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THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
Devoted to practical steps for completing
your doctoral dissertation.
www.ecoach.com
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INDEX
1. Ben's Note
2. Prenez Courage, by Sara G. Casey, Ph.D.
3. Words of Wisdom
4. Inspirational QuoteSUMMARY
In this issue, Dr. Sara G. Casey offers some
musings on the importance of courage in
completing your dissertation.We round it out with Words of Wisdom and an
inspirational quote.
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Ben's NoteOctober 16, 2003
Dear ABD Survival Guide Reader,
Welcome to our latest issue, in which
Dr. Sara Casey encourages us to examine
the the idea of courage. This is a bit of
a shift from previous topics, and a good
reminder that courage is a necessary component
for a successful dissertation process.You must be courageous in moving forward,
no matter what the obstacles or challenges-
each of you possesses talents and attributes that
will offer a unique contribution to the world-
making it a different, and better, place.I encourage you to really step into your own
courage, now. Create, access, and participate
in any and all resources which will help you
further your own dissertation journey.We continue with Words of Wisdom, and
Inspirational Quotes- thanks for sending
quotes and wisdom in- keep the submissions
coming.Enjoy, and see you in two weeks.
Warmly,
Ben=====================================
Prenez Courage
By Sara G. Casey, Ph.D.
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As I recently ascended to the stage to receive my Ph.D.
diploma, I was reminded of a nineteen-year old girl about
to make her solo debut at a recital in a noted French
conservatory. While she had been perfectly warmed up an
hour earlier, waiting for her turn in the damp
eighteenth-century venue had chilled her, and when she
opened her mouth to sing, only a thin, quiet sound emerged,
until the last line of the song when her true voice
returned and she was able to execute her high B-flat
brilliantly. Returning to her seat amidst some scattered
applause, she was embarrassed at her perceived failure,
and realized that professional singers wore scarves around
their throats for more than vanity. The next day, she
received in her mailbox a letter from a French woman who
admired the way she had completed her song, and exhorted
her to "prenez courage."That nineteen-year old girl was me, thirty some years ago.
Nowhere has this advice to take courage been more pertinent
than during the process of completing my Ph.D. Once past the
excitement of arriving at the ABD stage, when we are filled
with total enthusiasm for our topics, time goes by and the
" honeymoon" inevitably ends. Now we must courageously use
all of the skills and discipline acquired throughout the
years of graduate course work and develop these skills even
further.It takes courage to keep at a large project such as the
dissertation day after day, especially as we inevitably work
under a time-constraint, whether from our families, from
other work responsibilities, or from our committees. We need
courage to move from the exciting period of research to the
more tedious stage of writing it all up. We need courage to
know how far to follow a side trail in our research and when
to leave it, or when to relegate it to a footnote. We need a
lot of courage to deal with the challenges that life
inevitably presents to us as we write our dissertations,
allowing ourselves to take a break-sometimes an extended
one-in the face of personal illness or familial crises, and
courage to start back at our work again. We need courage to
work competently with our advisors, and to revise and revise
and revise, trying to hold on to that original enthusiasm
for the project. We need courage to publish material that is
truly new or groundbreaking. We need an extreme amount of
courage to face the demons of anxiety, of isolation and
loneliness, and maybe even the fear of finishing the diss
and leaving the relatively sheltered realm of graduate
school.This courage grows each time we discipline ourselves to sit
down at the computer and write, as we devise time-lines and
work schedules and daily or weekly goals. It grows each time
we are able to accomplish these goals. It also grows when we
acknowledge that we may not have accomplished them, but are
willing to try again. So, we conquer our fears and anxieties
by the single act of writing through them, simply doing the
work and letting go of the results.As you continue to write, your courage will grow, and so
will your dissertation. Then, you too will ascend to the
stage to receive your degree. As you continue through this
most difficult journey, I exhort you to "prenez courage!"
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About Sara G. Casey, Ph.D.
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Sara received her Ph. D. from the University of
Pittsburgh in 2003. Specializing in Historical
Musicology, her dissertation is entitled "Songs
for the Peregrini: Proper Chants for Irish Saints
as Found In Continental Manuscripts of the Middle
Ages." She is also the author of "'Through a
Glass Darkly:' Steps Towards Reconstructing Irish Chant
from the Neumes of the Drummond Missal," Early Music 28
(2000): 202-215. Continuing her research on medieval
Ireland and its music as an independent scholar, she
can be reached at saragcasey@hotmail.com.
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Words of Wisdom from New Ph.D.'s.
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**Be willing to stand up to the university, committee
members, etc. when you know you are right...If you can
justify, calmly and clearly what you need to happen,
and give reasons, they will consider your side. Also,
committee members make SUGGESTIONS, not demands. If you
don't want to change something based on their opinion,
you will need to be able to explain your basis of
decision (other research precedent, etc. You do not
have to "cave".=======================================
Inspirational Quote
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Several recent graduates have suggested that
we offer an inspirational quote or two to
further motivate and support you. If you
have any quotes that you find really helpful,
please send them to rachna@mentorcoach.com"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."
~~Beverly Johnson, after climbing the rock face of
El Capital, Yosemite National Park'===================
Your Own Coach
===================
If you are considering whether to get your own coach
to help you reach your academic goals, send any email
to: ben16-76471@autocontactor.com
=============================
BEN DEAN, Publisher, ABDSG
===============================
Ben holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of
Texas at Austin. He is the founder of MentorCoach
(www.MentorCoach.com), a virtual university
training accomplished mental health professionals
to become extraordinary coaches. With
Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., Ben is also the founder of
Authentic Happiness Coaching
(www.AuthenticHappinessCoaching.com), a virtual
university training educators, consultants, trainers,
therapists, parents and other professionals to apply
the principles of Authentic Happiness in their own
lives and in the lives of their clients, students, and
children. Ben lives in suburban Maryland with
his wife and two young children, Walnut, their
hamster, and Rubin, their cocker spaniel.
==================================
RACHNA D. JAIN, Editor, ABDSG
==================================
I'm a dissertation coach and licensed psychologist
based in Maryland, with a doctorate from the
University of Denver. I'm the Editor of the
ABDSG, as well as the Author of "Get It Done!
A Coach's Guide to Dissertation Success"
If you'd like to learn more about me or my book, please
visit my website: www.ExcelWithEaseCoaching.com
If you have questions about this newsletter, you
can direct them to me: rachna@mentorcoach.com
I'm excited to be working with you to meet your academic
goals. You can do it!
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" The All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide"(tm) focuses
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(c) Copyright 2003 Ben J. Dean. All rights reserved.
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