As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and prepare for what’s next. In this solo episode, I’m sharing a practice that has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional growth over the last five years: end-of-year reflection and intention setting. This simple yet transformative exercise helps me acknowledge wins, integrate lessons, and set a clear vision for the coming year—and now, I’m inviting you to make it your own.

This episode is filled with reflective questions to help you:

• Celebrate your achievements and identify the actions that led to success.

• Extract valuable lessons from challenges and integrate them into your future goals.

• Clarify what you want and who you need to become to bring your dreams into reality.

• Set intentions that align with your values, priorities, and the impact you want to create.

To make this process even easier, I’ve recapped all the reflection and intention-setting questions at the end of the episode, and they’re included below for your convenience. Use these as a guide to dive into your own reflection practice and set your intentions for the year ahead.

Reflection Questions to Close the Year

1. What went well this year?

2. What did I do to make that thing go well?

3. What is an accomplishment or milestone that I didn’t celebrate enough?

4. What didn’t go well this year?

5. What did I learn from what didn’t go well?

6. What else do I need to reflect on so that I can do better?

7. What do I want to remember about this year?

8. How did I stay true to my values this year?

9. What am I most proud of?

Intention-Setting Questions for the Coming Year

1. What do I want?

2. Who do I need to become this year to make that happen?

3. What lessons and insights from last year do I want to carry forward into the coming year?

4. What am I most looking forward to and why?

5. What am I worried about or dreading and why?

6. How do I want to show up this coming year for myself, my loved ones, my colleagues, and my community?

7. What makes it easier or harder for me to show up in the way that I want to?

Whether this year brought triumphs, setbacks, or a mix of both, this practice will help you wrap up with clarity and purpose—and step into the new year with renewed focus and confidence.

Tune in and use this guide to design a year that reflects who you are and where you want to go.

In this episode, I sit down with Jaime Lynn Speiser, PhD, an associate professor of Biostatistics and Data Science and a recent K to R Essentials graduate. Jaime shares her experience of navigating the unique challenges and opportunities as a statistician working across diverse subject matter areas, and how the program helped her build confidence, clarify her career goals, and embrace her role as a leader in her field.

Tune in to this episode as we explore:

• How Jaime shifted from feeling “stuck” in her mid-career to creating a clear vision for her next steps as an academic and researcher.

• The lessons Jaime learned about protecting her time and energy, including strategies for asserting boundaries and declining obligations that don’t align with her goals.

• The transformative impact of learning to trust her own decisions and define success on her own terms.

Join us to hear Jaime’s inspiring journey of self-trust, growth, and newfound confidence as she redefines success, prioritizes meaningful work, and shapes a career rooted in purpose.

In this episode, I speak with Clare Whitney, PhD MBE RN, an assistant professor, and a recent K to R Essentials graduate. Clare shares her journey from feeling stretched too thin to finding her “North Star” in research, which has helped her focus on her work’s core mission: clinician moral well-being. Clare’s work as a nurse scientist and bioethicist explores the impact of moral well-being on clinician care, a topic rooted in her own research into ethics and clinical trust.

Tune in to this episode as we discuss:

• How clarifying her North Star helped Clare reorient her research program and make confident decisions.

• The transformative shift from a “mentee mindset” to an empowered, grounded leadership approach in research.

• Clare’s insights into balancing collaboration with personal research goals and recognizing her unique contributions.

• How Clare’s self-reflection practice has supported her ability to align with her priorities and recognize her wins along the way.

Join us to hear Clare’s inspiring journey as she moves through her K to R transition, creating a purposeful path in research with a clear vision and grounded confidence.

In this episode, I sit down with Kristin Anderson, PhD, a K to R Essentials graduate and assistant professor at the University of Virginia. Kristin shares her inspiring journey from an uncertain start to a clearly defined and purpose-driven research career, rooted in her personal mission to develop cancer therapies for women’s health.

Tune in to this episode as we explore:

• How Kristin’s vision drives her research focus, and how articulating her goals has led to powerful, serendipitous collaborations.

• How the transformative shift from "meeting mode" to "writer mode" allowed Kristin to protect her best creative energy for grant writing and development.

• Practical strategies for protecting time and energy as a faculty member, including thoughtful ways to say no and manage requests from colleagues.

• How Kristin’s “inner mentor” provided her with a strong foundation for self-trust, enabling her to make decisions that align with her goals and capacity.

Join us to hear how Kristin’s journey offers valuable insights on leading a fulfilling research career and embracing the growth and changes that come with it.

In this episode, I sit down with Caroline Sloan, MD MPH a recent graduate of the K to R Essentials program and a general internist, as she shares her journey of building a purpose-driven research path. Caroline reflects on the challenges and rewards of managing a dual role in clinical care and health services research and the transformation that led her to fully commit to her research goals.

Tune in to this episode as we explore:

• How Caroline identified the driving force behind her research and honed in on the specific impact she wants to make.

• The strategies Caroline uses to manage time and energy between her patient care and research roles, including lessons learned on setting boundaries and protecting her priorities.

• Why reigniting her passion for her work has been central to Caroline’s productivity and fulfillment—and how she realized the importance of investing in self-care to sustain her research.

• The impact of K to R Essentials on Caroline’s confidence in her research vision and her ability to communicate her goals clearly, which has opened up new opportunities and brought a stronger sense of direction to her work.

Listen in to hear how Caroline redefined her career path, discovered the power of clarity, and built trust in her own capacity to make a meaningful impact in healthcare.

What becomes possible when you stop thinking like a mentee and start thinking like a PI?

In this episode, I’m diving deep into what happens when you make the crucial shift in your research career from mentee to PI. This transition isn’t just about changing titles—it’s about transforming how you approach your work, your confidence, and your path forward. I share observations from working with graduates of K to R Essentials to highlight how this shift opens up new levels of confidence, clarity, and purpose in your day-to-day career.

Whether you're grappling with imposter syndrome or unsure of how to pursue your own research interests, this episode will help you understand the power of thinking like a PI. You’ll discover how aligning your work with your expertise and priorities not only improves your research impact but also brings more ease and peace into your daily life.

Tune in to this episode to learn:

• Why confidence in your expertise is the key to thinking like a PI

• How having the courage to pursue your own research interests accelerates progress

• The clarity that comes from having a clear sense of purpose and direction in your career

• How focusing on your priorities allows you to move forward more efficiently

• The peace that comes from owning your path and trusting yourself

Join me as we explore how moving from mentee to PI can transform your research career, and how you can start making that shift today. 

What does it take to transition from a K Award to an R01 with confidence and clarity?

In this episode, I sit down with Liza Behrens, a recent K to R Essentials graduate and assistant professor of nursing at Penn State University. Liza shares her journey of navigating the complexities of research, grant writing, and leadership as a clinician scientist. From her experience in the K to R Essentials program, Liza learned not only how to structure her research career but also how to trust in her expertise and leadership potential.

We dive into the challenges of transitioning from a K Award to R01, the power of identifying your North Star, and how to stay laser-focused on what really matters in your career. Liza’s insights into balancing the demands of research with self-care and leadership offer a powerful reminder of the importance of nurturing your own growth as you develop your program of research.

Tune in to this episode to learn:

• How Liza balanced her clinical practice background with building a research career in gerontology

• The critical role of the North Star framework in shaping her research priorities and career goals

• Why learning to take care of yourself, the “golden goose,” is key to long-term research success

• Practical strategies for organizing research milestones and staying focused on your long-term goals

• How to navigate the shift from K Award to R01 with confidence and purpose

Join us as we explore Liza’s journey from clinician scientist to research leader, and discover how you can apply these lessons to your own career.

How do you navigate the transition from postdoc to independent PI without losing your sense of direction?

In this episode, I chat with Cindy Veldhuis, a recent graduate of K to R Essentials, who shares her candid experience of navigating the challenges of academic life. From figuring out how to ‘adult’ as a PI to understanding the power of mentorship and community, Cindy opens up about the many transitions she’s faced, including moving institutions, developing her research focus, and gaining confidence in her expertise.

Cindy’s story is an inspiring reminder that you don’t need to have everything figured out right away—and that’s perfectly okay.

Tune in to this episode to discover:

• How Cindy transitioned from postdoc to independent PI and the challenges she faced along the way

• The importance of finding clarity and direction during times of uncertainty

• How the K to R Essentials program helped her gain confidence in her expertise and leadership abilities

• Why building a community of support can make all the difference in your career journey

• The role of mentorship and how to redefine your relationship with mentors as you progress in your career

Join us as we explore Cindy’s journey through the challenges of transitioning from postdoc to PI, and discover valuable insights on finding clarity and confidence in your own career path. Her story offers practical lessons that can help you navigate this pivotal stage of your academic journey.

Are you ready to navigate the journey from K award to your first R01 with confidence? 

Join us for a special bonus episode as we dive deep into an upcoming info session for the next cohort of the K to R Essentials program.

Scheduled for Thursday, October 17, at 10:30 AM PST/1:30PM EST, this info session is a golden opportunity for early career researchers to get a comprehensive overview of the group coaching program. 

Have you ever felt like your career ambitions were just too big, maybe even impossible?

In this episode, I’m diving deep into the critical balance between delusion and discipline when it comes to pursuing your career ambitions. It’s a concept we explore in K to R Essentials and one that can make or break your long-term success. I want you to dream big—so big it feels a little delusional. But dreaming alone isn’t enough. It’s only when you apply strategic discipline to those dreams that you begin to make real progress.

This episode is all about how to allow yourself to dream without limits while also taking the practical, disciplined steps to make those dreams a reality. It’s a process of transformation that’s not only about reaching your goals but also about becoming the person capable of achieving them.

Tune in to this episode to learn:

• Why dreaming big, even if it feels delusional, is critical to career success

• The importance of balancing audacious ambitions with a disciplined approach

• How to move from inspiration to action, without needing a full roadmap in place

• Why setting ambitious goals can change who you are and what you're capable of achieving

• The process of evolving your career goals as you get closer to achieving them

If you’re ready to balance your big, audacious goals with the practical steps to achieve them, this episode will give you the insights you need.