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Spent some time on my "personal annual review" today, and I thought I'd share my personal "10 keys to success" as a junior/mid-career scientist. Would love for others to add to this - and if you think an open zoom call on this topic would be useful, let me know, I'll schedule.
1. Know (and write down) your highest priorities.
Everyone has 3-5 priorities that are essential to happiness. Take two hours per week for a month to develop and refine these priorities for yourself. Review the list every year, and revise your life to align with those priorities.
Everyone has 3-5 priorities that are essential to happiness. Take two hours per week for a month to develop and refine these priorities for yourself. Review the list every year, and revise your life to align with those priorities.
2. Find a mentor who reflects your priorities.
We learn how to navigate professional life from our mentors. If, at any point in your career, you don't have a mentor to whom you can look and say, "that's how I would like to conduct myself as a professional," find one.
We learn how to navigate professional life from our mentors. If, at any point in your career, you don't have a mentor to whom you can look and say, "that's how I would like to conduct myself as a professional," find one.
3. Cultivate your reputation, not your CV.
To succeed, we all need a strong CV - but we also need people who want to work with us and can vouch for us. The latter is more important. Accept tasks that will build your reputation, and don't sacrifice that reputation for your CV.
To succeed, we all need a strong CV - but we also need people who want to work with us and can vouch for us. The latter is more important. Accept tasks that will build your reputation, and don't sacrifice that reputation for your CV.
4. Embrace failure.
Each of these has a low chance of success: grant funding, establishing a new research collaboration, a paper making a major impact on the field. We can't predict in advance which will be successful. The only way to succeed is to try often, and to fail.
Each of these has a low chance of success: grant funding, establishing a new research collaboration, a paper making a major impact on the field. We can't predict in advance which will be successful. The only way to succeed is to try often, and to fail.
5. Pursue projects you enjoy, with people you enjoy.
The projects you take on, and the collaborations you form, today will define your work for years to come. Actively pursue scientific questions that you want to answer - and more importantly, people you want to work with.
The projects you take on, and the collaborations you form, today will define your work for years to come. Actively pursue scientific questions that you want to answer - and more importantly, people you want to work with.
6. Develop a strong support network.
Everyone goes through hard times. When it happens to you, you'll need colleagues and superiors/mentors who will pick up the slack, not crack the whip. Don't work somewhere you aren't supported. And make a point to support those around you.
Everyone goes through hard times. When it happens to you, you'll need colleagues and superiors/mentors who will pick up the slack, not crack the whip. Don't work somewhere you aren't supported. And make a point to support those around you.
7. Consider subtraction as well as addition.
We all sometimes take on projects because we need to pay the bills or feel we can't say no. But we don't have to maintain these projects forever. Identify the projects/tasks you don't enjoy and develop a plan for trimming them out.
We all sometimes take on projects because we need to pay the bills or feel we can't say no. But we don't have to maintain these projects forever. Identify the projects/tasks you don't enjoy and develop a plan for trimming them out.
8. Maintain a "passion project".
All jobs have some unpleasant aspects - admin tasks, financial reviews, etc. Compartmentalize these if you can, and always have at least one project that inspires/motivates you, so you can return to it when you feel overwhelmed.
All jobs have some unpleasant aspects - admin tasks, financial reviews, etc. Compartmentalize these if you can, and always have at least one project that inspires/motivates you, so you can return to it when you feel overwhelmed.
9. Develop a strategic plan.
Think about where you want to be in 5-10 years, and how that differs from where you are now. Write down the steps you will need to take to achieve those goals - and revisit those steps every year as well.
Think about where you want to be in 5-10 years, and how that differs from where you are now. Write down the steps you will need to take to achieve those goals - and revisit those steps every year as well.
10. Take concrete action on family and personal priorities.
It's easy to sacrifice one's personal life for (more quantifiable) professional goals. Every year, write down specific things you can do to prioritize your family/personal life - and hold yourself to them.
It's easy to sacrifice one's personal life for (more quantifiable) professional goals. Every year, write down specific things you can do to prioritize your family/personal life - and hold yourself to them.
