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Staying Motivated and Achieving
Success in Graduate School: A Few
Common and New Suggestions
Doug Baumann and Jeff Nisen, Purdue University Department of Statistics
30 amstat news april 2012
Earning an advanced degree can sometimes feel
like running a gauntlet full of tests, research
reports, deadlines, and—at times—very little
sleep. There is little doubt that even the most energetic
and passionate students will at some time feel
overwhelmed by how much work they must complete,
become unmotivated to finish their tasks, or—
in the most extreme case—contemplate giving up on
graduate school altogether and start looking for a job.
A quick Google search for “graduate school tips”
will yield an abundance of information from a variety
of sources, most of which seem to more or less
offer the same common set of suggestions about how
to stay motivated. Rather than add another chapter
to this same old story, we aim to take an alternative
approach by examining five common suggestions and
then investigating potential failed motivation antecedents.
Additionally, we offer some less common
advice accrued from our own experiences and those
of graduate students in our program.
Get Organized
“A place for everything, and everything in its place.”
~ Isabella Mary Beeton
Often, the first recommendation we receive when
we’ve hit a motivation wall is to create a to-do list. For
many of us, just listing each of the tasks we need to
complete each day or week is enough to get working
again. These lists not only serve to clearly lay out what
we need to do, but also what we’ve accomplished.
Why is it effective?
Simply stated, classes can be overwhelming and
research seemingly insurmountable. Large (or difficult)
projects can have a paralyzing effect on our
motivation, and breaking the project down into
manageable tasks can help us make quick work of
an otherwise unapproachable assignment or research
endeavor. Creative organization, such as ranking each
task based on deadlines or degree of difficulty, can
elucidate connections between tasks that previously
were unclear. The level of detail and structure included
involve a bit of personal taste; the best system for
you may take some trial and error, but in the end,
your motivation will thank you.
Trust Yourself
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you
are right.” ~ Henry Ford
It is common to hear words of encouragement
throughout our graduate careers, and sometimes the
kind assurances are difficult to believe. There are the
times when your self-confidence will be challenged
the most and you may start to doubt yourself and
your abilities. We may often feel insufficiently intelligent
to produce quality research, especially when
we compare ourselves to our peers, our professors,
and the greater scientific community. At this time,
you must remind yourself that many smart people
gave you the chance to succeed in their program
because they believe in you and your abilities. Use
this fact as an excuse to be proud of yourself and
your accomplishments.
Why is it effective?
Confidence is often our greatest motivator. It is
human nature to compare ourselves to those around
us, and doing so can certainly have negative consequences.
Rather than evaluating ourselves based on
our peers, taking an introspective approach can be a
great boon to our confidence. Take time to seriously
consider the skills you have, and even those you