Timing is actually everything
I help researchers start impactful and satisfying research programs, without the overwhelm or fear of failure. Click here to find out more.
I’ve been thinking a lot about time recently. Mostly as it relates to it taking too long for me to get to where I want to go with this latest reinvention of my professional life. Some of this is a function of seeing the success that others already have and wanting it for myself. Some of this is a function of the world we now live in where our online lives receive instant feedback and seemingly no friction and wanting that to be part of my real-world life. But the universe has been sending me reminder over and over again lately (much to my chagrin 😜). Change takes time. More time than we want, but the time that’s needed.
For instance, I was listening to a podcast last week and the host was talking about the launch of her new book. Of course, as she has participated in various launch events and engaged with members of her community she has heard repeatedly from people about how lucky she is to have a book and that they have also always wanted to write one. Hearing comments like this is probably not surprising to most of us, as I know I have certainly heard and said something similar on a variety of occasions in my life.
But the podcaster pointed something out that I needed to be reminded of. Comments like these fail to consider the literally 1000s of pages of writing over her life that it took her to get to a published book. And the reality that it could also takes 1000s more pages for her to possibly get another book in the future. Now these comments are never intended to be insensitive or dismissive of the work she put into getting her first book, but her reflections are an important reminder that outcomes, the book, your paper, your new research program, my new professional trajectory, don’t happen in vacuum. These outcomes are the result of daily deliberate choices to do the things that will get to you to where you want to be.
This work is rarely visible to the outside world and often comes with a lot of critiques and denials. This work is full of hard lessons and long days and nights. And the worst part of all this work is easy to forget once you’ve achieved your current goal. I think this is the hardest part for me. Each time I’ve rebuilt my research program, getting it closer to the kind of impact I want to have, I’ve forgotten just how much time it takes to build new skills and knowledge AND how long it takes for everyone else to get there with me.
So here are a few reminders about how long things take to happen (assuming sustained and deliberate effort):
1. To form a new habit, it takes 18-254 days.
2. To learn a new skill, it takes roughly 20 hours, but to master that skill could take 10,000 hours.
3. To implement a new evidence-based practice, it takes an average of 17 years.
Obviously, the universe needed to remind me of this, so I thought maybe you could use a reminder too. So, this post will serve as a permanent reminder of how much time it’s going to take to get where we’re going. I see you out there working hard to level up. I’m right there with you! I see the 100s of hours it’s taken you to get here today and I am so proud of what you’ve done so far! Know that I am here for you, if you need some extra hands or a cheerleader during the transformation.
(Words: 610)
Not sure what you need? Complete this 3-minute survey to see if I can help.