Money or phd degree?

A long time ago, I tried to write an article to answer the following question: should you get a PhD? I never finished it because I never figured out a clear way of answering this question. But I recently thought about it some more and now I have a good answer.

My own perspective is based on my own experience of getting a PhD in economic from Glasgow University. Suffice it to say, I do think the experience was worthwhile and I’m immensely happy that I got a PhD.

However, a PhD isn’t for everyone. I’ve seen others very disappointed by their experiences. So how can you decide if it’s for you?

I’ve seen a lot of people wondering about whether a PhD can get you a better job or if it’s just a waste of time because it takes at least five years, and the alternative might be working somewhere and building your career. It all seems rather complex.

But actually, my answer is simple: you should get a PhD if it is something that will truly challenge you in one of your passions. On the other hand, if all you’ll be doing is something you could have learned yourself, or if you won’t really grow as a person, don’t do it.

Unfortunately, a lot of degrees out there aren’t worth it. They are just a bunch of half-baked courses and a thesis that is not held to high standards. In my opinion, those are a waste of time. You only have one life, so if you’re using it to do something that doesn’t bring you to new heights, you’re wasting your time. If you’re just getting a PhD to get a job and it doesn’t help you grow, forget it.

Even if a PhD program is good, it might not be for you. You might be capable of doing it, but if it doesn’t light a fire in your heart, then at the end of those years it might just be another line on your curriculum vitae.

You might be surprised to learn that right now, I don’t use my PhD for work. I actually quit math and became a pro wildlife photographer. Funny right? A PhD in eocn isn’t very applicable in wildlife photography. But pushing myself hard during my PhD gave me a new level of confidence and also allowed me to achieve a very deep understanding of algebra,and econ, which I still appreciate today for its own beauty. I’ve wanted to achieve that level of understanding since I was a teenager. That’s why my PhD was worth it.

So, even if I don’t use my specialized knowledge for my career, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is the confidence I gained by really pushing my mind to the edge so that I could see what I was capable of in a body of knowledge that I love. And that is something I still use every single day.

Yes, I also wanted to become a math professor, but that goal was always secondary. It turns out that although I like math, I don’t like the professional mathematics world, nor do I like academia much either. I think modern academia for the most part is a rather diseased human endeavour and I’m happy I left it. However, that has nothing to do with getting a PhD.

In life, you can’t base your goals on how other people will respond to your achievements. That’s why basing your actions on whether you will get a job is a fool’s errand. Instead, you have to base your actions on how they will help you in your own self-development and growth.

Of course, it’s hard to think this way as a young person because the world is a scary place and sometimes with people trying to get you to do things for their own selfish reasons. Universities for example just want more students so they can get more money. Nevertheless, you have to eventually start thinking in terms of your own journey in life, or you’ll die inside.

So, if you’re thinking about a PhD, think about this: how will getting a PhD enrich you as a person? Is it the best next step for growth and to see the world in a new way? Will it stoke the fire in your soul? If so, go for it. But if you just don’t feel a driving passion to do it, take a couple months and really think about what life means and what you want to do. It might just save you from wasting a few years of your precious life.