Should You Quit Your PhD?
Enrolling for a PhD requires a big commitment from your side. This is because, in order to complete your research successfully, you will need to put in a lot of effort. Typically, PhD researchers study topics that have not been researched before, meaning that they need to be dedicated to their research and manage their time diligently. This is where some students or researchers can start having second thoughts. Many researchers start thinking about quitting when things are not going well. But is giving up half way through really worth it? This article will help you in making the decision.
Why You Should Keep Going
When you begin to doubt your capabilities, you need to refocus on the potential benefits that could be attained from the PhD. This refocusing exercise will help in refreshing your mind and remembering why you started your PhD journey in the first place. There are several benefits of attaining a PhD, and it can help your career massively in the long run. According to estimates, nearly 86% of PhD graduates are employed in either full-time or part-time work. This is a highly significant number, indicating that PhD graduates are very employable, and the degree will therefore prove to be beneficial. In addition, it is also estimated that the remaining 14% of graduates are also likely to be self-employed or studying further. A PhD is a very versatile qualification because it allows you to choose various forms of employment. You could either choose to work for someone else or become an entrepreneur. In addition, you could also become a professor at a university. Thus, attaining a PhD opens up a lot of options for you. Leaving your research unfinished may lead to regrets and therefore you will find that most people would advise for you to keep going, even when you face challenges.
While pursuing a PhD, there are several phases when you feel demotivated and begin to consider your options. This may be due to lack of time, feeling overwhelmed, or being unhappy with the results that you have been obtaining. In such cases, you should look to find motivations that can drive you towards your goal of completin+g the PhD. For instance, along with a PhD comes the honour of being able to contribute to human knowledge. This is a key motivating factor that could inspire you to continue your degree. In case you are reconsidering your options and are unsure of what to do, you need to remember why you chose to pursue a PhD in the first place. This will make you realise the key motivation that you originally had. It can also help you in finding a purpose. If you are able to contribute to humanity and play your part in building a better society, it could prove to be a major achievement. By focusing on such goals, you can ensure that you continue your efforts towards graduating. This way, you will continue to remain on track and ultimately achieve your goals.
Reasons for Quitting
On the other hand, there are times when you simply cannot continue pursuing your PhD. This situation arises when you begin to feel that even after years of efforts, you have not made any progress. Such a state of affairs can prove to be extremely disheartening, and as a result you may find that you do not have any motivation for conducting your research and are simply forcing yourself to continue. In such a critical scenario, it can be a wise decision to move on. This is because our physical and mental well-being is of paramount importance. It should be placed above all other factors. If continuing your research makes you miserable, it is simply not worth it. Also, pressuring yourself to continue unnecessarily can cause permanent damage to your aspirations in life. Rather than allowing this to happen, it is always better to realise when is the right time to move on. Thus, if you feel that you have given it all you had and are still not achieving any results, it may be a mature decision on your part to quit.
Another aspect that you need to consider is the financial requirements of a PhD. Attaining such a degree does not come cheap. You have to make a lot of investments in your research, especially if the university is not providing you with sufficient funding. If you begin to feel that you have invested a majority of your funds towards your PhD and are still unable to make any progress, it may be a good decision to quit. Often, researchers tend to continue investing funds towards their PhD in the hope of recouping those investments in the future. However, they are not always able to perform to the best of their abilities after completing their PhD. In such cases, they begin to feel regretful about the investments that they have made towards the degree. Therefore, it is always advisable to cut your losses and move on when you feel that you will not be able to complete the PhD without raising additional funding. Rather than borrowing funds and ending up with even more debt, it is better to know when to quit.
Conclusion
Thus, to sum up, it is clear that attaining a PhD can be good for your career. However, this often comes at a cost. One has to invest a lot of time and put in dedicated efforts in order to attain a PhD. If you begin to lose motivation, it is always advisable to think about the reasons why you enrolled in the first place. This could help you in getting back on track. However, if you are unable to motivate yourself despite repeated efforts, it is advisable to quit. No degree is worth it if it begins to cause actual damage to your physical and mental well-being. If you are struggling with your PhD but are not ready to quit, we provide a PhD thesis writing service that can help you get back on track.