Missing deadlines

What a horrible word- deadline.  It sounds so final!  But final never seems very final.  I have been working on a journal article for  . . . a long time.  I hate missing deadlines, but sometimes life happens.  Plan for success, but remember- sometimes, you can only do what you can do!  Do your best.  When you miss a deadline, get up the next day and - do your very best.  Be honest with yourself.  Feeling bad doesn't get the work done.  Only doing it gets it done.  

Now, I will do my best to take my own advise.  :)

Accountability

One of the most important things that I am learning is accountability. I have always been able to meet requirements and be responsible for tasks. However, lately it has been increasingly difficult to meet competing demands for my time. The one thing that ends up falling off of my plate is my writing. I always feel like I can pick it back up later- after I attend to countless other things. Unfortunately, I then find myself in a bind. You must find someone else to have accountability "check-ins" with when you have independent projects to do. This could be your adviser or a friend (one that will actually tell you to get to work and help you figure out how to get started again). It can be helpful to have that someone whose specific purpose is to call you or take your call every week to give an update. You can pay someone to do this, or you can use someone your know that won't let you BS your way out of why you did nothing all week. !

-Cas

I am surviving.

There has to be more to this experience than mere survival.  At different points in my Ph.D. program, I think I found something more.  However, now I just hope that I can fall asleep without the variables floating in my head, and wake up without "theory" being my first thought.  -especially since those thoughts and concepts aren't really attached to anything.  They are almost superficial thoughts.  Not grounded.  I, sometimes, am not grounded.  I am surviving, but I am anxious to thrive.  Today, tomorrow, and beyond.  I plan to thrive.  You must plan success or failure is the default.  You must also plan to do more than merely survive.  

If this were easy . . . everyone would do it.

-cas