6 Strategies to stay motivated and patient
Great news – I’ve taken on a new role at my university as a PhD Candidate Advisor! Over the next four years, I’ll be supporting PhD students in our department during key moments of their journey, offering guidance when they need it most.
If you know me or have followed my work, you’ll understand how much this means to me. Helping early-career researchers navigate academia (and beyond) has always been central to NextMinds’ mission, and expanding this to my university feels incredibly fulfilling.
I’m grateful to my department for trusting me with this role and for everything that has happened over the past two years: launching NextMinds, completing coaching and counseling training, starting this newsletter and building a community, writing columns for the Royal Netherlands Chemical Society, and now stepping into this position. It’s been a long journey, and I’m glad to see years of work paying off.
Decades of efforts? Seems like a long time… 🤔
Compared to everything that can be obtained very quickly in today’s world of instant gratification, decades of work indeed seem pretty long. Awfully long.
In today’s fast-paced world of instant gratification, dedicating decades to a goal might seem very long. Awfully long. But building a fulfilling career – one that truly aligns with your passions – requires time, perseverance, resilience, and most importantly, patience.
Yes, patience.
In today’s newsletter, I want to remind you that hard work rarely brings immediate results. The impact of your efforts might only become evident years or even decades later.
So how do you stay patient and motivated, especially during challenging phases when the future feels uncertain or progress seems slow?
Here are six practical strategies to help you stay on track while working toward your professional goals.
6 strategies to stay patient and motivated
#1 | Focus on small wins
Break your long-term goal into smaller, achievable milestones, and celebrate these victories. They’ll keep you motivated and reinforce your progress. For me, every new subscriber to my newsletter or every request to deliver a workshop feels like a significant win, bringing me closer to my goals.
#2 | Trust the process
Growth and success often stem from consistent, incremental efforts rather than sudden breakthroughs. Even when success isn’t immediately visible, remember that you’re steadily working toward your objectives.
#3 | Stay inspired
Surround yourself with people, stories, and environments that fuel your passion and remind you why you started. Personally, I find it incredibly inspiring to connect with individuals who boldly pursue unconventional career paths.
#4 | Keep learning
Use waiting periods as opportunities to acquire new skills or deepen your expertise. This proactive approach keeps you prepared. For instance, I completed a coaching and counseling training to strengthen these skills and ensure I was ready when the right opportunity came along.
#5 | Practice self-reflection
Regularly reflect on how far you’ve come. Recognizing your progress can be reassuring during slower phases. I use journaling as a tool to track my development over time, offering a clear perspective on my journey.
#6 | Share your dreams
Let others know about your professional aspirations, even if they’re still evolving. For example, I’ve started positioning myself more as an educator and coach than a researcher, aligning with the direction I want my career to take.
📢 The Take-Home Message
💡 Building a career aligned with your passion is a journey that demands patience, perseverance, and faith in the process.
💡 The steps you take today shape the opportunities of tomorrow.
💡 Stay patient, keep learning, and don’t lose sight of your goals. The pieces will fall into place, but you’ll need to be patient.
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