Is this the end of academic research as we know it?
It certainly feels that way for a lot of people right now. Government shutdowns, cancelled study sections, 57% of researchers considering leaving... I get it. I've been there. I left my tenured position at UNC Chapel Hill, and let me tell you—it was disorienting for years afterward.
But here's what I wish someone had told me back then: the real crisis isn't always what's happening in the system. It's what's happening in your ego.
Wait… What??
When Your Old Operating System Stops Working
Your ego—that part of you that learned how to survive and succeed in academia—is probably freaking out right now. The old rules don't work anymore. The ways you learned to stay "safe" in the system are collapsing.
And that can lead to a panicked feeling. Maybe you know the one? The good news is that's not necessarily a sign you need to leave. It might be a sign you're ready for an upgrade.
In this video, I talk about ego deflation, why it feels like the world is ending when it happens, and what the opportunity actually is when your old programming stops working.
