Perfectionism gives you a perfect excuse never to write. Perfectionism not only slows productivity, but it also makes sure that your dissertation will never meet your expectations. Put up with the messiness of writing You have to go through the stage of writing “abominably repetitive, colloquial sentences,” as a dissertation client once described the [...]
Archive for the ‘finishing the dissertation’ Category
Perfectionism be damned!
Posted in academic, accountability, commitment, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, getting started, mental toughness, perfectionism, procrastination, productivity, reasons for not writing, self-sabotage, tagged dissertation, excuse for not writing, fear, mental toughness, perfectionism, procrastination, self-sabotage, writing on April 10, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Writers and Spring Break–Sail on, Silver Girl
Posted in academic, accountability, boot camp, boundaries, commitment, dissertation boot camp, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, distractions, finishing the dissertation, momentum, productivity, start writing, strategies, structures, success, time management, write more easily, writing schedule, tagged discipline, dissertation boot camp, dissertation coach, dissertation coaching, self-care, solitude, Spring Break, structure, thesis, use fail-proof writing strategies, Weight Watchers, writer’s retreat, writing on March 6, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Are you one of the lucky ones with Spring Break in the offing? Have you been thinking and hoping and waiting for Spring Break? Finally, you say, I’ll make some headway on my dissertation or book. Visualize how it will work when you have none of the usual demands that take your time and distract you [...]
The Linchpin and location, location, location
Posted in commitment, courage, determination, discipline, dissertation boot camp, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, following through, mental toughness, momentum, re-group, writing, tagged discipline, Holding it all together, Linchpin, location, structure, thesis, writing on February 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Do you feel that you’re like that woman in online advertisements who seems to be turning in one direction, but then all of a sudden, even while you are looking at her, has turned and is now going in an opposite direction? Do you need something holding you and your intentions together? You need a [...]
FutureMe–The one who met her dissertation deadlines
Posted in academic, accountability, coaching, commitment, deadline, determination, discipline, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, distractions, email, finishing the dissertation, focus, following through, Lizard Brain, perseverance, planning, resources, self-discipline, self-sabotage, tagged accountability, check up on yourself, dissertation and accountability, do what you said you would do, focus, praise, support on October 17, 2010 | 1 Comment »
How do you keep focused on your writing goal? Our Lizard Brains can make it all too easy to let a goal slip, and with each deadline or marker you miss, it’s that much longer before you finish your dissertation. FutureMe at www.futureme.org is a helpful tool for accountability as you write your dissertation. You can [...]
The Writer’s Downfall: Time-Sucks and Lack of Courage
Posted in children, decluttering, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, family, fears, finishing the dissertation, getting started, housecleaning, planning, reasons for not writing, relationships, self-care, self-deception, self-discipline, self-sabotage, time theft, Uncategorized, writing schedule, tagged ask for help, carve out time for writing, get motivated, make time for writing, mindless activities, moms writing dissertations, negotiating, restart writing, time-sucks, writer’s downfall, writing on September 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Many times writers hire me to coach them because they’re stuck. They haven’t made substantial progress on their dissertation for months. What stuck often means is that the writers are having trouble claiming a chunk of time for the writing because of time-sucks. Time-sucks come in all sizes and shapes. Facebook and email will be your [...]
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. [...]
Delivering the Dissertation: Dissertation Writer as Showrunner
Posted in acting as if, coaching, deadline, discipline, dissertation advisors, dissertation boot camp, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, following through, goals, mental toughness, motivation, perseverance, planning, self-discipline, showing up, structures, take charge, time, time management, top strengths, using your strengths, writing schedule, tagged dissertation writer, leadership, organize, plan, project manager, schedule, showrunner, time management, use your strengths on August 29, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Have you heard of a “showrunner”? Writers in the TV industry are now expected also to manage—or to have the skills and strengths that would allow them to manage. According to John Wells, Writers Guild of America West president and writer/producer of E.R., Third Watch, and West Wing, it is virtually impossible to be just a writer [...]
Getting Motivated
Posted in academic, coaching, dissertation boot camp, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, finishing the dissertation, getting started, mental toughness, motivation, productivity, self-discipline, writing, tagged autonomy, Dan Pink, getting motivated, mastery, purpose on August 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Motivation is in short supply. We know that motivation is a force that causes us to move toward a goal we’ve set. Reason, physical urge, and self-discipline are part of that force. For many writers, motivation is difficult to find, to come by, to pin down. Recently I received an email about an upcoming teleconference— Ellen [...]
Assess Your Dissertation Writing Habits and Make Some Changes: Time for Spring Cleaning
Posted in academic, accountability, choice, cleaning, coaching, courage, determination, discipline, dissertation coach, dissertation writing, distractions, finishing the dissertation, following through, getting started, habit, housecleaning, mental toughness, perseverance, practice writing, productivity, re-group, re-start, regrouping, restart writing, restarting, self-deception, self-sabotage, showing up, start writing, take charge, take stock, time, time management, time theft, write more easily, writing, writing schedule, tagged change writing process, develop a writing habit, distractions, find time to write, make time to write, mentally tough, self-sabotage, take control, time management, write daily on dissertation on March 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Change is happening in the Washington DC area, not just in Congress, but here in my backyard. Spring is here. Tulips are pushing their way above ground. The trees are dropping all sorts of little colored pellets on my deck and front walk. The first days of Spring are a great time to assess your [...]
