• Question: What makes you persevere with your research even when you feel like it's not going anywhere or you're unsure of what to do next?

    Asked by Amy to Shruti, Mark, Faranak, Charlene, Alistair on 13 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Shruti Turner

      Shruti Turner answered on 13 Mar 2019:

      My motivation is the people that I will help when I succeed. I am lucky enough to have all of my limbs. Why should I get de-motivated when the work I’m doing will help soldiers and other amputees who have lost their limbs for things they can’t control e.g. disease or stepping on a bomb etc?

    • Photo: Faranak Bahrami

      Faranak Bahrami answered on 14 Mar 2019:

      If you start anything you do with a clear goal in your mind, it’s easier to motivate yourself when things are not going well. If I’m feeling frustrated with my project, I remind myself what I wanted to do this, I remind myself how it can help. If I’m very lost and really don’t know what to do, it always helps to talk to someone who is more experienced and has been through a similar experience as you. I have a very good supervisor and usually talking to him makes me very motivated again.

    • Photo: Alistair McConnell

      Alistair McConnell answered on 14 Mar 2019:

      You can always hit a wall, but the key I find is to think about how to go around or over it. Often this is to break it back down to smaller pieces, go get a coffee and just try to relax.
      The end goal of my work keeps me driven, knowing that when it works it will make a difference is a huge motivation.

Comments