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The Reason Why I Didn't Do PhD

There was a time about five years ago when I was doing PhD. I don’t remember exactly what my motivation was. I think I was doing it because that is what was expected of me. I had done my MBA and since I was a straight A student the next logical step was to get a PhD so that I can get a teaching position at a university. It was more my partner’s dream then it was mine. For me I didn’t really know what I wanted so I went along with it. And I think I wanted to please him. Later I realized pleasing someone else never works unless it is pleasing for you also.

Labels

To be honest with you it was also a prestige thing for me to eventually get the title of professor. If you get the title of Dr. or Prof. then you are seen as wiser by most people. This need of recognition doesn't excite me anymore. I understand why people want labels because there are a lot of people who don’t like to listen to you to find out your value, they would rather look at the plaque on your wall, they would prefer if somebody else decided if you are worthy or not. I am not saying that don’t get the degrees they are a wonderful to get started in life but don’t loose yourself in the process, keep your priorities straight.

Perks & Obligations

The thing was I would have enjoyed whatever perks that life had to offer but I definitely wouldn’t have enjoyed the obligations that came with it. I want the perks without duty. There is a saying, “you can’t have it all”. I changed it a bit and it goes like this, “you can have it all.” I want to live life on my terms. I am not saying that PhD doesn’t have any value because it is quite valuable for those who are enthusiastic about it, I wasn’t.

During my student years I got good grades but I found studying (especially about something I have no interest in) really boring. I studied to get an “A” that was my only motivation. I was never excited about a paper or a project the only feeling I had was stress. I just wanted to get it over and done with. During exam time sore throat was my constant companion. Now I don’t even understand why I was so stressed. What if I got a B or a C, so what? It isn't the grade but the knowledge that matters. However I did make some great friends and student life was fun in a way.

Rules of the Game

I love to research and write that is my passion at the moment. But if I were to do a thesis firstly I wouldn’t have found a topic that I am interested in which is also approved by my thesis adviser. I don’t think he would have liked topics as manifestation or reality creation :) Secondly a thesis has to done in a certain way, there are many guidelines that have to be followed and a specific way in which it has to be formatted. I understand that standards are necessary because they help define the credentials that are handed out.

When you play a game of tennis for example you have to play by the rules. So in life there are many games that you could play and when you agree to participate then you must follow the rules. But the most important thing is having fun and remembering that it is just a game. For myself I like it better if I am the creator of the game and I make my own rules as I go along :)

Approved or Not?

I don’t like when I am asked to do something creative in a specific way because if I do that then my ideas cannot flow freely. I don’t feel anymore that I need credentials. What I want is to feel good so that I can be in alignment with my higher self and everything that I want flows to me and through me for the benefit of who ever is receiving it.

I love it when people like you read what I have to say but I don’t really care if I am being approved or not. But for a PhD thesis I definitely need the approval of a body of thinkers. If I care about their thinking then I am letting what they want from me to guide me rather then what is within me to guide me. I see the value of what they require from my work but it is not the predominant part of what I am about.

Variety is Wonderful

I was enrolled in the PhD programme for only six months but it was during those six months that I realized what I wanted and that was to be free to do what I want to do each day of my life. When life causes me to become something and I don’t go that is when I feel negative. Also maybe for me this experience was a contrast in life, something that I didn’t prefer but actually as someone said contrast is variety and contrast is here to choose from.

There is contrast that you don’t want but there are people who want the very same thing that you see as undesirable because it is what they are passionate about. That is why it is good that we all have different interests and different things that we are excited about. If everyone was the same then we would have a very boring life indeed. We need people who are different then us to interact with, that is what makes life interesting. Life is like a buffet choose what you want but don’t insist that everyone have what you are having!

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