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I'm an Associate Ecologist. Here's What I'd Say to My Younger Self...

Craig Llewellyn is an Associate Ecologist for Atkins and a Biodiversity Policy Specialist, who recently reflected on what he would say to his younger self who was aspiring to be an Ecologist.

What would you say to your younger self?

I’m no philosopher but I was thinking today. Looking back on my career I had a shaky start, filled with self-doubt around getting an ecology job.

It made me wonder; what would I say now to the young budding ecologist at the time?

It came down to five key principles, which I live by today:

  1. Failure is okay – perhaps a strange thing to say but failure is often what will eventually build your success. Learning to pick yourself up from that failure will help shape how much success you have in the future.
  2. Fortune favours the brave – possibly my favourite saying of all time. Your ability to succeed will be judged by your ability to face your fears. Take those risks and come out of your comfort zone
  3. Toxicity avoidance – you’re a product of the environment you live in. If you’re surrounded by individuals that make you feel rubbish, it’s no surprise this will hinder your ability to succeed. Take those individuals out of your life- you’re better off on your own!
  4. Baby steps – Any goal you want to achieve does not have to come overnight, some things will just take time, patience and resilience to not give in. Take baby steps towards your goal and enjoy the progress no matter how slow, rather than looking to the end result.
  5. Remember your value – too often we are told to mould ourselves into other people, but there is only one of you. You’re an asset, not a hinderance, so take pride in yourself and look back every now again and appreciate what you have and what you have achieved – no matter what that may be.

P.S. The photo of me in the header is my younger self when I arrived in London over a decade ago.

This blog first appeared on Craig Llewellyn’s LinkedIn.

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