You highlight a difference that relates to why I don’t feel like I do my best work in academia. I think an overarching project—“I want to learn enough biology to cure cancer” or “I want to learn enough electrical engineering to design audio equipment” or even “I want to learn enough marketable skills to make a truckload of money” can turn academics into project-aligned work.
However, looking for one’s personal project or motivation for being in academia and finding only “well I guess people praised me when I said I wanted to be a scientist” or similarly uncompelling motives can be dangerously demotivating.
You highlight a difference that relates to why I don’t feel like I do my best work in academia. I think an overarching project—“I want to learn enough biology to cure cancer” or “I want to learn enough electrical engineering to design audio equipment” or even “I want to learn enough marketable skills to make a truckload of money” can turn academics into project-aligned work.
However, looking for one’s personal project or motivation for being in academia and finding only “well I guess people praised me when I said I wanted to be a scientist” or similarly uncompelling motives can be dangerously demotivating.