Often, when you listen to a scientist being introduced before a keynote lecture, you will hear that the person started out studying something quite different from his or her current field. Also, scanning back through other people's complete publication lists (not the censored ones on scientists' own Web sites) shows just how frequently scientists change direction early on in their careers. So, for those of you who are currently slogging away in positions less than well suited to your temperament and personal abilities, take heart, you can jump ship. You needn't worry about whether or not it will be detrimental to your track record. Just be upfront and nonchalant, and make sure you talk about it in a positive light – changing scientific discipline makes you a multidisciplinary person; you are able to reinvent yourself to follow your interests. At the end of the day, you don't have to stick with what you've done just because that's what you know most about. And, in any case, your resumé is more than a list of techniques mastered – remember all those people who bang on about transferable skills? Your major selling point is your aptitude to tackle and solve new problems. Top scientists don't flap if they need to use a new instrument and have never handled the beast before, they just find someone to teach them the basics and get on with it. This slightly arrogant attitude to learning new skills is part of the pathway to success.