I chose to do a PhD because I had a dream. A dream that probably every PhD student has when they start – to change the world by doing great science. And for a while I truly believed that I could do that. In the few years of work that the PhD requires, I thought I could change the world.
Nothing wrong with that. After all, greater the goal higher the motivation!
The bubble did not last very long. Reality hit me. Changing the world is a very difficult task indeed. Many have come and perished. Those few who did change the world had greater ability and a lot more luck. And at that moment of realisation, as all graduate students do, I entered a phase of depression. Falling prey to the imposter syndrome (everyone else is way better than me) is very easy.
What the cartoon above is missing is a red line, which I believe should be inversely related to the blue line and it should denote the rising level of ambition in non-research careers. 😉
Akshat Rathi 
Hi Akshat,
You still can. We really, very strongly, fundamentally believe that you still can. Seeing posts like this is somewhat depressing, because we hope that researchers don’t ever lose hope in doing and sharing great science.
cheers
Denny!