Remember four or so years ago when you were applying to school? You were filled with hope, the image of you walking through the graduation line, with family and friends watching and cheering…Now fast forward a few years to today. Committee feedback seems unrelenting, your resources to accomplish aspects of your dissertation are daunting… [Read More]

To get what you want out of life, you have to align your values with the principles of the world. Values are what you consider important, and they may or may not be unique to you. You may believe that pain is bad and to be avoided at all costs, while others may believe that pain is an opportunity for a lesson and that it allows you to become stronger. Principles are fundamental truths about the world…[Read More]

The doctoral process is an ordeal. In order to be awarded a Ph.D. degree, you must dedicate yourself to years of classroom-style learning courses, rigorous testing, the scholarly research process, comprehensive exams and authoring a dissertation.. [Read More]

As you move through the Ph.D. process past the comprehensive exams and into dissertation writing, it would be natural to apply the academic behaviors that brought you success in the past, to the dissertation process ahead. Unfortunately, dissertation writing is unique to any academic experience… [Read More]

As another quarter comes to an end, many of you may be moving closer to the end of your dissertation process—yea! While working with thousands of Ph.D. candidates, I still find it funny that instead of being relieved that the end of this journey is near, many are more nervous than ever…[Read More]

Admit it—the dissertation process can be challenging. The challenge is in part exacerbated by the process. For example, this morning I spoke with a frustrated client about the six weeks to find a chairperson, eight weeks for the IRB process, and the $4,000 a quarter she was paying in the meantime—yikes! [Read More]

When we forget our purpose, we may come to believe that we have no choice, going through our days like an automaton, not truly connecting with what we’re doing and not connecting with our personal why. I ask you to remember why you choose your doctoral degree, and why you choose to continue doing your dissertation. It is not about the frustrations…[Read More]

“Once the seeds of faith take root it cannot be blown away, even by the strongest wind” –Rumi You become what you think about. You have to envision yourself as a person who has graduated, having met your end goal by obtaining your doctorate or Master’s degree. Condition your behavior by visualizing a positive end. [...]

Well, it’s the holiday season again—a time for joy, family, and gratitude for the year that is quickly coming to an end. At the same time, many of us are still deep in the dissertation process. Right now, yes now, is the time to create and restore balance in our life. My favorite author, Steven [...]

In my experience with assisting dissertation students over the past 20 years, I have identified the most commonly made mistakes that doctoral candidates make with the best of intentions. The dissertation process is unique in that sometimes the best of intentions do not prove successful- many times those that understand the dissertation process move through [...]