How to overcome the annual meeting blues

100:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,860Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast, where academic clinicians learn the skills200:00:05,860 --> 00:00:11,260to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor.300:00:11,260 --> 00:00:17,340As clinicians, we spend a decade or more as trainees learning to take care of patients.400:00:17,340 --> 00:00:22,380When we finally start our careers, we want to build research programs, but then we find500:00:22,380 --> 00:00:27,780that our years of clinical training did not adequately prepare us to lead our research600:00:27,780 --> 00:00:29,200program.700:00:29,200 --> 00:00:35,480Through no fault of our own, we struggle to find mentors, and when we can't, we quit.800:00:35,480 --> 00:00:40,580However, clinicians hold the keys to the greatest research breakthroughs.900:00:40,580 --> 00:00:46,200For this reason, the Clinician Researcher podcast exists to give academic clinicians1000:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,800the tools to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor.1100:00:51,800 --> 00:01:01,060Now introducing your host, Toyosi Onwuemene.1200:01:01,060 --> 00:01:03,320Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast.1300:01:03,320 --> 00:01:07,800I'm your host, Toyosi Onwuemene, and it is always a pleasure to be speaking with you.1400:01:07,800 --> 00:01:08,800Thank you for tuning in.1500:01:08,800 --> 00:01:14,620I am excited to be bringing you this episode live from the American Society of Hematology1600:01:14,620 --> 00:01:21,520Animal Meeting, which is so pertinent to today's episode, the title of which is, How to Overcome1700:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,240the Animal Meeting Blues.1800:01:24,240 --> 00:01:29,120You know the Animal Meeting Blues, if you've never had them, they're coming to you eventually.1900:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,640Maybe, and maybe not.2000:01:31,640 --> 00:01:36,040Maybe this will be the intervention that prevents you from ever having Animal Meeting Blues.2100:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,560But yes, I'm excited to talk to you about it.2200:01:38,560 --> 00:01:40,560But what are the Animal Meeting Blues?2300:01:40,560 --> 00:01:48,160Well, the Animal Meeting Blues are the experience you have when you go through the program handbook,2400:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,520or it's online now, so it's the app.2500:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,600You look and see all the people you graduated with.2600:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,920You either went to med school together or you went to residency together.2700:01:58,920 --> 00:02:02,520And it seems as if every other page you turn, it's their name on there.2800:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,160And it's like, oh, wow, look, this person is presenting this.2900:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,800And wow, they have this plenary abstract session.3000:02:07,800 --> 00:02:09,520And oh my goodness, they're doing all this other stuff.3100:02:09,520 --> 00:02:15,200And what am I doing?3200:02:15,200 --> 00:02:21,240And you compare yourself to them and you feel like, wow, I'm really, oh, wow, I don't want3300:02:21,240 --> 00:02:22,600to say bad things about myself.3400:02:22,600 --> 00:02:27,160But you know, you don't think well of yourself because you're like, wow, what am I doing?3500:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,880Well, all my colleagues are just killing it.3600:02:30,880 --> 00:02:32,200They're doing so awesome.3700:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,600They're presenting all these abstracts.3800:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,040They're doing all these sessions and I'm doing nothing.3900:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,160Yes, that's what the Animal Meeting Blues are about.4000:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,880And you finally go, you sit and you think about your life and you're like, hmm, am I4100:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,120even worthy of being here?4200:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,280Like should I quit now?4300:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,080Oh my goodness.4400:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,080So yeah, that was me.4500:02:56,080 --> 00:03:00,120A couple of actually maybe about an hour and a half ago where I was sitting and saying,4600:03:00,120 --> 00:03:01,880why am I at this meeting?4700:03:01,880 --> 00:03:03,600Look at this person and look at that person.4800:03:03,600 --> 00:03:05,540Look at this person.4900:03:05,540 --> 00:03:09,560And so this episode is more for me really than it is for you.5000:03:09,560 --> 00:03:15,200But I hope that maybe this says something to you and that you can use it as well.5100:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,800So how do you overcome the Animal Meeting Blues?5200:03:17,800 --> 00:03:25,080Okay, so the first thing is to take a deep breath and remember that it is all an illusion.5300:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,880It is all an illusion.5400:03:27,880 --> 00:03:32,000And the reason I call it an illusion is because if you think back to seven days before the5500:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,620meeting, you were doing just fine.5600:03:34,620 --> 00:03:36,480You're excited to be going to the meeting.5700:03:36,480 --> 00:03:37,960You're going to meet friends.5800:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,600You're excited to maybe present your one poster abstract.5900:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,520Maybe you had no poster or maybe you had nothing.6000:03:42,520 --> 00:03:43,600It doesn't matter.6100:03:43,600 --> 00:03:45,520You were excited about being at the meeting.6200:03:45,520 --> 00:03:51,360It's the reason you paid a lot of money to get a flight that would bring you to the Animal6300:03:51,360 --> 00:03:52,400Meeting location.6400:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,160You paid a lot of money for the hotel, not because you were forced to, but because you6500:03:56,160 --> 00:03:57,300chose to.6600:03:57,300 --> 00:03:59,760It was a choice you made and you were happy when you made this choice.6700:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,360I know because no one's forcing you to be here or no one's forcing you to go to the6800:04:04,360 --> 00:04:05,360meeting.6900:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,280But you were excited before you got to the Animal Meeting.7000:04:08,280 --> 00:04:14,360And so getting to the Animal Meeting and having anything that now causes you to rethink your7100:04:14,360 --> 00:04:19,280life or causes you to think, am I supposed to be here, is an illusion.7200:04:19,280 --> 00:04:25,400It's because in one program, maybe someone feels overrepresented to you because you're7300:04:25,400 --> 00:04:30,120paying attention to their name and you're noticing that their name is overrepresented7400:04:30,120 --> 00:04:31,760to you in the book.7500:04:31,760 --> 00:04:37,320Or you're noticing that relative to what you're doing, some people are doing so much more.7600:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,200And here's the thing, it will always be the case.7700:04:40,200 --> 00:04:41,200Always be the case.7800:04:41,200 --> 00:04:42,960There will always be someone doing more than you.7900:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,040And what you're not paying attention to is all the people who are doing less than you.8000:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,200So here you are at the meeting this year.8100:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,080Maybe you're presenting a poster, but there are a lot of people who are not at the meeting8200:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,000presenting anything this year.8300:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,520And many of them are here, but some of them are not here.8400:04:56,520 --> 00:05:04,680And so it's all an illusion, this kind of experience that you're having of people doing8500:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,680so much more than you is only coming into your purview because you're looking through8600:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,600the annual program booklet.8700:05:10,600 --> 00:05:15,280And so all of a sudden, you're assessing your career on the basis of who's presenting at8800:05:15,280 --> 00:05:19,120your annual meeting or not presenting at your annual meeting, but you're mostly focused8900:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,460on the people who are and the fact that you are not presenting.9000:05:22,460 --> 00:05:23,680It's all an illusion.9100:05:23,680 --> 00:05:24,720It's not real.9200:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,360If you didn't show up to the meeting, you wouldn't feel so bad.9300:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,440And so the fact that you're feeling bad now is a sign that you know what?9400:05:32,440 --> 00:05:33,840It's not real.9500:05:33,840 --> 00:05:34,960It's not real.9600:05:34,960 --> 00:05:36,840It's not a judgment on your career.9700:05:36,840 --> 00:05:39,760It's not a judgment on the work that you've done so far.9800:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,400You are an awesome clinician, researcher.9900:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,680You're awesome, whatever you do.10000:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,680And it is not a judgment on you.10100:05:46,680 --> 00:05:48,080It's just an illusion.10200:05:48,080 --> 00:05:55,080So take a deep breath and let the breath out and recognize that, you know what?10300:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,800In a couple of days, this will all pass.10400:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,760Okay.10500:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,560Number two.10600:06:03,560 --> 00:06:08,600Number two is to recognize that comparing yourself with anyone else is always a losing10700:06:08,600 --> 00:06:09,640game.10800:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,680You can never win.10900:06:11,680 --> 00:06:16,720Doesn't matter whether you're at the annual meeting, whether it's at a smaller meeting,11000:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,920whether it's at your institution, or you're just looking through the journal articles11100:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,040that have been publishing your favorite journal for this week.11200:06:24,040 --> 00:06:28,360Every time you compare yourself with someone else, you lose.11300:06:28,360 --> 00:06:33,880You always lose because, you know, actually both scenarios, to be honest to me, are worst11400:06:33,880 --> 00:06:34,960case scenarios.11500:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,920So the best case scenario, let's look at it as a best case scenario, is that you're the11600:06:38,920 --> 00:06:40,000one who's killing it.11700:06:40,000 --> 00:06:41,920You're the one who's on the front page.11800:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,920You're the one who's presenting all the abstracts.11900:06:44,920 --> 00:06:49,840Best case scenario, you're that person who's doing everything.12000:06:49,840 --> 00:06:53,000And then you look around and you're like, well, this other person is not doing as well12100:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,760and that other person is not doing as well.12200:06:54,760 --> 00:06:59,120And then you start to feel like you're all that, like you're superior.12300:06:59,120 --> 00:07:00,360And it's a lie.12400:07:00,360 --> 00:07:04,960You happen to be able to present a couple more abstracts this year compared to everyone12500:07:04,960 --> 00:07:05,960else.12600:07:05,960 --> 00:07:07,640Doesn't make you superior to other people.12700:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,160It just means, wow, you had opportunity this year.12800:07:11,160 --> 00:07:12,960That may not come again next year.12900:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,360So to be honest, that best case scenario is kind of like a worst case scenario because13000:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,420it now causes you to start looking down on people and that's not okay.13100:07:20,420 --> 00:07:23,200Because in science, there's no superiority.13200:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,760There's just everybody contributing to move things forward and different people having13300:07:26,760 --> 00:07:29,680different opportunities to move work forward.13400:07:29,680 --> 00:07:34,400And so any scenario that allows you to think that you're bigger than or more important13500:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,520than other people is not good.13600:07:36,520 --> 00:07:41,200Not good for you, clearly not good for others, but mostly not good for you.13700:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,480And the worst case scenario is kind of like the thing that triggers the animal meeting13800:07:44,480 --> 00:07:45,480blues.13900:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,680The thing when you look at it and you're like, my gosh, what is wrong with me?14000:07:48,680 --> 00:07:49,680What's wrong with my life?14100:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,480I'm accomplishing nothing.14200:07:51,480 --> 00:07:52,480And it's false.14300:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,300It's false because you know what?14400:07:54,300 --> 00:07:55,300You're doing good work.14500:07:55,300 --> 00:07:56,600You're doing good science.14600:07:56,600 --> 00:08:01,520So you didn't have anything to present this year or not that many things to present.14700:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,680But you know, so when you start looking at other people and you're like, well, they14800:08:04,680 --> 00:08:06,060must be better than me.14900:08:06,060 --> 00:08:07,060It's a lie.15000:08:07,060 --> 00:08:09,280And now you feel inferior to them.15100:08:09,280 --> 00:08:13,000You feel like your work is worthless, but it's not true.15200:08:13,000 --> 00:08:14,660All of our work matters.15300:08:14,660 --> 00:08:17,680All of our work is important, but I'm not really here to talk about everybody.15400:08:17,680 --> 00:08:18,760I'm just here to talk about you.15500:08:18,760 --> 00:08:19,960Your work matters.15600:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,640It matters before it mattered before you got on the plane.15700:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,460And how is it that you got off the plane and now it doesn't matter because everybody else15800:08:25,460 --> 00:08:27,380is doing more than you?15900:08:27,380 --> 00:08:29,720It is no good.16000:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,960Comparing yourself to other people is a losing strategy.16100:08:32,960 --> 00:08:39,000Please, I want to beg you for the love of God, for the love of all things that are good.16200:08:39,000 --> 00:08:40,840Stop doing that.16300:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,680I know other people will ask you to, other people will compare you.16400:08:44,680 --> 00:08:50,060You will invariably have a mentor who will show up and say, wow, this other person is16500:08:50,060 --> 00:08:53,880listed seven times and I don't even see your name.16600:08:53,880 --> 00:08:55,520What's going on with you?16700:08:55,520 --> 00:08:57,280Because human beings are human beings.16800:08:57,280 --> 00:09:01,400And sometimes we think that we can motivate people by comparing them to their best friends16900:09:01,400 --> 00:09:02,920or comparing them to other people.17000:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,600And to be honest, it doesn't really work.17100:09:06,600 --> 00:09:07,600And they don't know that.17200:09:07,600 --> 00:09:13,160They still use those strategies to try to maybe convince you to do things differently17300:09:13,160 --> 00:09:17,920because they've been trying to tell you for a long time, it doesn't matter.17400:09:17,920 --> 00:09:23,380And I will take a step back and say, it's hard not to get caught up in the comparisons,17500:09:23,380 --> 00:09:29,260but it's so important for your health, for your sanity, for your peace of mind that you17600:09:29,260 --> 00:09:32,280come out of the boat of comparing yourself to other people.17700:09:32,280 --> 00:09:33,840It is a losing strategy.17800:09:33,840 --> 00:09:35,480It's a losing battle.17900:09:35,480 --> 00:09:42,120It doesn't help you because your goal, and this is where I quote a book, The Gap and18000:09:42,120 --> 00:09:47,720the Gain, which actually invariably I haven't read yet, it's by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Ron18100:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,640Sullivan.18200:09:49,640 --> 00:09:54,400But they explain the concept in another book that I have, 10x is easier than 2x.18300:09:54,400 --> 00:09:59,040And they talk about how if you're comparing yourself to an ideal, you're always going18400:09:59,040 --> 00:10:00,040to fall short.18500:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,440But if you're comparing yourself to where you used to be, then you're always going to18600:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,320see that you've really, really made a big leap.18700:10:06,320 --> 00:10:10,100And so it's important for you to start comparing yourself to other people who for whatever18800:10:10,100 --> 00:10:13,960reason you've made them your ideal and start comparing yourself to you.18900:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,560How far have you come?19000:10:15,560 --> 00:10:19,600When you acknowledge all your successes and you acknowledge how far you've come, then19100:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,480you're really able to celebrate, which is what you should do.19200:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,440You see other people's work being presented, you celebrate.19300:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,440You see other people not have their work presented, you celebrate because you're not celebrating19400:10:29,440 --> 00:10:30,600them.19500:10:30,600 --> 00:10:31,860You're celebrating you.19600:10:31,860 --> 00:10:36,920You're celebrating how far you've come and how far you've come is relevant, independent19700:10:36,920 --> 00:10:38,960of what everybody else is doing.19800:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,640So comparing yourself with anyone else is a losing battle.19900:10:41,640 --> 00:10:43,560Please do not engage in it.20000:10:43,560 --> 00:10:45,560Okay, that's number two.20100:10:45,560 --> 00:10:49,440Number three is to reconnect with the value of your work.20200:10:49,440 --> 00:10:50,600Your work is valuable.20300:10:50,600 --> 00:10:52,920It was valuable before you got on the plane.20400:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,680It will be valuable when you get back home.20500:10:55,680 --> 00:10:58,000Your work is always important.20600:10:58,000 --> 00:11:03,920And if you allow yourself to get on that bandwagon of comparison where you lose excitement about20700:11:03,920 --> 00:11:09,000your work, it's a problem because then you don't go back and take up your work with gusto20800:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,920and you really do need to because your work matters.20900:11:11,920 --> 00:11:16,440You are the champion of your work and it's important for you to keep connected with the21000:11:16,440 --> 00:11:17,640value of your work.21100:11:17,640 --> 00:11:23,600No matter what it is in front of you, no matter how many people before you are being celebrated21200:11:23,600 --> 00:11:24,600for their work.21300:11:24,600 --> 00:11:25,720And you know what?21400:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,200You should celebrate them.21500:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,920You should celebrate them because it's awesome that they're having their work be presented21600:11:31,920 --> 00:11:36,560because the day is coming where you get to be the person who's celebrated too.21700:11:36,560 --> 00:11:41,200And you celebrate other people because your day will come to be celebrated too.21800:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,440And so reconnect with the value of your work.21900:11:43,440 --> 00:11:48,040The value of your work matters no matter who else is presenting their work.22000:11:48,040 --> 00:11:52,280And the value of your work is made more valuable by the fact that other people are doing work22100:11:52,280 --> 00:11:58,000that moves science forward and that really creates a platform for your work.22200:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,240Okay, so reconnect with the value of your work.22300:12:00,240 --> 00:12:01,240That's number three.22400:12:01,240 --> 00:12:06,560Number four is to recognize that you're playing the long game.22500:12:06,560 --> 00:12:08,120You are playing the long game.22600:12:08,120 --> 00:12:13,840Okay, so in one meeting you didn't have your work showcased as much, but you know what?22700:12:13,840 --> 00:12:18,040Another meeting is coming and then there'll be another meeting after that and God grant22800:12:18,040 --> 00:12:21,240you as many years as you want.22900:12:21,240 --> 00:12:27,000Another meeting will come, 20 meetings will come, 30 minutes meetings will come and different23000:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,440people will be showcased at different rates.23100:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,400You're playing the long game.23200:12:32,400 --> 00:12:38,360You do not allow one meeting to get you down to where you quit on yourself or you quit23300:12:38,360 --> 00:12:43,120on your work because you are playing the long game.23400:12:43,120 --> 00:12:49,480Okay, number five is that in the grand scheme of life, these few days that you're at your23500:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,920annual meeting will be part of the things that just kind of disappear in the wash.23600:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,320Yeah, when you really think about it, these days are not going to be remembered.23700:12:58,320 --> 00:13:03,000Oh, do you remember, imagine you at 90, you're looking back and you're like, do you remember23800:13:03,000 --> 00:13:07,400that annual meeting when I had nothing in the program book and my name didn't even23900:13:07,400 --> 00:13:08,400appear?24000:13:08,400 --> 00:13:13,520Yeah, that's just going to be, it's just going to, it's going to come out in the wash.24100:13:13,520 --> 00:13:17,720It's not going to be a significant event in your life.24200:13:17,720 --> 00:13:23,400And to be honest, if you were featured widely in the program book, it may not be that important24300:13:23,400 --> 00:13:30,080either because in your life, there are so many things that are more consequential than24400:13:30,080 --> 00:13:33,280how many things you presented at the annual meeting.24500:13:33,280 --> 00:13:37,800So in the grand scheme of life, these few days, they're actually not critical.24600:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,080They are not that relevant.24700:13:40,080 --> 00:13:45,000And so if you're having trouble, if you're struggling in any way, just fast forward 4024800:13:45,000 --> 00:13:51,040years into the future and look back up on this day and ask your 90 year old self, however,24900:13:51,040 --> 00:13:57,040however old you would be 40, 50 years from now, and ask yourself if this day is relevant25000:13:57,040 --> 00:13:58,040in the grand scheme.25100:13:58,040 --> 00:14:01,520And I think you'll find that the answer is probably no.25200:14:01,520 --> 00:14:02,520Okay.25300:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,720Number six is, oh my goodness, it's time to enjoy the meeting.25400:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,100You came here to reconnect with old friends.25500:14:09,100 --> 00:14:10,920You came here to make new ones.25600:14:10,920 --> 00:14:12,440You came here for networking.25700:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,320You came here to have a great time.25800:14:15,320 --> 00:14:16,400You should do that.25900:14:16,400 --> 00:14:18,480You should reconnect with old friends.26000:14:18,480 --> 00:14:20,200You should have a great time.26100:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,560You should go out with colleagues to eat.26200:14:22,560 --> 00:14:24,620You should meet in the cafe.26300:14:24,620 --> 00:14:28,840You should just do things and you should have a great time.26400:14:28,840 --> 00:14:29,840Stop reading the program book.26500:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,160I mean, you know, you should learn something.26600:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,560I hope you're here to learn something.26700:14:35,560 --> 00:14:41,640I hope you came to the meeting to learn something, but definitely make the most of these opportunities26800:14:41,640 --> 00:14:46,520to reconnect with colleagues that you're not going to see again, probably till the next26900:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,920annual meeting or maybe the meeting beyond that.27000:14:49,920 --> 00:14:55,560So definitely don't let the Grinch steal your experience.27100:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,840Reconnect with old friends and have a great time.27200:14:58,840 --> 00:14:59,840Okay.27300:14:59,840 --> 00:15:05,400Number seven is that you should kick back and relax.27400:15:05,400 --> 00:15:09,160So I will tell you that when I come to my annual meeting, I usually do not bring any27500:15:09,160 --> 00:15:10,760member of my family with me.27600:15:10,760 --> 00:15:15,000I have a whole bed to myself and wow, the room is so quiet.27700:15:15,000 --> 00:15:16,720It's so awesome.27800:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,140It's a time for me to just chill.27900:15:19,140 --> 00:15:23,520It's a time for me sometimes actually to go to bed early because it's like, wow, when28000:15:23,520 --> 00:15:29,080else in my life do I have a chance to rest and rest as much as possible?28100:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,800And so whenever you can kick back and relax.28200:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,040And in fact, I have to tell you, the American Society of Hematology is so awesome.28300:15:36,040 --> 00:15:42,680They have so many amazing things at the annual meeting and it is such an opportunity to just28400:15:42,680 --> 00:15:44,280get some things done.28500:15:44,280 --> 00:15:50,520Go grab some swag, go talk to some industry representatives, look around and see what's28600:15:50,520 --> 00:15:51,520at the exhibits.28700:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,880There's a lot of great things.28800:15:53,880 --> 00:15:58,640And I will tell you that at our annual meeting this year, you know, they're doing free headshots.28900:15:58,640 --> 00:16:00,080Okay, so they did that last year.29000:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,160I didn't take advantage of it last year, but I took advantage of this year.29100:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,880You know, you always want a great headshot.29200:16:05,880 --> 00:16:11,920Sometimes it takes a few years of headshots to find a headshot that you really like.29300:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,800And kick back and enjoy the meeting.29400:16:14,800 --> 00:16:21,440Everything that has been crafted to help you have a great time, kick back and enjoy it.29500:16:21,440 --> 00:16:22,440Go to the gym.29600:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,520Oh my goodness, there you are in a hotel and there's access to a gym and maybe you're not29700:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,120a regular at the gym at home.29800:16:29,120 --> 00:16:33,600Well, this is an opportunity or there's a pool and it's heated.29900:16:33,600 --> 00:16:35,280Take advantage of it.30000:16:35,280 --> 00:16:40,040There are so many amazing things to enjoy at the annual meeting that are relevant to30100:16:40,040 --> 00:16:43,760the meeting itself or sometimes tangential to the meeting.30200:16:43,760 --> 00:16:50,140And if you are not enjoying them, not having a great time, not maximizing your time away30300:16:50,140 --> 00:16:56,440from your usual responsibilities, then you're not enjoying the meeting as you should.30400:16:56,440 --> 00:17:02,240And so part of overcoming the annual meeting blues is actually having a great meeting.30500:17:02,240 --> 00:17:03,240Okay.30600:17:03,240 --> 00:17:05,600Those are seven things that I talked about.30700:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,920Number one, take a deep breath and remember that it is all an illusion.30800:17:08,920 --> 00:17:09,920This too will pass.30900:17:09,920 --> 00:17:10,920Didn't exist before.31000:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,600Now it will not exist following this meeting.31100:17:13,600 --> 00:17:14,880It is an illusion.31200:17:14,880 --> 00:17:19,780Number two, recognize that comparing yourself with anyone else is a losing strategy.31300:17:19,780 --> 00:17:21,040Do not do it.31400:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,260Number three, reconnect with the value of your work.31500:17:23,260 --> 00:17:25,160It's always going to be important.31600:17:25,160 --> 00:17:29,360Even after the meeting is over, before the meeting was important, it will always be important.31700:17:29,360 --> 00:17:30,360That's number three.31800:17:30,360 --> 00:17:33,480Number four, recognize that you're here to play the long game.31900:17:33,480 --> 00:17:35,440One meeting is just one meeting.32000:17:35,440 --> 00:17:37,640There'll be 300 meetings after that.32100:17:37,640 --> 00:17:38,640Okay.32200:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,560If it's an annual meeting, maybe you just have 30 or maybe you just have 40 left.32300:17:41,560 --> 00:17:42,680I don't know.32400:17:42,680 --> 00:17:44,920But recognize that you're playing the long game.32500:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,760Number five, in the grand scheme of life, these few days are not relevant.32600:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,340Fast forward to your future.32700:17:50,340 --> 00:17:53,200Look back and recognize that you know what?32800:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,760These few days do not count in the big scheme of things.32900:17:56,760 --> 00:17:59,600Number six, make sure you're reconnecting with old friends.33000:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,720Number seven, kick back, relax, have a great time.33100:18:03,720 --> 00:18:04,720Okay.33200:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,760This is the point at which I say if you've been hearing extraneous noises, it's because33300:18:08,760 --> 00:18:09,760you know what?33400:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,480My quiet hotel room is not really quiet and there are a lot of noises that come through33500:18:13,480 --> 00:18:14,480on the microphone.33600:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,720And if you didn't hear them, then kudos to my editor who got rid of all the noises.33700:18:18,720 --> 00:18:19,720All right.33800:18:19,720 --> 00:18:21,200It's been a pleasure talking with you today.33900:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,520Please share this with someone who's coming back from an annual meeting and having the34000:18:24,520 --> 00:18:28,840annual meeting blues and just remind them that, hey, your work is valuable.34100:18:28,840 --> 00:18:30,480And this one too will pass.34200:18:30,480 --> 00:18:31,480Okay.34300:18:31,480 --> 00:18:32,880It's been a pleasure talking with you today.34400:18:32,880 --> 00:18:38,520I look forward to talking with you again next time, resuming our regular programming and34500:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,040get back from the annual meeting.34600:18:40,040 --> 00:18:41,040All right.34700:18:41,040 --> 00:18:50,560You all take care and thank you for listening.34800:18:50,560 --> 00:18:55,920Thanks for listening to this episode of the Clinician Researcher Podcast, where academic34900:18:55,920 --> 00:19:01,640clinicians learn the skills to build their own research program, whether or not they35000:19:01,640 --> 00:19:02,720have a mentor.35100:19:02,720 --> 00:19:08,800If you found the information in this episode to be helpful, don't keep it all to yourself.35200:19:08,800 --> 00:19:10,560Someone else needs to hear it.35300:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,600So take a minute right now and share it.35400:19:14,600 --> 00:19:20,080As you share this episode, you become part of our mission to help launch a new generation35500:19:20,080 --> 00:19:26,040of clinician researchers who make transformative discoveries that change the way we do healthcare.