Impact

Do you ever feel your work is going out into the void? That no one cares? Maybe you worry it doesn’t matter. I’ve definitely felt this way at times. If you are teaching, your students may not appreciate something they’ve learned until quite some time afterwards. If you are writing, it takes time to build an audience. If you a looking for a job, or applying to school, it can feel like a never-ending process. Work, especially more academic work, is really a long game. Recently I’ve been getting gratifying signs that remind me that progress isn’t linear and we don’t always know our impact.

Last week I got a new client through referral from a former colleague and a student I worked with in 2022. They were happy to find me here in my new chapter and I’m excited to have a new client!

Yesterday I happened to bump into another graduate student I worked with in 2022. She told me how much she learned from me and my colleagues and how she still thinks of these lessons in her teaching. She said it was one of the best parts of her time as a graduate student. “Pamela, these are the things you don’t forget!”

I write this blog each week and I don’t have the best sense of who’s reading it. But lately a few friends and colleagues have reached out to thank me or have told me things they’ve learned from me and I am so glad to know they’re here reading.

We don’t always know. But the lesson is to keep doing the things you care about and they will pay off.

If I’ve had a positive impact on your life, I’d love to know it! What have you learned from me? I’d also be glad to know of any topics you’d like me to discuss here. I’m always at polishedowl@gmail.com.