Are you tough enough? Yvonne Birks yvonne.birks@york.ac.uk So I will start by saying Yes you are! If you want to be and you work hard enough and a bit of being in the right place at the right time never hurt anyone. I have sat through so many talks about the magic formula for an academic career. Brilliant but often slightly intimidating people who have achieved something amazing. Been intimidated by those brilliant perky people whose meteroric rise to fame seems effortless I really hope this isnt what you are about to sit through Well I know it isnt I am neither brilliant nor perky! Never have been Im a grafter , a slogger, a safe pare of hands trevor once referred to me as a mentsh An honorable, decent person, an authentic person, a person who helps you when you need help. Can be a man, woman or child. So if you were in the talk for the academic genius who cracked the achievement code ..wrong talk.

What is Resilience? Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity. It means “bouncing back” from difficult experiences. Resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary. People commonly demonstrate resilience.

Developing resilience Resilient people do experience difficulty and strong feelings It involves behaviours, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone. Primarily it seems to involve supportive relationships that create trust, provide role models, and offer encouragement and reassurance The capacity to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out A positive view of yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities Skills in communication and problem solving The capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses Its not something you do or don’t have These are things individuals can foster and develop

Strategies For Building Resilience Developing resilience is a personal journey Not all people react the same way or use the same strategies

My story Probably isn't that useful its just my experience 10 years as a nurse BSc then PhD (psychology) at York First job as a trial coordinator at York More trials, outcome measurement/developmentPatient safety. Complex interventions Fellowship If I can do it you can do it What I am sharing is not a how to do it. Its observations over a number of years about what I think people saw in me and what I see in others. How I learned my resilience strategies and what it felt like

Get experience Step by step As much as you can Recognise what you don’t know Don’t feel tied to an area/method Move if that makes sense for you You can work on things that may not seem to fit together. Become a safe pair of hands The more experience you get the more resilient you will become.

Academic life can be tough Rejection is a way of life! Volunteer Do a good job Try not to ask questions all the time but know when to ask for help Admit to mistakes and learn Shoulder some of the load of others Learn what is useful and what is not Write write write write…….. If you are working hard others will recognise it even if they don’t always remember to tell you.

Support Hugely varied Support will come from both expected and unexpected places Look for people who give you feedback that challenges not just people who tell you how great/useful you are Build networks carefully LISTEN

Be prepared to feel uncomfortable It doesn’t get easier Learning is often uncomfortable Positives/negatives Harness it Problem solving and communication skills

Believe…and practice.. Not everyone can be the Lancet/BMJ/NEJM investigator When you can, chose something YOU are interested in Then be flexible in your thinking about opportunities Practice Accept how long it takes

Try again and other trite nonsense.. Timing Reflect Learn Be realistic Make tough decisions Move on…what ever that looks like Good luck!