Genius and Dissertations
On July 5th, 1687 Sir Isaac Newton published Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, perhaps the most singular work of genius ever, and thereby set off a crisis of confidence among mere mortal doctoral students everywhere…
A couple of days ago, I talked about the head trash that so many doctoral students collect on their dissertation journeys.
Do you think that you have to be a genius like Newton, Darwin, or Einstein to complete your dissertation?
Do you think that you’re not smart enough, don’t write well enough, or simply can’t do it?
Well, this simply isn’t so. Contrary to the fears and frustrations of many doctoral students, it’s not genius, but diligence, that matters in the dissertation process.
Newton himself said, “If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been due more to patient attention, than to any other talent.”
But if this is true, then why do half of all doctoral students drop out, get kicked out, or otherwise fail to graduate? The simple reason is that they don’t know what they are doing… and they never get the support they need to figure it out!
You need a plan to complete your dissertation. You need motivation to inspire commitment to your goal. And, you need ongoing direction, support, and accountability to build and maintain momentum.
