Everything That Makes You Human Is Bad for Your Academic Career As A Professor

R3ciprocity.com - Prof David Maslach: Innovation; Research Life; Striving Towards Happiness · Aug 4, 2026 · 12m

If you want to succeed in academia, stop doing most of the things you think matter.

Let me say the quiet part out loud.

There are only two indicators.

In the sciences: grants.

In most other fields: publications.

Maybe citations.

That’s it.

Teaching? Doesn’t matter.

Entrepreneurship? Doesn’t matter.

Committee work? Doesn’t matter.

Community service? Doesn’t matter.

Being athletic? Doesn’t matter.

Learning languages? Doesn’t matter.

Being a good teammate? Doesn’t matter.

Being kind? Doesn’t matter.

If it does not translate directly into grants or papers, it does not count.

In fact, it may even…