Nail Polish and Dissertations
June 1st is National Nail Polish Day. And, yes, there is a connection to your dissertation, but my 11-year-old daughter can explain far better than I…
In honor of National Nail Polish Day, I asked my daughter, Tori, how she polishes her nails. Her response was quite instructive, and not just about nails…
“Basically, with nail polish, there are several layers that you have to do to accomplish the best look.
“You have to first apply the base coat. Then the first layer of nail polish.
“Next you put on the second layer of nail polish.
“Then you apply a topcoat. If it has glitter or shimmer or anything, you have to add the second layer clear topcoat.
“Then you’re done.
“Oh! But first, you have to get the oils off your nails. And, you have to file them, if they’re crooked. And, you also need to trim the cuticles.
“You can’t just put polish on jangly-looking nails. Unless, you cover them up with gels or something!”
Out of the mouths of babes, going on tweens, going on fashion moguls!
There were two things that Tori made quite clear:
1. There’s a process she follows to get her nails looking good.
2. Before she can polish, she has to prepare.
Good advice for the dissertation process, too. You can’t just start slapping paint on anything that doesn’t look good and expect your nails to turn out right. And, you can’t jump into your literature review feet-first and expect that to work out without following an established and tested process.
Just like my daughter maintains and prepares her nails and nail beds (unlike her room!), you have to take care to create a good foundation for your dissertation.
Remember, you can’t just cover up mistakes you make when you’re starting your dissertation with fancy gel nails you buy at the store!
Oh! And, one more thing that Tori didn’t make clear in her nail-polish dissertation: When you want to learn something new, it’s great to have help! Her mother taught her the basics, but Tori wanted a Ph.D. in fancy nails, so she got support to learn how to do her nails.
Successful professionals and executives in all walks of life do the same thing!
If you find that you’re more worried about final coats of polish on your dissertation than making sure that the underlying nails are strong and healthy, click here to schedule a quick, 15-minute chat with me to see if you’re a good candidate 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.
