I have coached many people who write dissertations while juggling the demands of family life. It’s difficult to juggle the daily demands, but to give up a holiday with one’s family is a particularly hard choice to make. As the Memorial Day holiday approaches here in the U.S., I am thinking back to a Memorial Day weekend [...]
Archive for the ‘advisor’ Category
Hard Choices: What finishing the dissertation requires of you and what it can give you
Posted in academic, accountability, advisor, choice, determination, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, family, finishing the dissertation, mental toughness, motivation, perseverance, resilience, self-discipline, setbacks, writing, tagged dissertation, dissertation advisor, dissertation coach, grit, hard choices, juggling dissertation with work and family, Memorial Day, mental toughness, writing on May 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
5 Tips for Creating a Breakthrough When You Have a Hands-off Dissertation Advisor
Posted in academic, advisor, alliances, coaching, courage, creativity, curiosity, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, isolated, momentum, perseverance, planning, resources, restart writing, strategies, tagged dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, Linked-In, Small World, Woody Allen on October 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
“I’ve had very little, if any, support from my advisor or my committee,” and so began another coaching call this morning with the writer of a dissertation. Many dissertation coaching clients say that their advisors are hands-off, giving little or no substantive feedback, or not wanting to see a dissertation at all until it’s [...]
Happiest Words for a Dissertation Writer
Posted in advisor, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, Happier, happiness, joy, tagged happiest words for a dissertation writer, happiest words in the English language, Schott, Schott’s Vocab, writing a dissertation on September 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re writing a dissertation, what words would make you the happiest to hear? Ben Shott, in Schott’s Vocab, asks his New York Times readers what are the happiest words in the English language. He suggests something like “I Do” or “The doctor can see you immediately.” That led me to wonder what are the happiest words for a dissertation writer. [...]
What do I need in order to be a successful writer?
Posted in academic, advisor, beliefs, boundaries, courage, determination, discipline, dissertation advisors, dissertation boot camp, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, goals, Happier, happiness, mental toughness, perseverance, positive psychology, realistic goals, self-sabotage, strategies, top strengths, using your strengths, writing, writing, dissertation, tagged boldness, character strengths, invest in hiring a dissertation coach, optimism, perseverance, successful writing on January 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
If your goal is to finish your dissertation during this new year of 2010, be bold, be optimistic, and persevere. Positive psychologists for several years have said that the strengths most important for happiness are curiosity, optimism, gratitude, zest, and loving and being loved. My experience as a dissertation and writing coach tells me that [...]
I quit! or, changing the way you look at writing the dissertation
Posted in academic, advisor, choice, criticism, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, re-group, resilience, take stock, top strengths, trusting yourself, using your strengths, tagged change the way you look at writing the dissertation, character strengths and dissertation process, dissertation process, learning to trust your expertise as you write the dissertation, self-confidence as you write, using strengths as you write dissertation on November 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
How often have you felt close to giving up completely on your dissertation? I hear that statement most frequently among my dissertation coaching clients who are practically within a stone’s throw of finishing. What could make it so hard to keep going? The outsider might think that during the long process of writing a dissertation, [...]
Share Some Kind Words with Your Dissertating Siblings and Friends: Support Is Critical
Posted in advisor, Blogs, coaching, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, hope, positive psychology, Smart Tips, using your strengths, tagged coaching. Smart Tips, dissertation coach, kindness, kindness and support increase hope and enthusiasm, momentum, support, will to work on September 7, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Georgetown University Professor Deborah Tannen writes about the supportive relationship she has with her two sisters. In the Sept. 6, 2009 Washington Post, Tannen says that she sends them her manuscripts for their comments and once a book is published, she waits eagerly, yet nervously, for their response. After reading a draft and sending Deborah [...]
Re-group and Take a Big Step Forward on Your Dissertation: Re-establish Contact with Your Dissertation Advisor
Posted in academic, advisor, brave, coaching, courage, discipline, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, following through, getting started, re-group, re-start, regrouping, resilience, restart writing, restarting, self-sabotage, Smart Tips, start writing, writing, writing, dissertation, tagged contact your dissertation advisor, dissertation coach, get on with your dissertation, maintain self-respect, re-group on September 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Have you ignored your dissertation and your dissertation advisor for some time? Entertaining the idea of restarting the project and of contacting your advisor may cause more than a few fears to surface. Are you afraid what the lapse in time may say about you? The truth is that it doesn’t say much of anything, [...]
To Make Progress on Your Dissertation, Stop Hiding Out
Posted in academic, accountability, advisor, dissertation advisors, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, fears, getting started, isolated, isolation, re-group, re-start, restart writing, self-sabotage, Smart Tips, write more easily, tagged connect with others, dissertation coach, hire dissertation coach, invest in your future, isolation while writing dissertation, Smart Tips for Writing, stop hiding out, writing coach on August 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Nearly every day I receive email from people who are making no or next to no progress on their dissertations. They are scared of the future and ashamed of having let so much time go by. They complain about feeling isolated–working far from their universities, having little contact with their advisors, and having no colleagues [...]
