Re: dealing fickle success

[John Denker <jsd@MONMOUTH.COM>]

At 04:07 PM 10/5/99 -0700, Zach Wolff wrote:

> It's not whether you win or
> lose, it's how you play the game.  I can't make you
> agree with that, but I know I can play well all the
> time and I enjoy having my happiness linked to that
> rather than to something as fickle as success.

Let's see.  I choose an interesting and useful project.  You choose an
interesting and useless project.  We both "play well" as you put it.  I
might or might not get a result that people care about.  It seems like my
worst case is equal to your best case.

> A scientist who's
> happiness is tied only to the results risks being
> mired in despair if and when the results aren't quite
> as grand as expected.

1) I never said "only".  I said having people care about the result is
_part_ of the fun.  It comes in addition to whatever fun you had playing
the game.

2) I'm sorry to hear that you are so easily mired in despair.

3) Reaching for brass rings is what I do for a living.  And for fun.
Missing a ring or two doesn't drive me to despair.

4) The wise researcher will have a "portfolio" of research projects,
including some high-risk/high-payoff projects along with some
bread-and-butter projects.  If you are insecure (perhaps because you are
young and/or because you are being supervised by risk-averse jerks) then
you need a higher proportion of bread-and-butter projects.  But you should
always have at least one brass ring in your sights.  After a while, you can
build up a reputation for making the risks pay off ON AVERAGE (not every
risk every time) and they'll give you a longer leash.

> Do You Yahoo!?

Not in public.

______________________________________________________________
copyright (C) 1999 John S. Denker             jsd@monmouth.com