Easy.
by Lynn Riskedal | April 6, 2009
To some it comes easy. Or so it appears.
I get frustrated that I’m not running as fast as I THINK I should be running. There are probably lots of reasons for this. Nonetheless, it bugs me that I’m not.
On the other hand, I’m doing GREAT getting out there and running ANY pace, and I’m getting to both the start line and the finish line of events that I choose to run. I’m out there running and exercising for my health, which is more than a whole lot of other people can say. And I set realistic goals, with a bit of a challenge.
So I learn to accept my pace and the advances in my speed when it happens. I work hard at speedwork, so I can get a bit faster. When I have an uncomfortable muscles pain, I ease up, consider what caused it and work to reduce and eliminate that discomfort. If I didn’t, I’d get hurt even worse, and have to stop out for a while.
I realize that those people who make it seem easy, also struggle. They work hard to achieve their pace. They have muscle pains and perhaps performance anxiety, since they may have expectations–realistic or unrealistic.
There is a parallel to the PhD program, especially the ‘it looks like it comes easy to others, and not to me’ frustration.
It may look easy for others, but it probably isn’t.
Or, there will be something that will be difficult for them.
Working hard on the foundation will make everything else just a tad easier.
Keep it all in perspective:
you are working on something most everyone else doesn’t even want to tackle.
You want to get to the start line AND the finish line. The work needs to be done to accomplish this.
Don’t judge yourself with others.
You really don’t want your PhD program to be easy. Challenge your learning.
4 Responses to "Easy."
Loretta Robinson says:
I am experiencing the challenge of a Doctoral program and I am being challenged in more ways than one. But I must admit the challenge is a comforting feeling, because I know that when I get to the finish line of my doctoral degree I will embrace my hardwork with equal or more victory.
I maintained a 4.0 GPA in my Master’s degree and because I am an ‘A’ student, receiving anything less than an A grade now is very disturbing. But I know from experience that getting ‘A’s does not prove mastery, and upon employment, especially with high grades, employeers have high expectations.
I must be able to not only retain but also implement my learning and I believe Capella will assist me in fitting that bill.
Lynn Riskedal says:
Loretta:
Good for you for recognizing the challenge and approaching those challenges positively. Seek for mastery, but also work on the higher order thinking skills like synthesis. How do 2 or more things connect? Why? Why not?
Jayna Butler says:
Thoughts are running through my mind on whether I should keep going past my Masters or not. I know for I fact that I want to, but it’s the thing of making sure that I will be okay once it is all over…I am loving the Masters program at Capella and because of the challenging experience I have had there I want to keep going, so I hope whatever decision I make it will be worth it. This was a great article and very enlightening.
Lynn Riskedal says:
Jayna:
It is good to be consciously thinking about the future. I would encourage you to explore the many factors involved in continuing in a PhD program. Have a conversation with our Careers Center. Speak with your mentors from within your profession. Speak with the faculty with whom you’ve connected through your masters courses.
Also, there is a new resource called Planning your Program:
http://www.capella.edu/iGuidePA/programPlanning/index.aspx
Within this resources is a page called “Preparing for the next stage” and under that “Thinking about your next degree
Know and understand your goals and reasons before you start. Posting those where you can see them will keep you going throughout the entire process.
Best.
Lynn