Ph.D Tip: How to Stay Motivated

Dear all,

I've been reviewing a lot of material on goal setting lately, and some of it is very applicable to the dissertation process. Two of the most useful ideas relate to setting realistic goals, and getting rid of unrealistic expectations.

Setting realistic goals means that you are able to complete the goals you define, within the time frame you designate for them. Realistic goals are specific, measurable, and can be monitored. At any point, someone else could examine your process and tell you where you are in relation to the goal.

Contrast that to very vague goals, such as "Write about the history of the bubonic plague"-- at any one point, could an outside observer determine how close or how far away you are from reaching that goal? If the answer is no, then the goal is too broad, and probably needs to be more specific and more well defined.

Unrealistic expectations show up when you feel overwhelmed or exhausted by your goals, and never feel that you're getting all that much closer, no matter how hard you work. Unrealistic expectations always leave you feeling bad and regretful. Unrelenting negative feelings are one sign that your expectations may be too high.

Completing the dissertation is, mainly, a test of your research capabilities and your capacity to self motivate. Managing your goal setting and negative feelings are two important steps to maintaining dissertation motivation.

Until next time,

Doa'...

Ramadan Kareem...Ya Allah alangkah indahnya hidupku ini seandainya umur dan imanku sama selari...Ya Allah Ya Rabil Jalil aku memohon kepadaMu dengan meningkatnya umur ini maka kau tingkatkanlah imanku Ya Allah… Ya Allah Ya Rahman aku memohon kepada mu berkatilah di atas seluruh usiaku yang telah Engkau berikan. Terima kasih Ya Allah untuk ilmu yang dilimpahkan kepadaku. Terima kasih yang tidak terhingga juga untuk setiap rezeki yang Engkau kurniakan. Terima kasih untuk setiap ujian kehidupan yang Engkau berikan. Terima kasih untuk bakat dan kelebihan yang telah Engkau anugerahkan kepadaku Ya Allah. Sesungguhnya terlalu banyak yang telah Engkau berikan kepadaku...dan terlalu sedikit pula aku bersyukur terhadapMu. MasyaAllah…

Dalam usia semakin bertambah ini...aku ingin menjadi lebih dekat padaMu Ya Rahman. Dalam usia yang makin jauh ini...aku ingin lebih tawadh’uk kepada Mu Ya Karim.

Ya Mujib Ya Malik...pimpinlah tangan hambaMu ini...pimpinlah hati hambaMu ini...pimpinlah langkah hambaMu ini akan sentiasa berada di atas jalan kebenaran. Ya Allah... sebagai hamba yang hina di sisi Mu, aku takkan mungkin mencapai kesempurnaan, tapi kasihanilah aku... bimbinglah aku agar sentiasa aku mampu memiliki hati yang teguh kepada agama Mu.

Ya Allah ya Tuhanku, aku memohon kepadaMu.. Kau ampunkankah seluruh kesalahan dan dosa setiap umat Islam… muslimin dan muslimat, muk’minin dan mukminat yang masih hidup dan yang telah meninggalkan kami dan panjangkanlah umur kami dalam membuat kebajikan serta berkatilah usia kami dan kategorikanlah kami di dalam golongan orang yang Abrar,

Amin Ya Rabbul Alamin!!! 

Sama-samalah kita membaca takbir اللَّهُ اَكْبَر sebanyak tiga puluh empat kali, tasbih سُبْحَانَ اللَّه sebanyak tiga puluh tiga kali dan tahmid الحَمْدُ لِلَّه sebanyak tiga puluh tiga kali. Semoga usaha kita mendapat keberkatan dari Allah...

Ph.D Tip: Focus on Efficiency, Not Perfection

Salam all...

If you're stuck at any point in the dissertation process, borrow my phrase: "focus on efficiency, not perfection." What this means is that you find the fastest way to get out of the quagmire and moving ahead on the path. This will mean different things to different people, but the focus needs to be on finding an efficient and effective way to move ahead, even when it's not perfect.

For example: let's say that you've been working on a particular chapter, writing it, rewriting it, re-rewriting it. You are using a lot of energy and making a lot of effort, but, somehow, it's just not quite right (yet.) So you have to ask yourself, do I need to be efficient? or do I need to be perfect? (Answer: you need to be efficient.) This means, you then ask yourself: how can I wrap this up as quickly and painlessly as possible? What is the most efficient method to get through this material and on to something else? 

Just the act of asking yourself this question may free you up enough to finish whatever you've been working on. But, even if it doesn't, just complete what you can, and then do the next thing and so on.

The dissertation writing is sometimes an iterative process, where you write some, then write about something else, then come back to the first concept and write some more. 

Allow yourself to have that iteration time, by focusing on being efficient, first, and drafting as much as you can- and then polishing/refining your writing later. If you're feeling frustrated or stuck, it's time to go for efficient completion of this stage, and forget about getting it perfect.

Until next time…