I read a lot about stand-up comedy and recently read an article where someone described why they did it. I’d seen a lot of comedians describe this before, “Oh, I love the sound of a room laughing,” or “There’s nothing better than telling a story in front of people,” or “I was actually hoping to be a famous actor but this happened.” Then I read someone put it so simply and beautifully: “I do it because I need to do it.”
They just need to do it. It really resonated with me, because that’s why I do this blog and this work. I do it because I need to.
It used to be: the podcast is about learning, the blog is about practice, it’s all tied into earning a living; I want to help others, I want to help my family, I want to make some part of my living from a creative practice and so on. Lots of things, all bound up. And those things are still there, still true, but they’re behind a greater reason.
I do this work because I need to. I need to do it. It’s as simple as that.
My reasons were different in the past. They might change again in the future. But for now, I do this because I need to.
Why are you doing your PhD, right now? What’s keeping you going? What will keep you going to the end?
(and if things have changed over the course of your PhD, and because you are smart and can change your own course, how might you need to change your reasons and approaches to get you to submission, to the viva and beyond?)
