The PhD Chronicles: On the Dissertation Beard and Other Means of Getting It Done
Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes Not as wise as Gandalf, but dang, the beard feels like this at times! Photo by Elisabeth Pieringer on Unsplash So I've been shaving my head since around 2002. But on January 1, 2024, I shaved my head and beard and pledged that I would not shave again until I had a dissertation defense date. I knew it was something that would be help motivate me to get it done. This week, I shaved. I do have a finished draft of my dissertation and while I do not have a date just yet, it's much more likely than not that I will be defending in September (couldn't happen earlier because faculty are off during the summer). Let's talk about how I got here and why. Over the years, I've read about motivation and building habits. there are some great books out there that have been so helpful for me. Some of them include: Atomic Habits : Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear Tiny Habits : The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ F