A Postdoc’s Diary Entry

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I was happy when I got my postdoc, but the joy has been partly replaced by questions that are stressing me:

Am I smart enough? Will my research make a difference? Will I get grants? Will Trump cuts worsen my odds, or is he a mere blip? Will I get an academic job? Do I want an academic job? I like the romance of studying the foundational but also might enjoy applied research. Not only does industry usually pay more, it would be nice to see my work help people.

Ah, people. I love my mom, my dad, my girlfriends, my boyfriend. They’d all like more time with me. Do I really need to work 60+ hours a week? Maybe I want to.

Hmm.

I should take a walk but there’s that test to prepare for, that paper to write, that experiment to do. Arggh.

I read this aloud on YouTube.

Marty Nemko is a career and personal coach specializing in scientists. He’s the author of 36 books including Thought Experiments. He holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. You can reach him at mnemko@gmail.com