POTUS 31 and Dissertations
August 10th marks the birthday of the 31st President of the United States. Here’s some words of wisdom from Herbert Hoover that you can apply to your dissertation…
While the crash only took place six months ago, I am convinced we have now passed the worst, and with continued unity of effort, we shall rapidly recover. There is one certainty of the future of a people of the resources, intelligence and character of the people of the United States – that is, prosperity.
— Herbert Hoover
Hoover delivered these comments to the Chamber of Commerce in May of 1930. Over the next three years the US GDP fell by 43%, as compared to a 5% drop in GDP during the Great Recession of 2008-2009. The Great Depression persisted until 1939, over ten years from its start!
No one had ever faced anything quite like the Great Depression. And, in the face of no information about what to expect, Hoover maintained a sense of optimism. This is generally a healthy state of mind, because one can hardly act at all when paralyzed by by stress and fear.
I see this in dissertation students, too. Every student I talk with tells me:
“I’m 100% committed to graduating.”
“I will graduate. Quitting is not an option.”
“I always finish what I start.”
“I’m a really good student; I have three point [something ridiculously high, sometimes even 4.0] GPA.”
I laud the optimism, but statistics tell us that half of the folks who take up the pursuit of a doctoral degree will never graduate. Half! And, no one enrolls in a doctoral degree program with the goal of leaving ABD.
The folks who eventually leave without graduating were committed, too. They didn’t consider quitting to be a possibility for them; quitting was for other people. They always finished what they started, too.
So, while optimism helps to keep a mind nimble and prepared to act, blind optimism can be disastrous.
Wisdom oft times consists of knowing what to do next.
— Herbert Hoover
Ahhh, the benefits of a good plan…
If I need to say more about this, then you haven’t been reading this blogvery long. You find a random post, or two, or ten, and read up.
It’s, OK. Go ahead! I’ll wait…
A good many things go around in the dark besides Santa Claus.
— Herbert Hoover
OK… [Laughs that one off, then looks quickly over shoulder…]
I guess it’s true that ignorance breeds suspicion, and suspicion leads to stress, fear, and inaction. Knowing what to do next shines a light into the dark corners of your mind that breed doubt and murder confidence.
Jeez… Who would have thought that the President who watched the Roaring 20s come to a crashing halt and presided over the start of the worst depression in US history could be so depressing?
Let’s see if we can end on a bit more of an upbeat note…
The optimist sees the glass as half full. The pessimist sees the glass as half empty. The scientist knows the glass is always full; most people just don’t consider the air. Sometimes different perspective can change everything!
