Beavers and Dissertations
April 7th is International Beaver Day. When you think of your dissertation are you an eager beaver, a busy beaver, or a dam-building beaver out to change the world?…
Beavers hold the distinction of impacting their environment more than any other species on the planet…save one.
Beavers change the world. They create wetland habits for frogs, nurseries for salmon and trout, even flood-control mechanisms that prevent millions of dollars of damage to human structures each year!
But, here’s the thing: they don’t really care about any of that. They’re not trying to change the world. They’re simply trying to build a little hut to protect themselves and their offspring.
They build their dam to create a pond. In the middle of the pond they fashion an island from smaller pieces of the trees they fell. On that island they build a hut with an underwater entrance, making their lodge virtually inaccessible to their natural predators.
If beavers were cognizant of the changes they were making, they might shift focus to building in more filtration to better clean the stream water. They might work to cultivate more diverse plant life to attract more songbirds. They might work to divert the stream in such a way as to be more useful to human populations downstream.
But, if they did any of this, the pond would develop differently. The depth might not be sufficient to submerge the entrance to their lodge. Or it might freeze over during the winter. Then the beavers would starve, or freeze, or fall victim to predators. No more beavers; no more dam; no more benefits for all the plants and animals that share their habitat.
So, if you’re a bit of an eager beaver when it comes to your dissertation, out to change the world and make your impact, remember the beaver. His focus on building a lodge for his family spawns a tremendous variety of benefits throughout his corner of the world.
But, he has to focus on building his lodge first, or else the changes for which he is known would never materialize.
Your goal is to finish your dissertation. Graduate. After you’ve earned your doctorate, you’ll be in a much better position to change the world. I want you to make your impact, to be the best version of you that you can be.
But, if you’re looking for help, development, or assistance of any type, are you more likely to seek that help from a doctor or a doctoral student? I know I never seek out students, even doctoral students, when I need an expert. So, earn your degree, then make your mark!
Is your dissertation’s flow stuck behind a dam? Are you busy as a beaver, but not getting anywhere? Are you focused too much on changing the world, and not enough on getting your dissertation done? Then click hereto 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.
