10 things I wish I'd known 10 years ago

Last October, I gave a Sunday morning talk to a group of early-career researchers attending the Earth Systems Governance conference. It was a day-long program on "Developing a career in earth system governance: opening up science." I enjoyed the chance to gather my thoughts and pass along some good advice I've been given (and some earned through experience!).

Thanks very much to Ina Möller, who made a podcast from our conversation. You can have a listen here.

Here's a condensed list and links to resources I've found helpful. Hope they're useful to others! 

1. Keep asking what you find meaningful. (My current motto: Maximize meaning, minimize carbon.)
   1. The Marginalian, Maria Popova- “a subjective lens on what matters in the world and why… an inquiry in how to live”
2. Cultivate a healthy writing practice.
   1. Advice for New Faculty Members, by Robert Boice
   2. Scientist’s Guide to Writing, Stephen B. Heard
   3. Tips for making research grantwriting less painful, Kim Nicholas
   4. A quick guide for writing a solid peer review, Kimberly Nicholas and Wendy Gordon
   5. Ten rules for writing fiction, Margaret Atwood +9 more
   6. Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg
3. Spend time wisely.
   1. Ask Two Questions, David D Nowell
   2. Productivity 101: A Primer to the Pomodoro Technique, Alan Henry
   3. Workload survival guide for academics (especially Opportunities Anonymous by Harriet Bulkeley)
   4. Urgent vs Important, Jory MacKay
   5. Clearing the 8 hurdles to doing and publishing research (“William Shockley on what makes a person who publishes a lot of papers (and the superstar researcher system)”), Brian McGill
   6. Passion Planner (free PDF download- after trying every time management and list system out there, I came back to pen and paper)
   7. (Update, my latest planning & time management tool is the Bullet Journal- I like it a lot, and you just need any blank notebook!)
4. Impostor syndrome never goes away. Don’t let it stop you.
   1. Give yourself permission to suck, Ira Glass
   2.  Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives, Maria Popova
5. Take initiative to figure out and ask for what you want.
   1. So, you want to go to grad school? Nail the inquiry email, Jacquelyn Gill
   2. Unsolicited advice, IV: How to be a good grad student, Sean Carroll
   3. How to collaborate, Sharon Ann Holgate
   4. @ECRchat, @RealScientists
6. Embrace failure.
   1. Why it feels so good to read about this Princeton professor’s failures, Ana Swanson   
7. Appreciate and prioritize family and friends.
   1. Good genes are nice, but joy is better, Liz Mineo
   2. Marriage Minute, The Gottman Institute 
   3. Regrets of the Dying, Bronnie Ware
   4. How the five “love languages” can help you win at relationships, Kristin Wong
8. Cultivate your physical and mental health.
   1. Headspace- mindfulness meditation app (it does cost after a free trial, for me it’s well worth it)
   2. Yoga with Adriene – great free YouTube channel
   3. Sleep tips, via Lucy Kalanithi
   4. How long have I got left? and When Breath Becomes Air,  Paul Kalanithi
9. Give back and share with others.
   1. Escape from the Ivory Tower: A Guide to Making Your Science Matter, by Nancy Baron
   2. The Message Box, COMPASS
   3. "If you want to explain your science to the public, here's some advice," by Esther Ngumbi
   4. Communication can never be too simple: Dejargonizer and Up-Goer Five Text Editor
   5. Our Warm Regards podcasts with Katharine Hayhoe on Finding Shared Values and Climate Scientists are People Too! 
10. The future will not turn out like you planned, and that’s okay.
    1. LUMES Commencement Speech 2013, Kim Nicholas
    2. Why You Won’t Be The Person You Expect to Be, John Tierney