Day One

Today is the 1st official day of funded time on the SWCTN Data Prototype. Of course we have not stopped working on this since getting notice that we were one of the chosen projects, but today the real climb starts. If we knew exactly how we were going to deliver this (or even if we knew exactly what it was we were promising) we would probably not have been sufficiently ambitious, and therefore probably would not have got funded. the whole point of SWCTN is to push new kinds of ideas that might not get resources without them. I will be host and say I am suitably daunted.

We just received the handbook, giving us a guide to the people in the network, and how communications and oversight will work. Within the handbook, the other funded teams and projects are laid out. This is both inspiring and intimidating, accompanied by a wave of imposter syndrome. I have been here before and can recognise that the imposter feeling, or feeling daunted is a norm for me, and has nothing to do with my ability or my chances of success. Tea, I have found, helps. Lots of tea. And I need to remember that SWCTN chose us, out of a field of hundreds of applications.

Step 1, put the kettle on.

Step 2, smash it!