Q: This is perhaps the most important step, as a love for science will motivate you to study, learn, and develop your ideas with passion and curiosity.  No matter the profession, almost no one will be good at their job if they don’t go home at the end of the day feeling fulfilled by the work and feeling like they’ve contributed to something bigger than themselves. If you love science and exploration, you are already one big step closer to becoming a good scientist, as it is always better to be yourself and do work within a niche that you enjoy and find fascinating. A significant fraction of scientific discovery is the result of hard work and serendipity, or more bluntly, sheer luck. From the discovery of penicillin by Fleming to the discovery of new ionization techniques such as MALDI, luck has frequently played a large role in scientific discovery. So, don’t be afraid to tinker or play around with new ideas or with a new approach to an existing theory. You never know when experimentation and luck will collide to create a significant discovery.  Often big discoveries come from noticing an inconsistency or oddity and then troubleshooting to figure out what caused it. Avoid focusing on developing “genius” by approaching experiments the way you think they should be done and be willing to pursue the unusual or a new approach to a problem. Maximize your exposure to chance occurrences and events, and don’t ignore little inconsistencies in your work. Instead, consider them and pursue them further to see where the unexpected might lead. Almost no scientific discovery just happens or occurs, in fact, as a scientist you need to have the patience to go through years of work, performing experiment after experiment, to prove your theory and verify your results. It’s important to also notice tiny observations and record them promptly. Categorizing and analyzing data is a huge part of being a scientist, so ensure you can do this efficiently and correctly. A good scientist will accept whatever outcome their work has and not try to force the results of an experiment into a predetermined opinion or theory. It is also essential that to bear in mind the facts and hypotheses from work done by other scientists as a resource to inform the results of your experiments. A good scientist will have good ethics and will not give false results or shade an experiment to fulfill the expected outcome. They should be open to the solutions made by others in their field, even when they conflict with their own theories. If you’re caught giving false results, it will be announced publicly by the Office of Research Integrity and any grant money could be forfeited. Though you may think a scientist should be brilliant, skilled in mathematics, and incredibly precise, one of the most important skills a good scientist should have is a willingness to fail. Being a scientist is 90% failure and 10% success.  In today’s scientific world of limited scientific funding and competition for tenure-track jobs or a secure income, young scientists will likely be rejected more than accepted in the early stages of their career. It’s important to be prepared for failed experiments and time spent on research that does not get funding or lead to a definite theory. Time that is seemingly wasted on a theory that goes nowhere may later prove to be time well spent. Through failure, you can build a strong work ethic, develop a creative approach to scientific study and be prepared for the moment when you succeed, rather than fail.
A: Love science and scientific exploration. Experiment with new ideas. Be patient and detail oriented. Be open-minded but consider all the facts and hypotheses. Be open to failure.

Q: Not every customer will have a use for every product. Be honest with your customers even if it might kill a sale. Wasting time trying to sell a product your customer doesn't need will not do either of you any favors.   If the product you're selling really isn't right for a particular customer, don't be afraid to say so. Provide an explanation so your customer knows that you are ending the conversation for his or her own benefit. When possible you might consider recommending a different product to your customer that might fit his or her needs better. Often the problem your customer thinks he or she has is not the problem he or she actually has. Listen to the words your customer uses, and try to identify any hidden meanings beneath those words. Typically the problem your customer identifies will be an actual problem, but it may also be a symptom of a larger, more significant problem. Your goal is to point out the underlying problem and make a sale that can address it, rather than merely fixing the surface issue. Helping the customer is important, but ultimately you shouldn't spend an hour giving a customer advice and consultation when he or she has no intention of buying from you. Give advice only when it can lead to a purchase. Once it becomes obvious that your customer is no longer interested in buying, or that your product will no longer match the needs of your customer, it is best to stop the conversation and move on. Some of your customer's concerns will be valid, but many will be misinformed. When a misinformed objection comes up, take a few minutes to politely address and correct it.  Most objections will concern budget, authority, need, or time. Your response will vary on a case-by-case basis. Most objections can be addressed by explaining why the matter at hand does not need to concern your customer as much as it does. When this is not possible, demonstrate how the value of the product outweighs the potential downfall your customer is concerned about. Ultimately customers want a product that will solve some problem or need they currently have. You'll make a sale only if you can demonstrate how your product will effectively solve the problem or answer the need.  This is when you'll need your sales pitch. Use what you know about the customer and the product to show a perfect connection between the two. Regardless of whether you make the sale, keep the door open for future communication with each customer. Doing so may lead to a sale later on.  Every talk you have with a potential customer should involve a call to action. When you don't complete the sale, encourage the customer to review the information and return in a few days. Depending on the circumstances, you may even offer to contact the customer so he or she doesn't need to call you. When you do complete the sale, encourage the customer to stay in touch and tell you how the product is working. Follow up with an e-mail or phone call to that point when appropriate.
A:
Match the right product to the right customer. Identify the real problem. Limit your free advice. Object to objections. Demonstrate how the product solves the problem. Open the door for further communication.