A PhD is a life commitment, not a credential shortcut. Many people enter for external validation, like proving doubters wrong, but those who finish usually find personal meaning in the work. Before you start, get honest about why you actually want it.
A PhD is something you commit to. It's not a quick certification or something like that. It's something you dedicate yourself and your life to. Over the years, I've coached people who got into doctoral programs because they thought it would be cool to get a doctorate, but they stayed because it provided meaning to their life and they found direction to move forward. I've worked with a number of people who got into doctorate programs because a 3rd grade teacher told them they'd never make it, that they're never gonna graduate from high school, and they were trying to disprove this 3rd-grade teacher who, just as a spoiler alert, is probably dead now. And you're probably not going to impress that 3rd-grade teacher. But if you're doing it for your own internal reasons, great. If you're stuck along the way, join our free dissertation help group.
