I started my PhD because I felt research suited me. I enjoyed the very act of exploring new knowledge, and publishing papers at international conferences looked cool. Being in a world-renowned lab also offered prestige and a strong network.
But the first two years brought little achievement. I had no papers published, and my contribution to funded projects was minimal. My supervisor, already a distinguished scholar and busy with outside activities, gave only broad directions and little detailed guidance. I read many papers and had plenty of ideas, but they scattered into different directions and I struggled to focus. As with many beginnings, I entered the PhD with a simple motivation, but the actual research process was far from simple. Senior lab members encouraged me, saying that experience would accumulate over time, but this was only a brief comfort; progress in my research remained hard to see.
Rather than vague notions like “seasoned experience,” I needed to learn how to work. So I paid close attention to how the productive senior students made decisions, designed experiments, and led discussions. I noted down their characteristic actions and patterns of thinking, and reflected on how I could apply them to my own work. Some lessons I could use right away, while others took time to understand. Over multiple stages of research and repeated cycles, I refined these behaviors into my own set of principles.
What I eventually compiled are the following Growth Principles. They began as an attempt to learn how to “do research well,” but I came to realize they were not just techniques or tricks, but principles rooted in attitude and inner growth.
An outcome is a concrete form of your achievement. It is something you can present to others and remains as part of your record.
Publications 📰: Papers presented at international conferences, workshops, or major domestic conferences
Code 💻: Open-source code with documentation
Other resources 📑: Blog posts, presentation slides, wiki pages, etc.
Every research project must end with an outcome. Even small results are fine. They provide a sense of accomplishment, build confidence, and give you the strength to move on to the next project.
“Ideas are easy; execution is everything.” - John Doerr
Research ideas are already everywhere: conferences, arXiv, and talks. Doing good research is not about generating ideas but about executing them well.
Quick trials, quick exits ⚡
Key 🔑: Manage code and experimental environments efficiently
By testing many ideas quickly, you also sharpen your ability to tell good ideas from bad ones.
“Success is 70% luck, 30% skill.”
So it is with research. But does that mean you should leave everything to luck? No; by increasing the number of attempts, you increase the chance of success.
If Plan A fails, analyze it well and move on to Plan B. ▶️
If Plan B fails, analyze it well and move on to Plan C. ⏩
… (repeat) 🔁
Always have the next plan ready. Don’t waste energy on disappointment; everyone else is failing too.
The final stage of research is marketing. After experiments and analysis, research is not complete until the results are clearly communicated and promoted.
Minimal work + good packaging 🥈 → mediocre conference, little attention
Hard work + good packaging 🥇 → good conference, wide recognition
Hard work + poor packaging 🔇 → nothing
But if you distort or exaggerate, your research career can end.
As you gain confidence in your research, other people’s work may start to look trivial. But denying the value of research itself or taking an aggressive stance brings you nothing. In research careers, relationships matter most.
“What on earth is this person doing?” → “That’s a good direction; have you also considered this angle?” 💡
“I don’t think that will work.” → “This method may not work as intended in this context. What do you think?” 🔍
Keep your criticism constructive. Every piece of research has its own meaning.
“No player is bigger than the club.” - Sir Alex Ferguson
No research is done alone. Always keep the following in mind:
Share code and experimental environments 🛜
Divide tasks ✋
Exchange feedback 🗣️
Three diligent minds often outperform one genius. Credit must be given fairly and clearly to prevent conflict.
Growth is not just about stacking up research results. It is about continuously achieving goals while expanding both performance and ability. Graduate school serves as the foundation for a meaningful career that follows, and these principles also apply in today’s industry, where research and engineering are deeply intertwined.
It may all sound obvious. But unless someone sits you down and tells you, you won’t realize it without setting your own principles and practicing them every day. Based on the above, it is worth writing your own rules that fit your personality and situation; I once created these Growth Principles after reading Amazon’s Leadership Principles.
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