• Question: How long did it take you to achieve your goals

    Asked by oliverlol to Pete, Rebecca, SallyB, Sally, Sian on 15 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Sian Lawson

      Sian Lawson answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      A-levels to PhD (Dr.) took nearly a decade but it never felt like that as there have been milestones all along the way. GCSEs and A Levels were my first goals. Then there was a BSc degree – that took three years, and a PhD which took four. Moving into the film industry was more or less instant, and going freelance within a year. Then I found a great research fellowship in Paris, at a time when I really fancied living in France for a bit, and again when I wanted to come back I found my current job fairly quickly.

      As a scientist you do need a lot of patience to plan long programmes of research and that’s definitely my weak point: I’m restless! Luckily there’s always another goal to aim for, so I haven’t finished achieving them yet.

    • Photo: Peter Styring

      Peter Styring answered on 14 Jun 2010:

      I became a professor after 25 years in science. But I still haven’t reached all my goals as I keep setting myself new ones! You have to keep setting yourself bigger goals otherwise you just sit back and relax which is not good.

    • Photo: Sally Barber

      Sally Barber answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      The great thing about goals is that when I achieve one it’s time to set a new one… so I guess I haven’t achieved all my goals yet.

      My next goal is to win something called a Fellowship Award. My job is not permenant so at the moment I only have a job until next January. In January the money which funds the project that I am working on will run out. So what I have to do now is write down an idea for a new project and then pitch the idea to different people who fund research projects (It’s a bit like Dragon’s Den but for science and it’s not on TV!)

      If someone likes my idea they will fund me to run the project and give me the money that I need to carry out the research. I have never done this before so it’s quite scary. I will have to come up with a really good idea and explain it really well. Luckily some of the people I work with have been successful at winning awards before so they have said that they will help me…

      Fingers crossed I can achieve this as my next goal!

      Thanks for your quesion : )

    • Photo: Rebecca Randell

      Rebecca Randell answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      It depends what you mean by goals. My long term goal is be a lecturer, it will be a few years from now until i achieve this.

      I also have short term goals which I achieve day to day. These can be as silly as making my lunch (when I can’t be bothered) and buying my Dad a father’s day card!! Its good to have goals to keep you motivated.

    • Photo: Sally Fenton

      Sally Fenton answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      Well…I wouldn’t say I have acheived all my goals and I probably never will as every time I acheive one I set another one for myself…I like having something to aim for and pushing myself.

      One of my long term goals was to become a science researcher (which I am now!)…I decided I wanted to do this about 2 years ago..and it took me 1 year to achieve it…but everything else I have done in the past has lead up to it (like getting my GCSEs, A level and Degree)…and I am sure being a science researcher like I am now will be leading on to something else and another goal I will set myself! At the minute my goal os to finish my PhD (my research degree)..so we will see how long that takes!!

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