How do people here motivate themselves? What drives you to work hard every day?

After always being a kind of 'perfectionist'- I wouldnt rest until I had all A*s at GCSE, to A's at A level, to a getting a 1:1 for my undergrad but with my PhD I just don't care. I know that I don't deserve this PhD funding, not because I'm not capable- but I just don't want it as much as everyone else seems to. When others are going in at weekend and working late nights I feel guilty because I have NEVER (and probably never will) worked a weekend. I've just lost all motivation for academic study, infact I lost all ambition.
Ive not done any work now for 2 solid days and I know this can't go on...has anyone else been through this? How did you get out of it? How can I make myself care?

hey there, well i def feel the same sometimes but u gota think whether this is really what you want or whether you are just goin through a bad patch...i went through one last week and really didnt want to do this anymore...but after a break at easter and gettin away from it all for a few days it has sorted me out. Anyway...the way i look at it is to think how it would make you feel if someone took your phd away from you. i thought about it and i wouldnt be too happy so i figure i want it! that prob doesnt make a lot of sense but hope it helps!

That's an interesting perspective. Infact, my supervisor has taken on another student this year (self-funded), when I asked what her PhD will be on he said "x y z" which is the SAME as I am working on- and it did get me riled a bit. I could do with a pacemaker- during my undergrad there was this girl who was really clever but I always put that bit extra in to made sure I finished top of my year. I don't really have that competition anymore and so my pace has almost grinded to a halt. I shouldn't need to compete or compare against to others though to keep myself going......

i have been through ups and downs during my phd and many times i've felt like this. this went on for months and months and i was just working for the sake of staying on the course. being a perfectionist, and i am one believe it or not, is not easy coz with a phd there is nothing to aim for apart from passing. Check out the following link on the seven secrets of highly successful phd students. Hope you find these guidelines of help. They've been of help to me. Meanwhile, no one expects you to work weekends if you're doing 9-5 monday to Friday. I personally only work weekends coz my weekdays start at 12 and i have found it difficult to conform to the 9-5 lifestlye. Take a few days off to take your mind off your thesis. Your energy will be renewed when you get back to it.

http://www.grad.ac.uk/downloads/documents/PGR%20tips%20archive/PGR_Tips_Issue_12_Mar07.pdf

I motivate myself by thinking of the bigger picture. The prospect of running out of money in 2.5 years time because I haven't finished tends to focus the mind on getting on with the job!

Also, as I want a PostDoc and eventually a career in academia, I like to be seen around the department as hardworking!

Whatever works for you I guess...

..moreover, much as I'm working long hours during the week (I have to meet a self-imposed deadline in 3 weeks), I am not working weekends - I need battery recharge time!

jojo, Sincerely- Thank You. You hit the nail on the head- when all you have to aim for is a "Pass" you 'can' lose that drive that makes you want to achieve.

On another note, in the last year my life has moved to exactly how I wanted it- I've got married, bought my own house and I've just started to wonder whether a PhD would make a smidging of difference to my already happy life?

It depends on whether you really aren't suited to doing a PhD or whether you're passing through a low motivation phase. If the former, then quitting may maker you happier. If the latter, you'll always regret not completing the job in years to come.

Hmmm, but how do you know whether you are suited or not? My supervisors seem really happy with my progress, my advisor even said that my preliminary literature report was one of the best he'd ever seen. So it would suggest that I'm doing alright at it and I don't want to quit (but only for the sake of not quitting, if that makes any sense!).

Those guidelines that jojo posted are really good, I'd recommend them to everyone!!

Am glad that you find my advice helpful. On whether completing the PhD will make a difference in your life, as a perfectionist, you have to deal with what's gonna happen when everyone around you discovers that the ever-perfect Silverbobs couldn't handle a PhD. It might seem to be a small issue for others, but being seen to have been tested to the limit and fallen at the last hurdle for a perfectionist by far worse, than just perservering and finishing the PhD and keeping your reputation. Everyone aroud you is proud of you and this PhD you've taken up. The question you need to answer is whether you prepared to deal with giving explanations for what may perceived as failure or worse still, with being perceived as a failure.

Ooooo nice Jojo, you're not perhaps a social sciences PhDer?!

Seriously though- it's quite interesting, I'm just imagining how dissapointed my hubby and parents would be if I failed. Hmmm...im off to write out some actions for tomorrow now!!

my supervisor is yet to say any such thing about my work, so if there is no other reason you stay on your PhD, stay coz your work is of a high standard.

all the best silverbobs. am a social science phd. i should also get back to work. later.

Perfectionism and a PhD rarely fit together anyway - unless you're planning on spending the next 20 years creating a paradigm shift and then submitting. Attention to detail? Yes of course but not perfectionism. It's just a PhD, a training exercise in producing an original piece of research.

Sylvester, I think that your last sentence there is the single best piece of advice I've ever read on this forum. Helps to keep things in perspective!