Fire, Rain, and Dissertations

March 12th is James Taylor’s birthday. Here are a few words of wisdom from the legendary folk singer for dissertation students everywhere…

Things started to get out of control when I began reading that I was a superstar.
— James Taylor

You may not be a music superstar, but chances are you’re approaching your dissertation like a wannabe academic superstar. So many of the students I speak with each week tout their GPA by way of introduction. The dissertation process is not a contest. There are no blue ribbons or gold medals.

But you do get a really cool participation trophy is you finish!

I don’t think anyone really says anything new!
— James Taylor

Not completely true. People say new things all the time. It’s just that most of what people say is based on old things.

Although your dissertation will be new, it will also be based heavily on the work of those who came before. Don’t pressure yourself to be completely original. Just find a find a song people are already singing and add your voice to the chorus.

Knowing when to quit is probably a very important thing.
— James Taylor

A very important thing! Not just knowing when to quit, but planning for it, too. You should approach your dissertation as a project with a beginning, middle, and end right from the start. Know how to make the transition from the beginning to the middle and from the middle to the end.

My pithy answer to why people don’t graduate from doctoral programs is that some never start their dissertations and others never finish! Knowing when to quit is vital if you ever want to finish.

If you’re having trouble even thinking about when to quit, click here to schedule a quick, 15-minute chat with me to see if you’re a good fit for our Fast Track Your Dissertation Coaching Program. If you are, then I’ll invite you to join the fastest group of dissertation students out there and help you to reach graduation a good year or two faster than you would on your own.