearly for the partner when you just do not know - I usually say something explicit like “in particular, [can you review // would like your thoughts on] X and Y — I didn’t fully understand this // I am not sure if I approached this correctly.