Success is a menu, not a recipe

How to succeed in academia
Early career researchers often ask me for guidance on what to prioritise for their careers: “What matters most - publishing big papers, getting a fellowship, or networking?”. “Should I aim for first author papers, senior authorships or collaborations?”. “Should I work 24/7 or maintain work-life balance?”. “Is it better to work abroad or stay in one place to build relationships?”. “Should I teach or focus only on research?”.
 
The short answer is: “Yes”. 
 
But before you sink into deep depression and decide to retrain as an accountant, read on! This answer is more helpful than you think. 

​The long answer is not: “All of the above”. It’s: “Any of the above”. Or, at least, any combination. 
 
What is success?
First you need to define what ‘success’ means to you. Becoming a tenured professor is not the only way to be, and to feel successful. But if your dream is a secure academic post, doing interesting research surrounded by great colleagues, this article is for you. Readers considering other careers may also find some of the general principles below useful. 
 
You don’t need it all
I’m in the happy position of having such security, and doing fascinating science with amazing colleagues. And here’s how I didn’t get there: 
 
I’ve never held a fellowship, I’ve never worked in the US, I’m quite risk averse, I haven’t published a long string of Nature papers, I don’t like ‘selling myself’ and I’m definitely not a natural with people. 
 
What I think I’m good at (he said modestly…) is integrating fragments of information into a coherent model. Once I get an overview that makes sense to me, I really enjoy communicating it. Communicating helps me get the model straight in my own mind. The best bit then comes if and when I see it click for others. I also put a lot of effort into supporting and developing the people who work with me, and I love networking to understand the people behind the science and to build collaborations. 
 
Diversity: it’s a menu, not a recipe!
This combination has worked well for me, but I have successful colleagues with very different strengths. Some are bigger risk takers, aiming for ‘higher’ journals and bigger grants, some move more often to advance their career, others never move, some can engage any audience with infectious enthusiasm, some are great at motivating their colleagues or extremely good at promoting their work, some are not great communicators but do have the most astonishingly creative minds. Finally, some apply more pressure to their teams than I would. 

​The point is that all of these can work. As biologists, we are familiar with diverse survival mechanisms, such as those used by different species. Humans seem to be doing well with a large brain and a generation time of several decades. However, bacteria with no brain at all, but a generation time of only 20 minutes can 'outwit' our best antibiotics. There is no single model! Surviving and thriving in research is the same.
 
Craving certainty
It is normal to crave certainty. We’d all like to know “the” formula for success so we can follow it. If we keep asking, there are many who will tell us what they think it is. But the truth is there isn’t one, or at least not one tailored to your skills, background and ambitions. What you do need is one or more special qualities and colleagues with complementary ones. It does not matter which qualities they are but it matters that you use them well. And you know more than anyone else what they are. 
 
Identifying strengths
Here are some new ways to identify these.
 
What are your strongest motivational drives? To figure these out, ask which parts of the job do you really look forward to? After your motivation has taken a major blow, what comes back first? These are your deepest drives, the ones that will keep you going no matter what happens, your intrinsic motivations. The run far deeper and are more powerful than any external praise or promotion.
 
It may be curiosity, supporting a team, the desire to understand a disease and ultimately prevent it, the clarity of mind that comes from writing, training and inspiring others, travelling to conferences and meeting people, or something else entirely. Not only are you likely to be very good at them but they may even bring you energy instead of using it up.

​And then what are your values? What moral principles would you be prepared to uphold, even if they went against your own interests? What makes your toes curl when you see it being violated and what is the opposite of it? Acting on these is vital for peace of mind. You don’t need anyone to tell or encourage you to do them, you do them because you believe in them. That will help you ride out the inevitable obstacles we all face - the paper or grant rejections, being ‘scooped’, or finding out your hypothesis is wrong.
 
Some examples could be broadening human knowledge, disseminating knowledge, teaching and training the next generation, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, or engaging in international co-operation in research. Or you may have different ones entirely. 
 
Question limiting beliefs
The words “I can’t”, or worse still “you can’t” have a lot to answer for. Sure, there are some things we can’t do: run faster than Usain Bolt, or win a Nobel Prize next week. But the vast majority of things we think we can’t do are actually limiting beliefs. It feels safer to not try, because of fear of failure (everyone fails!), fear of where it might take you, or fear of it changing how your friends and family see you. Do you, at some level, fear becoming a PI for one of these reasons so you tell yourself you “can’t” instead, not even by developing new skills? That doesn’t mean you must try, but it matters to make a rational decision, not one driven by fear and dressed up in false beliefs. 

Acceptance and energy
When I look back at my career so far, I’m struck by two things. First, that I’ve progressed further and, together with my team, produced more than I could ever have imagined. But second, how much energy I’ve wasted along the way. I’ve constantly railed against things I could never have changed: short term contracts, administration, the shortcomings of science publishing and funding, certain personalities, and the impossibility of following every idea. And now I ask myself: “How much easier could it have been without all that that wasted energy?”.  If you’re figuring out your own way through that career maze, how much energy are you wasting today?
 
We all love to blame external factors if things don’t work out. Academia, like all careers, has many imperfections. But if we accept what we cannot change, however unfortunate that may be, we can channel all that wasted energy into things can do. 
 
The danger of doubt
Then having accepted them, never doubt that you can handle it. You might be unlucky and factors beyond your control prevent you from reaching your dream job, but you can still give it your best shot. But you can have the confidence to know you will land on your feet no matter what. 
 
Because the biggest influence on your future is likely to be inside your own head.