The Dangers
of Success
Success Tip:
Focus on Your Priorities
Sit down and make a comprehensive list of
the projectsyou are working on. Do a complete “Brain Dump” and
put down on paper every project, large and small, that is in process.
Next, write a phrase about how each of these tasks will move your career
forward. How much will this project matter in five years? Now, prioritize
these projects and choose one, JUST ONE, which you will spend at least
an hour working on UNTIL COMPLETION.
*A Key Question: Where do you
spend your time each day?*
If you are a doctoral student it may
seem obvious that your dissertation is your number one priority.
If you
are an assistant professor it may seem obvious that publishing
should come first. But are you REALLY spending most of your work
time on research
and writing? Or is teaching, committee work, tangential research
projects, or other tasks eating up your time? Put your time where
it counts.
This newsletter will be coming out on a regular basis.
Finally!
Why has it taken me so long to send you this newsletter?
Because I got what I asked for!
I’ve been providing coaching for faculty and grad students for
more than a decade. Until recently, I met with most clients
in-person. In 2003, however, I decided to share my years
of experience with a wider audience by creating a web site.
Since then, many of you have requested individual coaching.
My coaching practice grew so quickly that I became too busy to write
the newsletter.
When I created my web site, I didn’t ask myself what would happen
if I met my goals. My success overwhelmed me because
I wasn’t careful what I asked for.
I learned an important lesson the hard way:
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR – YOU MIGHT GET IT!
I work with an assistant professor with this problem. She’s been
great at spotting grant opportunities. She’s met all the application
deadlines. And she’s been impressively successful at getting
funded.
The problem is:
- She hasn’t had time to manage the research projects she’s
gotten money to conduct.
- She hasn’t had time to train her research assistant adequately.
- She hasn’t had time to analyze the data she’s collected.
- Most troubling, she hasn’t mailed out even one article.
Now she’s coming up for her third year review and is
panicked because she hasn’t published a single, first-author paper. She’s
very well funded – but that may not be enough.
I remember teaching a talented graduate student who was coping with
the risks of success. His advisor was so impressed by the first
chapter of his dissertation that she suggested submitting a
revised version for publication in a top-notch journal. What
an opportunity! He slaved over the project and struggled for months with
the revise-and-resubmit stage. He knew it would look great on his C.V.
when it was finally published.
Meanwhile, his dissertation languished. More than a year passed before
he though about Chapter Two.
CHOOSE YOUR PRIORITIES CAREFULLY
Yes, you need grants in most academic fields.
Yes, it helps to publish while you are still a graduate student.
But there are risks associated with success.
If you are talented and bright there will be many enticing sidetracks
along the tenure track. You can’t go down every
path. When you find yourself overwhelmed with opportunities,
keep your priorities in mind and learn to say “NO!”
I’m trying to take my own advice! I’m refusing to take on
new projects and am committed to writing this newsletter on a reliable
basis – because I’d like to give you what you asked for.
By the way, I’d love to hear about your situation.
- Are you feeling overwhelmed?
- How are you setting your priorities?
- How do you say “no” to new commitments?
- How do you prevent over-commitment?
Let me know and, with your permission, either anonymously
or with attribution, I’ll share the tips with your colleagues in
future newsletters.
Good luck and good work!
Mary McKinney, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Academic Coach
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