Do you have that as well? That sometimes your motivation seems ABSOLUTELY gone? That you don’t have a clue anymore why you started your PhD in the first place? That you would actually prefer that you never started?
Well, you are actually not alone. I honestly don’t know any PhD-student who has not considered quitting. What can you do if you feel like that? One tip that will work for sure.
If you don’t feel well, if you don’t want anymore, if there is no perspective, if you prefer to stay in bed the whole day under a blanket or run away from your computer as fast as possible, slam the door of the lab behind you to never come back again? If you feel that way, I have a tip for you: write a letter.
Write a letter? Exactly. And to make it even more specific: Write a letter to yourself. Describe in the letter why you started your PhD, and why you would like finish it. You can answer the following questions:
– Why did you pursue a PhD?
– What will you do after your PhD?
– What will getting your PhD bring you?
– What does your life look like when you have completed your PhD?
– What options do you have now because you are a PhD-student (which you might not have otherwise)?
– What options and possibilities do you have after your PhD?
– What are the most enjoyable parts of your PhD?
– What inspires you in your PhD?
– How will you feel if you actually finish your PhD?
It might feel a little weird, writing a letter to yourself, but by actually doing it, it often becomes clear again why you do what you do. And please make sure you have the letter close at hand, so you can re-read it when things are tough. It will work, for sure.
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