10 Brutally Honest Lessons About Doing A PhD | Real PhD struggles and PhD Stress
TLDRThe video script delivers a candid overview of the challenges and realities of pursuing a PhD. It emphasizes the gap between high expectations and the actual experience, highlighting the importance of resilience, self-reliance, and adaptability. The speaker shares insights on the necessity of handling failure, the lack of constant praise, and the need to publish. They also stress the importance of systems and processes over waiting for inspiration, and the harsh truth that academia can sometimes demand a degree of selfishness and strategic networking. The message is clear: a PhD journey is universally difficult, but persistence and a focus on actionable steps lead to success.
Takeaways
- π Expectations vs Reality: Your PhD journey will likely not meet all your initial expectations, but any PhD is valuable.
- π₯ Supervisor Support: Do not solely rely on your supervisors for motivation; you may need to find support elsewhere.
- π« University Dynamics: Understand that universities are large systems and you are one part of a bigger machine.
- π Research Outcomes: Focus on producing novel and interesting results rather than seeking universal acclaim.
- π Communication is Key: Efficiently communicate your research through hypotheses, testing, and writing.
- π‘ Self-Motivation: Be your own cheerleader and take pride in your weekly and daily accomplishments.
- π§ Academic Self-Interest: Recognize that academics, including yourself, may need to be selfish at times for career progression.
- π Publish or Perish: Academia heavily values publishing, but remember that its importance may not translate outside of it.
- π Systems and Processes: Establish and follow systems for writing, data analysis, and meetings to maintain progress.
- π Inspiration vs Consistency: Rely on consistent work rather than waiting for moments of inspiration to drive your research forward.
- πͺ Embrace the Struggle: Accept that feeling stupid or struggling is part of learning and growing in your field.
- π Supervisor's Role: Understand the limitations of your supervisor and seek additional support when necessary.
- π Necessity of Networking: Sometimes, you need to interact positively with difficult individuals to advance your research.
- π€― Action Over Worry: Address your concerns through action rather than dwelling on things you cannot change.
- π§οΈ PhD Challenges: Recognize that a PhD is difficult for everyone, but perseverance through the ups and downs will lead to success.
Q & A
What is the main expectation one has when starting a PhD?
-When starting a PhD, the main expectation is to obtain the degree, with the desire to achieve the best possible outcome in one's academic journey.
What is a common realization during the PhD journey?
-A common realization is that the PhD journey will likely fall short of initial expectations in various ways, including setbacks, lack of support, and feeling like just a small part of a larger system.
How does the speaker describe the role of a PhD supervisor?
-The speaker describes the role of a PhD supervisor as potentially insufficient in providing the necessary support and guidance, emphasizing the need for the student to be self-reliant.
What is the speaker's advice regarding the production of novel research?
-The speaker advises to produce hypotheses, test them, and communicate the findings efficiently and consistently throughout the PhD, focusing on convincing peers of the research's merit.
How does the speaker describe the academic environment?
-The speaker describes the academic environment as one where self-interest often prevails, and even the nicest academics can display selfish behavior to further their careers.
What is the significance of publishing in Academia according to the speaker?
-Publishing is considered the cornerstone of Academia, with a strong focus on producing and disseminating research findings through peer-reviewed papers.
What does the speaker suggest about the importance of external validation?
-The speaker suggests that external validation, such as impact factors and citations, is less important outside of Academia and should not be the main focus for PhD students.
What does the speaker recommend as the best approach to overcome the lack of inspiration?
-The speaker recommends establishing systems, structures, and processes to consistently work towards the PhD, rather than waiting for moments of inspiration.
How does the speaker address feeling unintelligent during the PhD?
-The speaker acknowledges that feeling unintelligent is common and should be embraced as an opportunity for growth and learning, rather than avoiding it.
What is the speaker's perspective on the role of the PhD student in their own progress?
-The speaker emphasizes that the PhD student should be in the driver's seat of their own progress, proactively seeking the resources and support needed to succeed.
What advice does the speaker give about dealing with difficult individuals in Academia?
-The speaker advises to develop strategies for interacting with difficult individuals, sometimes involving flattery or compromise, to achieve one's goals.
How does the speaker suggest managing worry during the PhD?
-The speaker suggests that worry should be addressed through action, focusing on what is within one's control and taking steps to resolve issues.
What is the speaker's final note on the PhD experience?
-The speaker notes that a PhD is universally challenging in different ways for everyone, and one should work through the difficulties with the understanding that success and failure come in waves.
Outlines
π The Reality of Pursuing a PhD
This paragraph discusses the initial high expectations of starting a PhD and the subsequent realization that the journey will involve many setbacks. It emphasizes that despite the challenges and the lack of constant support, perseverance is key. The speaker shares their personal experience of wanting recognition and support, which is not always forthcoming in academia. The message is clear: a PhD is worthwhile regardless of the obstacles, and one must focus on producing novel results and communicating them effectively.
π Establishing Systems for Success
The speaker in this paragraph highlights the importance of having structured systems and processes in place to progress through a PhD. They stress that waiting for moments of inspiration is not a strategy for success. Instead, setting up a consistent routine, such as regular writing and data analysis sessions, is crucial. The speaker shares their personal method of creating PowerPoint presentations to structure their work and communicate their progress, even if it's not always presented to their supervisors. The key message is to take control of one's own PhD journey and not rely solely on inspiration.
π‘ Embracing Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles
This paragraph addresses the common feelings of inadequacy and confusion that PhD students may experience. The speaker encourages embracing these feelings as opportunities for growth and learning. They share their own experiences of feeling 'stupid' and not understanding basic concepts, emphasizing that this is a normal part of the learning process. The advice is to ask questions, learn from mistakes, and not to let fear or embarrassment hold one back. The speaker also cautions against relying too much on supervisors for progress and advocates for taking the driver's seat in one's own PhD journey.
π€ Navigating Relationships and Networking
In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the sometimes-unpleasant realities of academia, such as the need to network and sometimes 'kiss up' to individuals who hold influence or control over resources. They share personal anecdotes of dealing with difficult academics to gain access to necessary resources or opportunities. The speaker advises on being prepared to navigate these situations and emphasizes that such interactions are often necessary for advancement in academia. The message is to balance one's integrity with the practical needs of career progression.
π Combating Worry and Taking Action
The speaker in this paragraph talks about the futility of worry in the context of a PhD journey. They share their personal strategy for dealing with worry, which involves either acknowledging that the issue is out of their control or taking direct action to address it. The speaker emphasizes that neither worrying nor waiting for external validation will lead to success. Instead, focusing on the tasks at hand and taking consistent action is the path forward. The message is to concentrate on what can be controlled and to work diligently towards one's goals.
ποΈ The Undulating Nature of a PhD
The final paragraph of the script acknowledges that a PhD is a challenging endeavor that varies in difficulty for each individual. The speaker advises not to compare oneself to others and to understand that everyone faces their own unique set of challenges. They note that success in academia often comes in waves, with periods of progress followed by setbacks. The speaker encourages viewing the PhD journey as a series of ups and downs, and to keep pushing through the difficult times with the understanding that they too shall pass.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Expectations
π‘Supervisors
π‘Academic Ego
π‘Publishing
π‘Systems and Processes
π‘Feeling Stupid
π‘Driver's Seat
π‘Networking
π‘Worry
π‘PhD Challenges
Highlights
A PhD journey often falls short of initial high expectations.
It's essential to remember that any PhD is worthwhile, not just the best ones.
During a PhD, things will fail, and supervisors may not always be supportive.
The university system can make you feel like a small cog in a large machine.
The goal of a PhD is to convince experienced professionals of the novelty and interest of your research.
Producing, testing, and communicating hypotheses efficiently is the core of a PhD.
A PhD involves a lot of failure, which is not well understood by many.
In academia, there is little external recognition for achievements like a PhD.
Publishing papers is the primary focus of academia, but it has limited impact outside of it.
To succeed in academia, one must sometimes adopt a selfish attitude.
Establishing systems, structures, and processes is crucial for completing a PhD.
Inspiration is overrated; consistent work through established systems is what leads to a PhD.
Feeling stupid or confused is a common part of the learning process in a PhD.
PhD students should not rely solely on their supervisors for progress.
Navigating academia sometimes requires diplomacy and strategic interactions.
Worry is unproductive; taking action is the key to overcoming obstacles in a PhD.
A PhD is universally challenging, but everyone faces different types of difficulties.
Transcripts
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