Not sure whether to continue?
by Constance Davis | September 16, 2011
A learner responding to my recent post about feeling burned out asked for some advice to help her regain her focus. So, here is some advice.
First of all, ask yourself why you decided to pursue a doctoral degree. Be brutally honest with your answer, and then carefully examine what you said. Sometimes that answer will show you why you have lost your focus.
Second, ask yourself why you have lost your focus. If you are in coursework, are you struggling to keep up? If so, why? Are issues in your personal life interfering? Are you not understanding all of your assignments? Do you struggle with your writing? Understand that if you are struggling in coursework, dissertation will be a monumental struggle. The dissertation is the independent research phase of your doctoral journey and YOU are the one who will have to create and adhere to a structure to keep you on the road to completion. If you are in dissertation, do you struggle with the lack of structure? Your writing? The enormity of the project and the importance of every single detail?
Third, sit back and reflect for awhile on what you have learned so far. Don’t focus on the smaller details, but look for the broader themes. Can you clearly articulate what you are learning, or do you struggle with that?
Fourth, what are you curious about? As you look back over your doctoral journey, what has really engaged your intellect? And, why?
Fifth, when someone asks you why you want to complete this journey, do you reply with “I’ve come too far and spent too much money not to finish?” If so, ask yourself what that response says about your feelings about the journey.
Finally, examine the answers you gave to the above questions. If you are not quite sure that you should stay in the program, connect with your advisor to talk about taking a quarter off. Try not to think about the degree at all during that period. As the quarter off winds up, ask yourself if you have regained your passion and curiosity at all during that time. Are you chomping at the bit to get back to work? Was the quarter off more along the lines of feeling like the weight of the whole world has been lifted off your shoulders?
Examine your feelings carefully, then schedule a discussion with your advisor to talk about the next steps.