Happy Places and Dissertations
On October 1, 1971, Walt Disney World opened outside of Orlando, Florida. It’s since been widely lauded as the Happiest Place on Earth. As you work through your dissertation, sometimes you need to go to your happy place…
Why did you decide to enroll in a doctoral program in the first place?
It is a pretty weird thing to do. Right? I mean, only 1% of the population has an earned doctoral degree. And, maybe 2% of the population ever really tries. So, why on Earth would you choose to take such a dramatic step?
For most of my students, it’s an unavoidable calling to make the world a better place.
Maybe it’s helping others navigate difficult times in their lives through counseling.
Maybe it’s helping others reach their potential by teaching.
Maybe it’s providing leadership by moving up in their company.
Or, maybe it’s bringing a new voice to the world to inspire and motivate.
No matter what your specific motivation is, it’s important that you have a clarion call to graduation. You need a vision for what life after graduation should look like. How will it be better? How will your doctoral degree help you better realize your authentic self?
This vision is your Happy Place. When things get tough and you start to wonder whether it’s all worth it, you need to go to your Happy Place. Spend a little time in the future you envision for yourself. Imagine how fulfilled and at peace you’ll be when you’re finally living the life you’re driven to live.
Now, imagine it never happens. Imagine that you never get to make the impact you’re called to make. Imagine that you never help the people who so desperately need your help. Imagine that you never get to live the life of your dreams.
How does that feel? Can you come to peace with the idea of living a normal life? If so, maybe you should save yourself months or years of stress and tuition payments and quit now. Statistically speaking that’s the most likely outcome anyway.
But, if you can’t tolerate the notion of living a normal life…
If you just have to walk the path you’ve set for yourself…
If the idea of giving up on your dreams makes you physically sick…
Then, you have the motivation and drive you need to push through the long, dark nights of the dissertation journey.
Then you have the passion to create the world you want to live in.
When the chips are down, just go to your happy place to remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place.
Now, motivation is great for keeping the wheels moving. But, you need more.
You need a clear sense of where you’re going.
You need a detailed plan for how to get there.
You need to set deadlines and maintain progress.
