This and That - Reaching Goals and Looking Ahead.

So this week is the last week of classes for the spring semester at the community college where I work.  Graduation is on Saturday for thousands of students will be getting associate degrees or certificates.  It's a pretty exciting time for these students and their families.  For me I have finished teaching and have posted grades for the students in the class I teach (Introduction to Psychology).  On a personal note I received grades for the last two graduate classes I had to take in the journey for my doctoral degree.  I am now officially "ABD" - All But Dissertation.  I have been in a semi-shock that I am so close (yet so far) from the end of my educational journey.  This is where so many doctoral students get stuck because the remainder of this journey is a lonely, personal one.

So how am I going to make sure that I continue toward my goal?  First of all I am telling everyone my goal for completion - May 2014.  So this makes me accountable to my family and friends to complete my journey when planned.  Also, my research is on perseverance and persistence toward achieving educational goals.  I would have to be a total screw up to not reach my own goal when my research is about reaching goals.  

A few months ago my doctoral adviser and I worked out a plan for completion of my degree.  Now I don't know about anyone else but give me a grid with goals and dates and I will do everything in my power to complete the task.  My worst enemy is a goal with no deadline.  So even though I will not be sitting in a class and meeting deadlines for a professor I am faced with that plan every day and know I must persist until I am done. 

I guess one of my biggest inspirations is that for years I have visualized myself walking across that stage at graduation in full academic regalia having the hood placed over my head for achieving my degree and receiving my diploma.  That has sustained me though countless late nights completing papers and plodding through research.  So I will complete this task.  There is so little left to do in comparison to what I have accomplished. 

In the end I want to be done because I have several novels clanging around in my head wanting to be written.  I can't start working on them until this goal is completed.