Читать книгу A Guide to the Scientific Career - Группа авторов - Страница 13

The life of a human being in the modern era is centered on a struggle to succeed and attain whatever is initially thought near‐impossible or very difficult. Each and every day we are moving farther apart from our traditional striving for personal fulfillment and peaceful content. For some, these are two sides of a same coin, labeled as prosperity or fortune. I do not intend to ignite a philosophical debate here. My intention is to encourage you to rethink success in all meaningful dimensions at different stages of your life, as it needs continual redefinition or refinement. The potential impact of this rethinking is profound, as it will naturally influence your decision‐making.

Success and failure are not dichotomous, black and white, yes or no phenomena. They are two ends of a spectrum; we are born and live somewhere in between them. Success is a state of feeling content with who we are, and perceiving that the images of our self and past, current or future status correspond to what we long to be.

In this chapter, we identify five core elements that determine one's success: mindsets, prerequisites, methods, enhancers, and inhibitors. Mindsets are the sets of attitudes or core beliefs necessary for envisioning and establishing a successful career. Prerequisites are internal factors or personal qualities required to become successful. Methods are conscious actions or a plan of actions one should take to pave the road to success. Enhancers are external factors that increase one's chance of success. Inhibitors are internal or external factors that diminish one's chance of success.