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- A sharp sense of academic self-definition based on a clearly articulated
academic project i.e., what will be your defining focus for research and writing
over the next 5-7 years? - A re-organisation of your time, space, reading, planning, and resources to
push all these elements in the same direction. - A comprehensive and multi-year research proposal with budgets and
postgraduate recruitments to drive your focused research with #1 in mind. - A very serious and committed reading program once your long-term
academic project has been identified. - The planning of your research networks around the academic project
selected e.g., conferences, external visits, self-organized seminars, and
invitations etc. - A set of uncompromised annual research outputs that reflect the
publications momentum in your curriculum vitae as it stands. - A practice of raising research funds through competitive applications as part
of your professional development resources. - A practice of writing such that it becomes part of your daily routine as
researcher for this distinguishes the top scholars from the mediocre ones. - A personal determination to succeed despite the inevitable demands and
distractions that come with academic appointments and experience. The
success of the top scholar depends first and foremost on personal qualities
such as the ability to focus, singlemindedness and dogged determination. - A psychological shift from dependence to independence, from mentee to
mentor, and following to leading in your own research center.
