For those who are pursuing or have completed their doctoral degree, I am sure research must be an integral and inseparable part of their lives. But how often have you introspected and questioned yourself about what exactly have you seeked from your PhD? These questions are provocative questions that would help you to figure out if you have a plan ready for yourself from you PhD and do you have an alternate plan ready if the first one does not work out. When I say this, I hope that all everyone knows that a PhD does not mean the path only leads to an academic career. There could be other avenues and ambitions and you must have it clear in your mind, how your degree is going to help you to reach there. Some times what is required is to keep asking oneself this. Not once but time and again. If you do not do that you would never have a plan A and an alternate Plan B
My advice to you is to become a steadfast scholar who is bent on synchronizing the goal with the route, the goal of your career aspiration and the route being your PhD degree. Remember that you are a professional in making and before moving ahead with any other research, it is better to take up a self-research, a research of your dreams, aspirations, interests and capabilities. Focus on being original in identifying what is the construct of your PhD going to be like. You have to take control of the present situation and steer the way towards your desired future. It is only possible when you have identified for yourself, what your needs are. Then only will you be able to make the best decision of your life and do effective marketing. If you haven’t worked upon that yet, do it now and explore your strengths and talents and synchronize them with your efforts in your PhD so that the direction you chose is the best direction for your personality and leads to the best possible growth of your career.