Why I say yes to career opportunities that scare me

From ScienceMag:

When I spotted the invitation to apply for an instructor position at a nearby university, my first reaction was to ignore it. I was less than 2 years into my Ph.D. program, and although I had a pleasant experience as a teaching assistant when I was an undergraduate student, I hadn’t yet taught in graduate school. The advertised position would be unlike anything I had done before. Anxiety consumed me as I pictured myself standing at the front of a room full of students. But then I thought back to an earlier decision to say yes to an offer that took me out of my comfort zone, and the unexpected path it set me on.

That earlier offer came late one evening during my second year of college. I was sitting at the front desk of our university gym swiping students’ ID cards while studying for a biology exam. One of my co-workers noticed my textbook and asked whether I was doing research with any professors. I told him I wasn’t. The truth was I had never dared to ask if I could.

My co-worker went on to explain that a spot would soon open up in his lab because he was graduating, and he asked whether I would like him to introduce me to the professor he was working with. I had always assumed research opportunities were only for the most talented and exceptional students, and I held a deep-seated fear that I would be exposed for not having what it took. But for some reason, I said yes.

A few days later, I found myself nervously sitting across from the professor in his office. He asked questions I didn’t fully know the answers to, and I probably overstated my skills and experience. I was offered the position anyway and was soon shadowing him in the lab.

I didn’t know what I was doing at first. But I quickly realized that learning was part of the process; no one starts out with all the skills and abilities they need. Each day I gleaned new information and got a little better at doing experiments.

I went on to work with him for two amazing years. Eventually, I was even able to help train other students. That set me on a path to graduate school. It also showed me that saying yes to uncertain opportunities could produce benefits I could never dream of.

That lesson served as a guiding light years later when considering whether to apply for the instructor position. I decided to send in my application despite my doubts—and a few months later I was at the front of a room full of students in an introductory chemistry course, helping them work through practice problems. I had a shaky voice and unsteady legs as I introduced myself on the first day. But as the class went on I found myself becoming more comfortable and less anxious while I spoke.

After the students left, I stood in the empty classroom full of dirty whiteboards and thought to myself, “This is it.” I had found the thing I wanted to do for the rest of my career. I enjoyed talking with students and helping them think through challenging problems. I loved seeing the “Aha!” moments when they finally understood how to get the correct answer.

From then on, I committed to shifting my default response to “yes” when presented with career opportunities that made me nervous because I felt underqualified. I agreed to teach just about every course I was offered and 4 years later I had taught a dozen courses as an adjunct instructor. After I completed my Ph.D., those experiences helped me obtain a faculty position at a small liberal arts university, where I am today.

This shift in mindset didn’t mean saying yes was suddenly easy. More than 10 years and dozens of classes later, I still find myself nervous at times, especially at the beginning of the semester. But I no longer fear the unknown. I have learned that stepping into these uncertain situations has helped me grow and uncover hidden passions that I never would have discovered otherwise.

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