I’ve been thinking a lot recently about mindset and attitude. For starters, I’ve taken on an interim position at another campus within my institution this year while continuing to manage my ongoing position. So I’ve had one foot in that “new job” space, more or less, working in a new context and getting to know a range of new colleagues. This means I’ve been trying to ask a lot of questions, offer fresh eyes on continuing challenges, and consider new opportunities. It’s been a chance to practice an open mind and cultivate an inquiry attitude anew. I’d like to think that it’s easy to maintain such perspective at all times, but let’s be honest — it’s actually quite easy to lose that kind of openness, especially once you’re several years into a job. It takes effort and intention, practice and repetition to stay curious, to be open.
This makes me think, too, about the podcast that my colleague and I co-host. “From Concept to Creation: Uncovering the Making of Scholarly and Creative Accomplishments” is about making research accessible by pulling back the curtain on the research paths and processes that are so often opaque and confusing. Our guests are students, faculty, staff, and alumni from across subjects and experience levels. They share stories that give insight into process, not just product — the inner workings and rough edges of their research and inquiry experiences. We get to learn not just about the what of our guests’ work, but also about the hows and the whys of their work as well as their challenges and accomplishments along the way. In so doing, we aim to address the questions people have about research… and the questions they didn’t know they had because they couldn’t think to ask about what’s invisible. At the same time, we try to challenge stereotypes and assumptions related to research. Our guests show how much fun it is to be curious, and how normal it is to encounter roadblocks in this kind of work. (Shameless plug: the podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! The season 1 and season 2 archive is available, and season 3 episodes are dropping monthly through April.)
In these conversations, I find myself again and again asking our guests questions about their mindsets and attitudes. And it strikes me again and again how their paths and processes are shaped by their curiosity, their perseverance and their ability to navigate uncertainty, their capacity for reflection, and the way they conceptualize their processes. While some of our guests seem to suggest they have an inherent inclination for at least some of these habits of mind, they by and large reflect on the milestones and developmental trajectories that led them to practice, cultivate, and achieve (and continue to practice) these dispositions. These are muscles that they are continually training.
I guess I’m partly reflecting on this all because we’re about halfway through the semester — and it hasn’t been an easy one. The truth is that adding interim responsibilities to an already full plate means it sometimes feels like there’s too much to do and not enough time to do it. Which can mean that it can feel hard to stay open, to stay curious. So I guess I’m giving myself a bit of a pep talk here — maybe you need one, too? — to just remember that the mindsets that we practice, the attitudes that we cultivate shape the paths that we navigate or create. If I were a person inclined toward mantras or slogans, I’d offer us both one here. But an image, at least, does come to mind for me: Shel Silverstein’s “The Thinker of Tender Thoughts.” Do you know it? I’ll spare you my paltry description of its essential truths and offer it to you straight.
How do you stay open to being open? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.