I Study What I Stink At: Lessons Learned from a Career in Psychology

Abstract

I describe what I have learned from a rather long career in psychology. My goal is to aid those younger than I to learn from my experience and avoid my mistakes. I discuss topics such as the damage that self-fulfilling prophecies can do, the importance of resilience, the need to overcome fear of failure, the importance of being flexible in one's goals and changing them as needed, the relevance of professional ethics, and the need to be wise and not just smart. In the end, we and our work are forgotten very quickly and one should realize that, after retirement, it likely will be one's family, not one's professional network, that provides one's main source of support and comfort.