When was the last time you paused to reflect on your academic career?
For many scholars, the years between the first research project and a long-term role blur into a cycle of deadlines, teaching, and funding applications. The risk? You wake up one day and realize you’ve lost sight of what you actually want from your career.
Whether you’re a PhD candidate finding your feet or a postdoc weighing your next move, taking the time to reflect on your academic career is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. And there are three core questions that can bring clarity.
1. Why did you start your academic career?
This may sound obvious, but many academics never defined their original reason for entering the field.
For me, the answer came in stages. After my master’s degree, I stepped away from academia to work in consultancy. It was only after a few years that I realized something was missing. My curiosity and drive to create knowledge pulled me back — first part-time during my PhD, and then full-time.
Knowing both worlds gave me a rare perspective: I could see what I wanted to move away from, and what drew me to academia in the first place.
When you think about your own “why,” go beyond generic answers like “I enjoy research” or “I want to help students.” Be specific. What problem, question, or value sparked your journey? That answer can become the anchor for your career decisions.
2. What do you want your academic legacy to be?
Fast-forward to the future: when colleagues or students talk about your work, what do you hope they’ll say?
In my own career, I began in mainstream research — publishing within traditional frameworks. But over time, I shifted toward applied projects: collaborating with stakeholders, working participatorily, and building tools and outcomes that made a difference outside journal pages. This was my personal definition of impact.
You might define legacy as a body of theoretical work, a new methodology, a mentoring tradition, or a series of societal contributions. The key is to define it now, because without an end goal, you risk drifting in directions you never intended.
3. How do you want to work along the way?
Between your starting point and your legacy lies the everyday reality of academic life. Here’s where your non-negotiables come in.
For me, academia is partly a lifestyle choice. I value the meaning in our work, but I also value the freedom to shape how I work. My priorities include time for family, space for reflection, and energy for the bigger questions in life. My career must adapt to those values — not the other way around.
Your non-negotiables might include maintaining research integrity, setting boundaries with workload, or choosing collaborations that align with your ethics. These are the guardrails that keep your career on course. It comes down to your values.
Putting it together
These three questions are deceptively simple:
- Why did you start your academic career?
- What will the legacy of your academic career be?
- How will you work along the way?
But answering them deeply can transform how you make decisions, prioritize opportunities, and evaluate success. They give you a personal framework for your academic life — one that can prevent burnout, guide career moves, and keep your work meaningful.
And you don’t have to answer them alone. Join me for a one-to-one discovery call where we explore your answers in depth and translate them into a clear, actionable plan.