My brother had one. He was valedictorian of his high school class, and was so intelligent and dedicated that he got scholarships for every bit of his education. He was hired right out of Indiana University and went right to work at Michigan State teaching Paleontology.
He taught there for 40 years before he retired. Life in the ivory towers of academia is political. There is a lot of back biting and one-up-manship among the professors. Particularly bad if you want to become department chair. Which my brother did...very briefly. It was a nightmare of horrible politics.
You have to publish, publish, publish...because if you don't you will never get tenure...and my brother DID. He published a LOT.
Your politics can NOT be conservative in the ivory tower world. You HAVE to be a liberal there. You really will have no choice. Otherwise your own students will take you down.
