Ready for a candid look at the K‑to‑R leap no one warns you about? In a replay of our most popular episode of all time, we go straight at the hidden work behind a fundable R01: reshaping priorities, setting boundaries that stick, and building the focus required for mastery. Instead of treating the R01 as a one‑off writing sprint, we reframe it as the natural output of a well‑designed research life—one where your yeses and nos serve your science.

We break down three core shifts. First, the move from mentee to PI means your value pivots from being trainable to leading a coherent program of research. That demands clarity on impact, a long view on trajectory, and the courage to disappoint people when their asks compete with your goals. Second, chasing funding alone backfires; without intentional design, you inherit a career shaped by other people’s priorities. We unpack why focusing only on “grant‑getting” leads to slower timelines, deeper burnout, and scattered effort—and how to choose higher‑quality problems that actually move your work forward. Third, mastery comes from specificity, consistency, and deliberate practice. We connect the dots between protecting deep work time, saying no to low‑leverage percent efforts, and accelerating your learning curve so each R01 iteration gets sharper and faster.

Interested in joining the next cohort of K to R Essentials? Join the waitlist at https://sarahdobson.co/k2r