Mindset story: The you have “wasted your life” guilt trip

There was once a scientific convention to which the most respected and accomplished scientists from different fields were invited from all across the world. These were the women and men who were number one in their field of work and who most certainly have done everything they could and had to to get where they were. Even though they were at the top of their fields they were asked on many occasions by their interviewers “Do you ever feel like you have wasted your life?” Every scientist felt very proud of their sacrifices and hard work and simply scoffed off questions like that with a snarky remark. But to their delight, they would not have to face questions like that on this convention as all the attendants were handpicked to ensure the right kind of climate.

The convention was hosted in an exclusive lakeside resort so that the scientists had a chance to relax in the woods or on the lake after the seminars. After the first day’s proceedings, a mathematician, a physicist, an astronomer, and a molecular biologist hired a boatman to row them around on the lake. As they sat in the boat, they discussed string theory, different universes, hypotheses, and other abstruse topics. The biologist noticed the boatman looking at them from the corner of his eyes. He asked him, “What do you think of these ideas?”