22/01/2024
I would like to share a short story about something that happened to me recently—not for any particular 'social' reason but rather to reflect and remind myself of the importance of small achievements. Those small accomplishments are often overlooked because I'm focused on bigger end goals.
Over a year ago, I submitted a research paper to a major journal, the culmination of years of hard work, late nights, and unyielding passion. A few days ago, I received an email from the editor; the reviewers are asking for a second round of revisions.
Initially, there is a mix of emotions with a touch of disappointment: frustration with the work done so far and discouragement with the amount of work ahead of us, which seems like a mountain. As I let things go and focused my attention elsewhere—on cooking a delicious pizza, to be precise—I began to see ways to complete the new revisions. There came a surge of excitement about the possibility of further refining the paper.
Every draft, every paragraph, and every sentence is a stepping stone. While the end goal is publication, the smaller milestones that pave the way are no less important.
Research is a journey, not a destination. The reviewers' feedback is not a setback but an opportunity for development. It's a reminder that development is a process, often an iterative loop of feedback and small incremental changes.
So, here's to the late nights, the pizzas, the setbacks, and the victories—big and small.
Riccardo, embrace the process, enjoy the journey, keep pushing, and cook pizza. Please, keep this in mind ;)
