I spent two years studying lionfish invasions in the Mediterranean. Beautiful predators with no natural enemies, multiplying unchecked, destroying native ecosystems. My advisor called it elegant research. "Document the damage, find solutions." The locals started eating them—turn the invasive species into cuisine, control through consumption. But staring at my data at 3 AM, I realized I'd become what I studied. An invasive species in academia. No natural predators to keep impostor syndrome in check, just endless self-replication of doubt. The community solution? Eat the problem. Make lionfish a delicacy, make failure a learning experience. Everyone praised the approach. "Most promising option," they said. I closed my laptop. I was tired of being the thing that needed consuming. #Science #LabBurnout #ImposterInTheRoom