Odds of Hanging On
If you've gotten yourself a permanent position, saddle up and get cozy, because you are going to be astronomizing for a long time. If you haven't snagged a permanent position in a school or university, get ready to buckle down and prove your worth every day for the rest of your life (or at least until someone notices and gives you a permanent research job) in order to get the funding you need to complete all of your independent research projects.
There's no room for slacking. Unless you have a permanent position. Then you can slack all you want.