Today I’ve had the blues, feeling rather small — but then Gavin Aung Than, of Zen Pencils fame, reminded me that I am standing on the shoulders of a lot of people who accomplished a great deal — and helped me be taller. Remembering that I am part of a lineage of innovators helps me deal with these hard blue days, when I forget what I’ve accomplished, forget that I’m not really doing it alone, and forget that change goes step by step. So here we go (whether or not we’re scientists)! Remember your place — in history — and move forward step by step, building on the great ideas and risks and sacrifices of those who went before. Stand tall — because it’s our turn to experiment, fail, succeed, and make a space for the next steps we will never see….
Gavin Aung Than, Zen Pencils poster
Love this!
It’s always helpful to take the loooong view. Easy to forget, though, mired in our own little timeframes. I had a painting teacher who told us to forget worrying about whether our work was any good – we really wouldn’t know for 500 years!
I don’t know a lot of these scientists, I’d better look them up!
LikeLike