Two Kinds of Researchers Posted on April 14, 2008 David Elkind (bio) advises researchers to nourish their gifts.

I guess there are two kinds of researchers. I’ve gotten away that some are burrowers and some are people who spread out. I’m a spread out kind of guy. Some people go to one area and they stick with it, and they go into it deeply. And I go in a lot of different subjects, and I think you have to know what you are and whatever you feel. And if you’re a burrower, that’s great, and if you’re a scurrier, then that’s great too.

But I think sometimes people try to be something that they’re not. And I knew when I wanted to write fiction, and I realized very quickly that I’m not a fiction writer. And I had to give up that dream of being a fiction writer, and I think you have to, one of the things you have to do is decide where are your talents, where are your gifts, and to nourish those, and unfortunately give up the things that you might’ve wanted. But I find that there are all kinds of rewards in the things, so following your passions is so important and really doing it and finding what kind of person you are and nourishing that person.

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