From Geoff Harding, Sydney, Australia
Motivation is very important in any arduous task, as David Robson highlights, but the bigger challenge is often how to maintain it. For example, much research is difficult, frustrating and prone to setbacks and possible failure. However, in supervising young, ambitious students, I found that the carrot of a probable publication with themselves as a prominent author was a strong incentive to work hard and overcome hurdles in order to bring the research to a satisfactory conclusion (3 February, p 44).
