When Motivation Runs Out | PhD student
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2019
- What do you do when your motivation runs low? PhDs are enormous undertakings, and for years there can be little to show for your efforts. I’m presently in one such motivation slump myself, and in this video try to figure out what can be done about it. You might not like the answer.
Not one of my most uplifting, sorry! But a student has got to be honest. Here’s an earlier video with some jazzy music to remind you that it’s not always this tough: • Teaching Undergraduate...
Previous video: • Rising at 5:30 am for ...
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New video every other Wednesday (ish)! Please comment to suggest a topic relating to postgraduate life that you’d like to see covered, or get in touch:
Twitter: @LeKissick
Website: lucykissick.co.uk
Email: lucy.kissick@earth.ox.ac.uk
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Credits music with permission from the incredibly talented post-rockers Silent Island. The song is ‘Dolphin Rush’ and you can find it here on Bandcamp from their album Fall of Oceans: silentisland.bandcamp.com/alb...
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My name is Lucy Kissick, I’m a third year PhD student at the University of Oxford, and yeah I probably would take a ticket to Mars, just so long as it was two-way.
"If it was easy, everyone would be doing it". This was enough to keep me going today. Thank you.
Best line to get motivated going to write in my journal but smtym get disappointed on my complications when others work get done smoothly & mine just doing it again & again🙄🙄
here in my country there is this school where they're just paying to get the degree and the thesis they also pay to do this and its very disappointing while me doing this studying in a reputable university.
Im a PhD - KS
I need a push ... I mean I feel down and devastated.. I don't know how to begin it .. 😕
Read this a year later..... Hope things going well 😊
*“A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.”*
Thank you for sharing!
it feels great when I know I am not the only one. good luck.
PhDs are so isolating... I'm convinced most of us are all feeling the same thing and no one is talking about it. Keep at it mate
Good to know I'm not the only one!
I did my PhD part-time over 7 years (2009 - 2016) at two different Universities alongside being a full-time academic - by the time I finished I was a Senior Lecturer. Along the road I started dating my wife, got married, bought a house, and had three children! Most of my thesis was written between 8pm and 1am. Motivation is so key!
The last year is a nightmare - I hated my thesis by the end. Plus my amazing inspirational grandma died the night I passed my Viva. It was all very bitter-sweet. I am finally thinking of turning my thesis into some papers...
My advice is writing a PhD is a marathon not a sprint - focus on short-term goals but keep working, even when you’re tired! Everything slots together right at the last minute and you’ll end up with that thesis which makes an original contribution.
this is so true. plz see my comment above.
interesting
Woww, thank you. I'm getting up from my bed to start tonight.
I'm on my bed, six months passed, did not do anything.
You motivated me.
How was it possible to be a full time academic without a PhD? 🤔
I am currently a PhD student. I feel like i WAS motivated in the beginning. It was just naturally. But now I feel that, almost giving up..... I have 1.5 year to finish. Let be be motivated till the end.
Just defended last week and I cannot tell you how many times that I came to this video when I really didn't have any motivation to keep going. Thank you for sharing this!
Honestly, one of the best bits of advice I was ever given before beginning to research and apply for PhDs was from a total stranger who said: "DO NOT SELF FUND: at some point, you'll have a mental breakdown and lose all motivation and the only thing that will keep you going is the fact you're getting paid"
Wow!!!! And to think I can relate
but how do you A) raise enough funds, B) support yourself? I applied for many a grant and scholarship - waste of time, no luck, Ran a gofundme for 1.5 years and advertised it regularly to my networks, barely got $100.
I'm currently a 4th-year PhD student, with at least 2 more years to go before I graduate, and I'm REALLY STRUGGLING to keep going right now, and this video was exactly what I needed to hear!! I don't think you were savage; I think you were real which is what I needed. You're right, sometimes we just need to do it because motivation won't magically appear all the time. It's a hard pill to swallow, but like you said, all of our previous hard work wouldn't matter if we don't take the next step to finish the project. Thanks for being real and for sharing everything you did! I appreciate it! :)
Thank you so much for reminding me that it is completely normal to feel demotivated or think about stopping the Ph.D. chase. My favorite things you said is: I have to do it, and finish my data; otherwise, my previous sleepless nights and hours will be wasted for nothing!
Thank you so much for this video! I’m going through the same feeling and have been feeling low about myself and my situation. Each day feels the same, and I don’t want to complain about it to family/friends/labmates. It’s hard to find inspiration sometimes. If I’m not working, I feel guilty. Yet, I notice myself needing other outlets for my soul to feel refueled. I appreciate that this video came at the time when I really needed sometime to talk to. Thank you.
I also feel guilty sometimes, but there's a NEED for off-time! Good off-time let's you be more productive in 'ON-TIME'!
"Each day feels the same" - Same. And you feel guilty complaining because you kNOW a PhD is supposed to be hard, and you know you're lucky to be doing this......but yeah, 'refuelling your soul' might be my new favourite phrase, thank you
Great video!! I know I've felt the same way, especially in the last year or so of my PhD before I finished. I do want to add that for me, usually taking a break from research and relaxing brings back my motivation somewhat. To anyone reading this, it is worth it in the end! You will get there, one day you will have a thesis in your hand and ready to defend it in your viva!!
I read it. I am absorbing it. I am going at it! Thanks! ;)
Thank you for reminding me there is an end to this...!
@@ThePhDiaries of course there is, its the whole symbolism of the academic hat, to push yourself to the end and make a breakthrough.
It took me 7 years. Don’t stop. I took a few breaks and was exhausted. It took me 3 years to gather my thoughts. You will have many emotions. One day you are crying and the next day you’re swearing. It may be a lonely road because people may not get it. They don’t know or care or know what a Mixed Methods Research is. Keep going.
So happy to see other fellow graduate student going through same hardships... every PhD students go through this and it is so hard to get myself back on track, have been crying non-stop recently and still feel like it is going down heel- hope things can be better and only good things for you as well!!
This comment is my story.hmm
That's what I needed to hear. A few days ago I was about to quit. Then I watched some motivation videos including this one which I think is enough to keep me going. I hope I will get there one day.
This is the situation, every PhD student could easily relate to. In my case, to add injury to the insult, my school demands an SCI publication each damn year throughout PhD, otherwise my stipend will stop. Every morning I have this in mind, till I go to sleep again.
My uni is the same! Its a lot of pressure
I have just wrapped up my first year as a PhD student and your videos have been very encouraging and calming :)
Good luck with it! Glad to have helped :)
It’s so good to hear you, it’s exactly the same feelings and thoughts that I have. And it’s really good and motivating to know that I’m not alone. Thank you for posting it !
Lots of love 💕
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I've never watched anything that has resonated with me more. It's not just me! I really appreciate you for taking the time to talk about this part of the phd process, it's real, it happens and it is so hard. I needed this video today.
Oh Lucy it is impossibly hard some days and I left my Phd as I had no support from the supervisor and the supportive teams who hadn't done Phds themselves, and had no idea of the stresses. The standard response was to take a few days leave but this didn't rectify the systemic problems within the place. Many phd students left or developed MH issues. I've lost all confidence in the academic system and you shouldn't have to suffer daily as we did but you are nearly there and Oxford sounds a more supportive Uni. I know why the uni's bury the attrition rates of PhD students, bec they favour the supervisors/researchers who bring money in - very short sighted and a wholly unethical approach. My supervisor was head of equality and diversity and he continually made derogatory and sexist remarks. Sending you a virtual hug.
Damn that sounds horrific. I'm glad you got out instead of staying in what sounds like an incredibly unhealthy system. really hope you're okay now
Living this right now. I want to stick with it but I’m being forced to master out.
Hi @s , I hope you are doing well. Since you have left the phd , now why don’t you reveal the name of the supervisor and his group so that no other student in future can be saved?
I was surprised to find a video that resonates exactly how I feel. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you so much for this video. I have been struggling with my motivation in my PhD lately, and it's hard to talk about it when your colleagues don't seem to share the same issue. I recognize myself in some of the things you said in this video, and you managed to give me some motivation back and good tips, so thank you !
Thank you for your honesty about how you feel. I relate to it a lot.
OMG Lucy! I feel the same. Thank you for sharing. I send you hugs and best wishes from Cuernavaca, Mexico. In my few experience a lot of knew ideas came up when I´m in the mood of "I have to do what i have to do". We can do it!! Happy experiments, analysis and writing! :D
I needed this today. Thanks a lot, Lucy!
In a similar boat to you, just finished my first year of a PhD in philosophy at Cambridge. Since considering that I don’t wanna be an academic, a huge cloudy question mark has settled over my research and attending motivation. I’m struggling right now particularly because I’m trying to keep my motives for doing this phd alive while also dealing with incredibly distracting medical concerns in my family. I think I ultimately feel the same way as you: I do care about this research and think it’s cool, but really it’s just something that has to be done to get the qualification. I’ll be glad I did it (which is a piece of reasoning that can get me through some real grey motivation funks). I make phd vlogs too by the way - come over and have a look at things in The Other Place if you like. Thanks for the vid 👌
That sounds rough with your family, hope you're doing okay with it. It's good to know I'm not alone in feeling this way, there's definitely question-mark-shaped clouds blocking out the sun for me too
Thank you...Could you please share the link of your vid.... The Other Place... thanks
So did you complete the PhD or did you decide to do something else?
I find with myself and other friends experiencing what you said, that it is a lack of support, both institutionally and within your group that can lead to these feelings - especially so when you are isolated by the fact that your thesis is on the fringe of what your group is researching in general. I've seen others, who apply little effort but are fortunate enough to have post docs in their group who actually do most of the work for them, resulting in multiple publications for their thesis. If you can say you did your best then I think that's enough be cause often your work is crippled by factors beyond your control. It is very likely I won't publish but I can say all the work was mine and I gained a plethora of technical skills that can be used in industry :) thanks for the video nice to know others are having similar experiences!
I’m so glad I found your video. I’m currently in my 3rd year and I’m in a slump. No motivation to do my work and feeling overwhelmed. Thank you for this 🙏🏽
I feel you girl, where is my motivation this last month I really don't know. Thank you for being so authentic!
You nailed it, this is exactly how I feel! From one PhD student to another, keep pushing through!
you too mate!
I feel you Lucy. Hang in there. There's light at the end of the tunnel. Your videos helped me when I started with my PhD at the beginning of this year. Published 2 papers already and I've got a number of other titles I'm working on so they get me really motivated. Of course, PhD in Machine Learning can be quite different from that about Mars surface. Best wishes
Hitting the 2 year mark and was really needing this video! Been a rough week experimentally.
congrats on getting two years in!
Thank you for this 🥲I've been losing motivation to keep writing and researching but watching this brought me comfort. You have to remember why you started, remember that you have inherent passion for your field, and that it *will* be over one day. Thanks again, Dr(🙌) Kissick 🥰
Thanks for this! I actually come to your channel for my research motivation, so thank you!
...but thank you so much for the video. Your honesty and positivity are very much needed
It was genuine, I know it from your eyes. May God give you the strength to overcome all that you are going through.
Words that hit me hard while I am on the verge of breaking down over my dissertation proposal. Thanks Dr. Lucy! This is a quick and a savagely honest advice!
Thank you for sharing! I am currently struggling to get my prospectus approved. The challenge has made me heavily consider throwing in the towel, but you’ve encouraged me to keep persevering!
Thank you for sharing with us your experience. All the best in your life.
I'm only a first year BA student in music but I needed a video like this today. Thank you for doing it when you did 🙂
*This is exactly what I feel too. You nailed it.*
*Lovely video*
You are not the only one! I am at this point right now. What am I doing about it? I tried to decrease my expectations and I decided to work the least as possible in new results and to work the maximum that I can to connect my old results trough a reasonable line. The key is: if this is not good yet, at least it's reasonable and you did your best.
I am really motivated by your monologue Dr. Kissick regarding motivation to stay on the PhD track. I will complete my MA in History by October 2022 and plan to continue on towards a Phd in History starting in the spring of 2023. I retired from the Information technology field so, I have time and patience to work through the expected challenges. Thank you
Oh Hi Lucy and everyone on this comment section. It really helps to see that other students experience the same "PhD effects". Whenever I feel horrible, disappointed, guilty, procrastinating about my PhD journey, I turn to your vlogs. But this time, I am at a whole new level of "I don't care anymore". I hate complaining about it because it's my problem and my choice. It's been a week since my first annual review which went amazing, but I cannot bring myself to study anymore. I feel so bad about. It scares me 😥.
Anyway. I love your spirit. You are such a kind soul. Thank you
You are awesome Lucy! Keep it going!!
Lucy, I love you girl
Thank you for this one.
Thank you lucy.. I really enjoy your videos.. keep going.. and good luck in your research 😀
Thanks again Lucy for another motivational video! :)
Hey Lucy!!It's great to see your videos, it is my first time here on your channel. I started my PhD 6 months ago, it started with all the motivation and happiness of being selected as one of the candidates. I continued reading literature but just had a little break (4 weeks) back home and I am already feeling it so hard to get back to it. 3 weeks I am back already and still have no motivation to do anything :/ Feel so wasted
Best motivation ever. Thank you. ❤
Loved the stick analogy! Thank you for uploading this. I took a 3 week "vacation" from my thesis and I'm struggling to get back on track, but it has to be done!
I try to think of holidays not as going away to recover so I can come back and work better, but as time to just do what I want to do. I hope your holiday was refreshing and you're back on track now :)
Omg you highly motivate me everytime 😭💕
com'on girl you've been a semester ahead of me. I've been following you ever since you have started ur vlog. I know the feel. I was not doing any experiments for the past 2 months as my prof considered "I am not ready to do experiments and I am wasting money". I've started today once again as my prof regained faith in me. I'm working on aging and the thought that my theories if proven could possibly prolong our age and this is my motivation. You know what if I succeed in my research then we might need another planet to populate and we need people like you. You guys are searching for a home away for us. My pace is speeding up and we need more space to populate, catch up soon, don't lose motivation. We need your research.
This was super motivating. Thank you
Thank you so much for this video 💕💕💕
Great Video. Yeah, the struggles are there but overall the thing is that if you stay hanging on, you generally make it. Nobody is perfect, so do not be too hard on yourself. There is lot to do in the future too. I do have another thing that often goes unnoticed during the PhD's i.e. the isolating mindset of PhD students often. We all know its going to end, but that research atmosphere just does not helps. A bit of informality has to be there otherwise everyone is in pressure.
It's so good to hear you❤️
Thank you, 2nd Year PhD here, I needed this.
I clicked on the video and surely saw the title but not the UA-cam channel name. So imagine m'y happiness when i saw D.r before your name, you did it after all this and so can I. Thanks :)
Hey Lucy. Your videos are great. I love them and i totally understand you. It took me 5 years to get my PhD in the USA, and by my third year, I was a in a situations similar to yours. I only had a third-author paper by then. But it eventually came to me, and I graduate with 10 peer-reviewed publications, including 3 first-author journal papers. I trust u will get it too. Keep the good job up!!
Good for you, sounds awesome :)
I am bing watching your videos(your eyes). I can see little tears so after crying you are making this video and also st the end of your video, voice proved it. I am finding PhD right now thank you for making videos on this.
I wanted to cry, I am not alone! My heart goes to you!
I hate it when people say, “it’ll all pay off in the end!” The end could be nowhere in sight...
Thanks for that. Im writing a thesis with only the discussion to do and some tidying but its super hard to get it done. This video helped.
This is my fourth year started, My three years were a rollercoaster ride. I don't have any published paper till now. I know that PhD is tough and I will get through it successfully. I am saying this because I am demotivated but I will rise someday very soon and will get what is waiting for me.
That helped thanks! I mean you're right, I have an option yet I'm still pulled to continue for some reason and not to quit so I must still care , I must have some desire, I must continue the tough journey even with what seems like little to no motivation and hope that motivation will find me!
Holy Shit. This is literally me right now in my fourth year of PhD. 10 months left feels like a lifetime away.
I hope you're doing well!
@@korypucker5102 Yes I'm doing a lot better than when I wrote this, which speaks to the ups-and-downs of the PhD process. :) thank you
Same here. I have been working on mine since 2018. Had to stop after burnout. Even switched schools when my money dried up. But, I'm back on the grind again. I know that I'll feel like crap if I don't finish. Getting this far and dropping it? Ugh! Just sounds crazy thinking about it. I'm competing with my brother and sister-in-law who are both earning their doctorates. "I refuse to be left in the dust." - Vegeta
@@DrReginaldFinleySr Same here! I've been working on it since December 2013 (omg), was involved in a large international project for a couple of years, then worked on my papers for some years (we have quite harsh publication requirements), then got a full-blown depression and was forced to stop for a year. Now I'm on track again, in my last months, finishing the diss (using my own money and time unfortunately). It's so hard sometimes! But I can't stop in this stage anymore, I would never forgive myself. Mental illness is such a bitch and it is way too common among PhD students... take care of yourself and good luck with the rest of your PhD!
The distinction is what keeps the journey worth traveling.......one day you will get there.....and u will be proud 🤞
I started with strong interest and after three years I feel the same I lost my motivation the only motivation for me now is just to get it done ASAP
The thing is nothing can held your motivation forever even your future job I am trying to normalize it if that works or picturing your life after you get it done might work as well
I honestly cried while you talking about your difficulties. I am on my third year, changed topic at the beginning of the third year. I almost lost my motivation of writing and felt time i spent over the three years is so wasted. But like you said, what keeps me away from completely giving up? There must be a reason. We do have a choice to choose as PhD is not everything. I want to know my reason. Unfortunately, I don't feel too passionate about my research with my slow progress. I know it is hard. Sometimes i doubt myself for not making good progress. I am glad to hear your sharing. I will remember that "It has to be done!" Best luck to your research
You are not alone. I am currently juggling with a toxic job(to financially sustain myself) plus a hostile supervisor who changes my objectives at his whim, plus the added pressure of publications. Its rough by all means, but I can only hope I sail through all of it.
Thank you. Very helpful and encouraging .
I love you so much. Thank you so much for your video. I've been watching it every week to help me get by my depression while at school. T_T
I am going through this too. My advisor has no profound knowledge about my research.
You will only be expert in your field. Research is toughest job, I think it requires tough mind like para commandos. Enjoy curiosity. Have fun in work rather than results as results are never the end.
Very nice and honest advice. Subscribed.
I'm doing PhD since 2012 January. My supervisors kept leaving the university and I had no one to submit the thesis at the end. I had four supervisors in 4 years full time, and 3 years part time while seeking and working jobs etc. Lived almost a year without a single cent income. Here I am, started a totally new PhD in Jan 2022. Then my main supervisor was medically not fit, so restarted a new topic in August 2022. What I can say is, there are techniques to keep going. It's not a magic or something. When I write down, (when I have no one to hear my story, and sometimes when it is hard for the other person to digest, I write them down on an iPad), I feel so relaxed and new pathway comes out of nowhere. I started playing cricket and small achievements keep me going forward. When I write, I just flush everything in my mind. And in it, most of the times, I write why my research is this much valuable.
Overall, if I am given opportunity to relive in 2012, and presented a PhD opportunity, I will consider (1) who has graduated (1st supervisor - zero graduates after nine years, (2) am I doing something I am interested (supervisors change topics later on forcefully or without your consent -- but their main area of research if any won't change -- this is the trick), (3) keep personal life separate from PhD as much as possible, (4) if not given holidays, get even leave of absence or any sort of a leave because no human can work 365 days per year (I was not given a single holiday for 2 years or so). I can say I lived in Hitler's jail in 2012-2018. Unfortunately, when the country is rich and controlled by a family, and controllability is the key, and no democracy, no rights for humans but nothing comes out (not Sri Lanka, some other country), there's nothing much you can do against bureaucracy. So, choose the country and supervisor and topic so wisely. Look at other people. They are as smart as you are, so whatever happens to them, can happen to you. So, do a proper background research on the supervisor, university, topic, country etc. Don't jump into a PhD. Tenured vs non-tenured is a difficult scenario.
Thank You very much Dr.
I thank u very much for your advice u do give me motivation of how great it is to be u hope u have a great day.
Thanks for sharing!! Good Luck!!
Thanks Lucy . I am just a 1st year and its already difficult , its difficult on many levels. Dealing with everything, dealing with people..
It's comments like these that push me a reduce my anxiety...that reassurance in knowing "I am not alone".
Dr. Kissick, such a joy listening to you summarize your journey till the 3rd year of your PhD. I was saying (out loud) "yep" to most of the points you touched upon. On my 4th, and hopefully final, year of PhD, I feel like the carrot is a stick now - "yep", and we just have to stick with it :D I'm glad you kept going, congrats on the PhD, and cheers to more challenging problems, compassion, teaching, and grants - of course grants.. :)
How is it going Arun? it is been a year I hope you made it work!
@@hastivahidi6518 Made it :) Finishing my first year of postdoc :)
This video is far more motivational than you can imagine.
Great video. I'm currently struggling as I developed rheumatoid arthritis two years ago and no meds are working for me. I'm also working at the same time (I have to) and it is really draining me. What's also really draining is academics have shitty attitudes toward the chronically ill, even if you are doing your best. I've had someone actually tell me I shouldn't be in school if I'm this sick.
Thank you for this.
Hi dear, i think we both have many things in common. I begin my journey in September 2016. i'm doing specializing in macro-economics, from commerce background. it means an entirely new subject to me i started from scratch. but i'm very passionate about my research. i'm going through the same stage of yours. i want to recollect my data for the 3rd time. in my university, my database is having some problem. i have to go somewhere and collect my data. and i have to set up my model. as you know many things are there. sometimes i do used to think or even cried thinking about my work. but you do understand everyone is going through the same faces of PhDs.whether it is science or commerce or any other. don't worry we will get over it.i hope soon. No i know it will get over soon. keep on working. All the best.
I can relate well. I will overcome and the sun will shine soon!
Thanks for the motivation lucy, although I am an undergraduate, but I lost my total energy during this lockdown, which I probably have again.
Absolute reality! I wonder how I will look back once I reach the 3 year milestone. I'm 6 months in, almost a review, and the setup for the experiments is nearly done. I feel the pressure!
keep going! sounds like you're on a roll
Thank you for this. PhD is really tough. I have lost my motivation and my hopes of completing it all lost. Im in the 3rd year now and still have nothing. All the excitement and passion is slowly running out.
I can relate, same here 😭
As a PhD student, I had an isolated project and I had to develop some ways to keep my self-motivation high - but now, I profit from this ability greatly as a business owner. It doesn't matter all that much what happens to us but what we do with it.
Thank you Lucy
Thanks for sharing this.
Needed this.
I am relieved to know I am not the only one.. right now very low on motivation
Yes, was not easy-going at all, when I did my masters I felt confident and thought why not. Its not the same to anything I have done before. Lost relationship, and apart from my sponsor was alone. Changed my life in many ways. Always keep justifying why you are doing it and keep yourself motivated. Failure was not an option for me.
Thank you ma’am . 😭😭😭😭🙏🏼
Love this!!! You are speak nothing but facts in this video lol
Savage in a subtle way!
like life
Thank you for this video~~
U are right knowing that one's life is not over simply because they can't complete their PhD is an encouragement for me too....I am not defined by it.
thank you for sharing your experiences. I'm still deciding whether I want to go into a PhD program or not.
A friend of mine has a dad professor physicist. He gave her the following advice: daughter, you should go for a PhD after this MSc, it would be the best time to get married, have children, as after that you would only get increasingly more busy..... she doesn't wan't to do a PhD now... D:
Thank you!