The Secret

After 6 years of unsuccessful struggling with the workings of multiple human minds to bring about harmony at any part of my infinitely small existence I have the secret. Never take work seriously. No seriously.... Just hear me out.

So this is my theory (Stolen from someone close but I think they wouldn't mind!!). I figured if you don't take work personally you handle the setbacks and stupid people egos very very easily. One of my elders said that I should never let my professional ethics and behavior get affected. Even if it means having no friends at work. I realized it was one of the most sound advises he would ever give for the rest of my work life in his lab (yeah yeah my boss).

Best part is when you stop taking work personally you have a distance from that part of your life. It helps you think a lot clearly in everything concerning work. Even my experiments which nowadays don't seem to work that well are much better planned. Now I don't dispute the fact that one year might have taught me a lot but now I see that and would like to work on it.

But more importantly now I just don't get affected by what people say. I listen to all kinds of criticism towards my work and working habits from the "seniors" but the moment I think they have started to sound ridiculous I just nod my head and pretend to listen. The end result is that people are much calmer next time I talk to them and its much easier to get back to them and ask them again the same thing and get a much saner answer.

Now I am not saying this always works. Sometimes the feeling of ill-will is so deep that one show-down does not seem to change much for the entire equation of the being. But sometimes its just ridiculously funny. I think I will put these stories in the blog once I am out of here. I mean with all due respect to the people I work with, but sometimes they are just such asses. The tragedy is some of them know this and sometimes also acknowledge it in one of the frank conversations (which are few and far apart) I have had. But consider almost everything as a pride issue. I mean why? Isn't research all about learning something new.............. about everything.

Please do not consider the above as gibberish... I have tried and tested this and see this to be a very effective way to deal with polarity and politics in the lab. Its not fun to be in the middle of these stalwarts. They are in their work and research in the past. Its very humbling to work with these guys, being the youngest (research-wise) between these people is a great learning experience. But a little less pride and aggression will take them a lot farther. But then again the way we have to work in most of the research world makes one like that. I guess "publish or perish" makes you take work personally.

I have decided that I would work in research as long as I don't become a person like them. I would much rather be a mediocre researcher with real weekends rather than one of those whose entire world will come crashing down if their work goes the wrong way.... I have seen them and its not a pretty sight. Seriously guys take it easy.. The only person you compete with is your own ambition. Don't let work be your only identity.

What say?