Oh god, I describe grad research as a series of existential crises.
"Is this work worth anything?"
"Am I wrong?"
"Does this path just lead to a giant brick wall?"
I find there are a couple of tips that will keep you sane when tackling problems like this:
- Don't try to solve the problem at first. Spend more time than you think you should characterizing it, and describing how you'd know you'd reach a solution
- you will lose motivation and start to doubt yourself if you dont achieve small, conclusive milestones. Embark on a problem, set an ambitious deadline, and if you haven't hit your mark, divide it up again, start with the most doable segment and repeat.
- don't take shortcuts. This will only feed the doubt you already have. The biggest antidote for the existential crises I describe is trusting yourself. That becomes easier when you convince yourself of your methodology before you embark on a problem. Shortcuts lead to wobbly assumptions which undermine conclusiveness and just makes all your work feel like it rests on a foundation of sand and regrets.
"Is this work worth anything?"
"Am I wrong?"
"Does this path just lead to a giant brick wall?"
I find there are a couple of tips that will keep you sane when tackling problems like this:
- Don't try to solve the problem at first. Spend more time than you think you should characterizing it, and describing how you'd know you'd reach a solution
- you will lose motivation and start to doubt yourself if you dont achieve small, conclusive milestones. Embark on a problem, set an ambitious deadline, and if you haven't hit your mark, divide it up again, start with the most doable segment and repeat.
- don't take shortcuts. This will only feed the doubt you already have. The biggest antidote for the existential crises I describe is trusting yourself. That becomes easier when you convince yourself of your methodology before you embark on a problem. Shortcuts lead to wobbly assumptions which undermine conclusiveness and just makes all your work feel like it rests on a foundation of sand and regrets.