“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to success is strong enough” -Og Mandino
What if a PhD had a different meaning than what we think of today? What if instead of it being associated with a degree you received, it was associated with your work ethic? Crazy, right? In today’s society, it is so easy to get caught up in the logistics of what lead someone to their current career; where they went to school, what their GPA was, what field of study their degree is in.
So, the catch is, being successful in a career is not solely based off your college education – sure, that can’t hurt; but it involves having a good work ethic. It involves having a different kind of PhD; being Proud, Hungry, and Determined. A worker who has a strong work ethic is bound to be more successful than someone with just solely an education. Of course, someone with a degree and a “PhD” can be viewed as a double threat.
You need to be proud. This means being proud of how far you’ve come, proud of what all you’ve completed, and proud of yourself for continuing to work toward your goals. However, you cannot let your past accomplishments cloud your vision for your future goals. You need to view every opportunity individually as a way to better yourself.
You need to be hungry. This means constantly looking for ways that you can achieve more. It is when you complete one task but turn around to ask, “What’s next?”. It is pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and finding new ways to advance yourself in your skills, knowledge, and abilities. If you are not hungry to achieve more, someone will eventually outwork you, outsell you, or outsmart you.
Lastly, you need to be determined. You need to persevere through hardships to get to where you want to be. You need to know that obstacles are inevitable, but if you are determined to overcome these obstacles, then you will. Determination can help you to do things that you never thought you were capable of doing.
Sure, having a degree is important but following the basic concepts of a “PhD” will open doors for you that you never knew existed before. You can be proud of all that you have accomplished. You should also know that you can reach any goals that you set your mind to. The open doors are endless if you are willing to put the work in to find them.
Written by: Jaclyn King, Summer 2019 Intern.
