The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Lex DeVille's - Journey To Doctor

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
Get Accepted Into Ph.D. Program - Complete
First step required references and a statement of purpose. Slightly more legit than my previous program. Now that I've been accepted, it looks like I'll start sooner than expected. Had an opportunity to start next month, so I took it.

Psi-Chi Honor Society
It's in my sights. I've already met all of the academic requirements to be accepted into Psi-Chi, but I couldn't do it with my Master's program because they're not associated with Psi-Chi. The new school is affiliated with Psi-Chi, so once I get started I'll only need to pass three classes with top marks to be eligible to apply. This is my next milestone goal.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
I made a last-minute change to my enrollment. I was browsing the online options with the school and saw that they have a Juris Master's degree (law degree) that will only take one year to complete. I've wanted to study law in a structured way and build a foundation for that, so I decided to go into that program before completing the Ph.D.

I was back and forth about which program made more sense to start with, but law is more relevant to my current business pursuits, and the Ph.D. will take around three years. Once I complete the J.M., I'll hold two graduate degrees, a lot more credibility, and even a new skill set that can be applied within my business, and also as a freelance writer to target niches where there is no competition if I want to go that route.

Law.PNG

Ultimately, I want to study law for a while. Plus, I'll still get the alumni benefits and discounts that will go toward the Ph.D. afterward. Basically, the only drawback is that it will take an extra year to earn a Ph.D. But that's not a big deal to me since I don't need to leverage the Ph.D. for anything other than to build another piece of legacy.

So that's the latest update. If you don't like it, I will sue you... in about a year. :)
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ZF Lee

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
180%
Jul 27, 2016
2,840
5,113
25
Malaysia
I made a last-minute change to my enrollment. I was browsing the online options with the school and saw that they have a Juris Master's degree (law degree) that will only take one year to complete. I've wanted to study law in a structured way and build a foundation for that, so I decided to go into that program before completing the Ph.D.

I was back and forth about which program made more sense to start with, but law is more relevant to my current business pursuits, and the Ph.D. will take around three years. Once I complete the J.M., I'll hold two graduate degrees, a lot more credibility, and even a new skill set that can be applied within my business, and also as a freelance writer to target niches where there is no competition if I want to go that route.

View attachment 40323

Ultimately, I want to study law for a while. Plus, I'll still get the alumni benefits and discounts that will go toward the Ph.D. afterward. Basically, the only drawback is that it will take an extra year to earn a Ph.D. But that's not a big deal to me since I don't need to leverage the Ph.D. for anything other than to build another piece of legacy.

So that's the latest update. If you don't like it, I will sue you... in about a year. :)
Many of the world's most famous leaders (and masters in persuasion) studied law...Lee Kuan Yew, Obama, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, even Putin himself (studied law in Leningrad State University, wrote a thesis titled 'The Most Favored Nation Trading Principle in International Law').

That would be an insane credibility marker for your copywriting works -- probably more unique than just a direct-line marketer.

I did a few modules in business law in college myself...and I actually enjoyed it. Very evidence-based, no room for the social justice woke-crap...all about looking at how to interpret problems and different scenarios as they come.
 

OleksiyRybakov

Bronze Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
78%
Aug 25, 2021
186
145
Germany
At this rate we will soon have threads like "My journey to high school diploma" and "XYZ's Burger Flipping Guide: Earn 20k this Year (Yes, 2021!) & Go Sidewalk".
I feel inspired to start such a Sidewalk thread. But instead of flipping burgers I'd like to flip crypto.

Anyway, well done, Lex!
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
An update...

After changing my degree program with the intent to earn a law degree, I never got into it. Since two semesters have passed and I still haven't enrolled in courses, I decided to get going with my Ph.D. in Psychology before I get any older.

I start courses on Monday.

The doctoral program is broken into three pieces. The first 21 credits are part of an Executive Certificate in Psychology at the doctoral level. Once I complete those credits, I'll be 1/3rd through the Ph.D. program and I'll have a fancy certificate.

The certificate courses roll into the total doctoral program. Essentially, I'm knocking out the boring core courses (Mostly statistics, research, and analysis) upfront in exchange for a lower price per credit hour.

The second 21 credit hours are the "fun" courses. As of now, I intend to specialize in social psychology, so these courses will center around that subject and will take up the second year of the program.

The final 18 credit hours are for my dissertation.

Joining the Psi-Chi Honor Society is still high on my to-do list, and I'm only 3 courses away, so that is the next closest goal.

Hopefully, I can reveal more soon about how I'll leverage this degree once I have it and also share insights from the perspective of a student attending a conservative Christian college.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Mike05

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
100%
Jul 28, 2022
8
8
23
Toronto, Canada
If you'd asked three years ago about grad school I would've laughed in your face. I hadn't even finished the undergrad degree I started in 2007, one of the longest, most agonizing experiences of my life. I'd hopped from one major to another and from school to school searching for the right program. All of those switches caused years of setbacks and added costs. Luckily, I served in the military and Post 9-11 GI Bill covered it all (almost). Unfortunately, I ran out of GI Bill with a few classes remaining, and because I didn't value degrees (reinforced by success in freelancing) and didn't want to pay out of pocket, I dropped out in 2016 vowing never to go to college again.

But two years later (2018) I logged into the old online classroom to see if I still had access. Turns out I did, so I checked the degree progress report which showed a GPA in the mid 2.5 range and four classes remaining to graduate. I was nine months into being a first time dad, and nearly nine years into entrepreneurship and as I looked at that progress I couldn't help but think, four classes left? WTF why didn't you just finish it?! I don't know if it was the potential for credibility or maybe that I want my daughter to grow up with an educated dad, but I decided to break my vow, pay out of pocket, and finish what I started. I also committed to doing the best I could to raise my GPA. All of this while managing my business systems and operating as a full-time stay at home dad.

In early 2019 I graduated with a B.A. in Psychology, officially surpassing both of my parents in education. I'd also managed to raise my GPA to a 3.1. It took weeks for the diploma to arrive in the mail, and to be honest, I didn't think I'd care. But when it showed up and I had it in hand, something switched in my mind. This was one of the most rewarding experiences in the world. A kid who'd barely passed high school and spent 10 years working on a degree that most people earn in four, was finally a college graduate.

View attachment 29969

Shortly after receiving the diploma I started to imagine what it would be like to go beyond. I joked about it with my wife, "What if I became a Doctor? You'd have to call me Dr. DeVille!" And at first it was only a joke. But then that joke turned into a thought seed. The more I joked, the more curious I became. Soon the thought seed started to grow. I looked into what it would take to become a Doctor of Psychology and realized it would be a lot of work, likely 10 times harder than undergraduate, and would require another six to ten years of school.

The time frame was daunting, but that little curiosity seed wouldn't let go, and within a month I made the decision to enroll again, this time into a Masters program for psychology which would be paid for out of pocket. The degree would come from the same school I'd already graduated from and would prep me for doctoral training, plus, even if I decided not to go through with a PhD program, I'd still come away with a Master's. Unlike the undergrad degree, this time I made a new commitment. Not only would I finish the degree in the shortest time possible without breaks, but I'd also work to maintain a 4.0 GPA and be the top student in every class.

So far I've finished 4 of the 12 Master's classes, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and was invited to two honor's societies. I'm currently on track to graduate in February of 2021.

View attachment 29971
So I thought I'd document the progress from this point forward since I've recently read posts by people who felt that doing school plus running a business is impossible. To those people...it is not.

From this point forward is my Journey to become a Doctor of Psychology.

Current Obstacles
1. The program I want to enter requires completion of a Master's degree.
2. The nearest APA accredited Doctoral programs are 1.5 hours away.
3. Clinical and other APA accredited programs are highly competitive.
4. Need to complete the GRE which was waived for my current school.
5. Need letters of recommendation.
6. Need to maintain a high GPA.
7. Need to get better at statistics.
8. Need to improve my technical writing skills.
9. Need to clean up online presence.
10. Need to join honor societies.
11. Need to do all of this while managing my business and being a dad.

On a bright note, when I finally get accepted into one of the nearby programs, the degree will mostly be funded by the school. I may not have to pay anything out of pocket for that. But no matter what happens, I will have that degree.

For now I'm focused on the first goal, the Master's degree. This week I'll also start to study for the GRE. The plan is to take the GRE early to see where I stand, and then to take it again in six months after studying to improve the scores as needed to be competitive for surrounding programs.

So that's it for now. Don't know how often I'll update, but you're welcome to follow along if you want.
Congratulations & Good Luck!
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
First Impressions
Today is the first day of class. I didn't want to be the first person to post a discussion response because it kind of makes you look like an over-achieving douche...but I got tired of waiting for other students to respond.

Wokeness?
No. So far I haven't experienced any wokeness. It is a Christian college and seems to lean conservative. My professor ended her initial instructions with a Bible verse. I find that a good sign. Also, I think it is a good sign that the first two courses in the program are Research & Statistics I & II. Even if a student drops out afterward, they will come away with additional new knowledge to help decipher the bullshit propaganda studies taking place in society these days.

Students
The initial discussions are likely a sign of what to expect from other students. The first student posts are too short in word count. It means they didn't carefully read the instructions. Their posts also contain several grammar errors (although I'd say the writing quality is higher than at my previous college so far). Our professor is clearly Enneagram Type One. I'm confident she will crack down on small matters like this. Attention to detail will be particularly important in this course.

Summary
Overall, I find it tolerable. If the initial student posts are any indication of what to expect, then I should do fine.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
Wrapping up the first week, the workload was heavy, but not too bad.

Instructor
So far the instructor seems unavailable. I responded to her initial discussion and received no response back from her despite asking questions. Oh well.

Students
The students are living up to expectations from the previous post. Only one other student posted an introduction of the correct length. Only one other student replied to any other students in the class, and those replies were a sentence long. All introductions and replies are due by tomorrow.

On a bright note, the posts and replies are clearly by a higher caliber of person than in my previous college. Most appear to be working-class professionals with lengthy 20+ year careers in their fields. Some already hold doctoral degrees in other fields.

Dissertation
I need to begin thinking about this now, even though I'm only at the beginning of this journey. What problem will I cover? How will covering that problem benefit me in the future?

Specialization
It's a toss-up between social psychology and I/O psychology. I'm not sure which one will serve me better for credibility in the future. It kind of depends on what path my career takes. I lean toward I/O being more useful, while social psych will probably be more interesting.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
As we move deeper into statistics, the class is showing its true colors. Almost everyone waits for the last minute to post anything. Some have no sense of reading comprehension.

One strange new development is some students write with an air of superiority. They purposely use big/fancy words, and I'm not sure if it's because they're retarded or they actually talk that way. Personally, I do not find them superior, just annoying.

One of those students quoted the Bible in response to my post. When she cited the bible...what a coincidence?! She has the EXACT same Bible by the same publisher with the same publication year as the one I quoted in my own post?! OR... she copied my citation because she didn't know how to cite the Bible/didn't want to dig out the information for her own Bible.

Beyond that, the coursework hasn't been bad. I wish the schools would show a comparison of student grades. That would be more fun and would promote competition among students to work harder.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
One strange new development is some students write with an air of superiority. They purposely use big/fancy words, and I'm not sure if it's because they're retarded or they actually talk that way. Personally, I do not find them superior, just annoying.

Isn't that normal in the academic world? Academic language is notorious for pretending to be smart by writing in a complex way and using the most obscure synonyms for simple words.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
Isn't that normal in the academic world? Academic language is notorious for pretending to be smart by writing in a complex way and using the most obscure synonyms for simple words.
At my previous college, it was a good day if the students capitalized the word "i" and put a period at the end of a sentence. :rofl:
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
Until today, everything was easy breezy. I got up with a pep in my step around 3:30 this morning ready to knock out the week's reading, assignment, and quiz.

Twelve hours later, I'm ready to cry.

It's like the class went from 0 to 1,000. Suddenly mathematical formulas and symbols abound. Today's work is officially the hardest assignment I've ever done. The quiz was almost as bad.

The quiz was 40 questions. It was open book, but not all of the questions were from the book. Many were statistical calculations. I shouldn't have attempted it today. My brain was already on empty from working so hard on the assignment.

Don't know how I survived it all. I came out of the quiz with a low 82% that I'm pretty annoyed with because I spent well over an hour researching answers, doing math, double-checking....

What's funny is I got all of the math questions right. The questions I got wrong had answers in the book, but they were like trick questions that I misread because my brain was mush.

From now on, I have to rethink my approach to school. I've been waiting until the weekend to do my reading/work because I've been busy. I'm gonna have to find some way to stretch it out across the week more so I don't have to read and apply everything all at once.

On a bright note, at least I'm not the other students... If it was this hard for me, everyone else is in for a horribly rude awakening. I might be the only student left in class after this week.
 

Primeperiwinkle

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
320%
Nov 30, 2018
1,645
5,261
Until today, everything was easy breezy. I got up with a pep in my step around 3:30 this morning ready to knock out the week's reading, assignment, and quiz.

Twelve hours later, I'm ready to cry.

It's like the class went from 0 to 1,000. Suddenly mathematical formulas and symbols abound. Today's work is officially the hardest assignment I've ever done. The quiz was almost as bad.

The quiz was 40 questions. It was open book, but not all of the questions were from the book. Many were statistical calculations. I shouldn't have attempted it today. My brain was already on empty from working so hard on the assignment.

Don't know how I survived it all. I came out of the quiz with a low 82% that I'm pretty annoyed with because I spent well over an hour researching answers, doing math, double-checking....

What's funny is I got all of the math questions right. The questions I got wrong had answers in the book, but they were like trick questions that I misread because my brain was mush.

From now on, I have to rethink my approach to school. I've been waiting until the weekend to do my reading/work because I've been busy. I'm gonna have to find some way to stretch it out across the week more so I don't have to read and apply everything all at once.

On a bright note, at least I'm not the other students... If it was this hard for me, everyone else is in for a horribly rude awakening. I might be the only student left in class after this week.
I’m glad that your brilliant mind is being challenged. Being bored sucks. Show mercy on the little guys, they don’t have your emotional iq and they won’t be able to process as well. You’re already a leader.. and dude? If no one’s told you lately, you’re doing well.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
I’m glad that your brilliant mind is being challenged. Being bored sucks. Show mercy on the little guys, they don’t have your emotional iq and they won’t be able to process as well. You’re already a leader.. and dude? If no one’s told you lately, you’re doing well.

I don't have much interaction with the rest of the class. Seems like interaction takes a back seat to the course content (which is kind of nice). I would enjoy interacting with other students, but usually, it feels superficial. Seems like everyone is just too busy to get involved.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Primeperiwinkle

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
320%
Nov 30, 2018
1,645
5,261
I don't have much interaction with the rest of the class. Seems like interaction takes a back seat to the course content (which is kind of nice). I would enjoy interacting with other students, but usually, it feels superficial. Seems like everyone is just too busy to get involved.
I get that and I’m sorry for it, especially for you because you’re paying to attend. I had to hunt down really smart active (on forums) women one by one and invite them to telegram to have small online “enclaves”.

It was the only way I could fulfill my need for deep intellectual discussion. I have friends from CiRCE Institute and friends from Davenant House and a friend who worked at CERN. Most of them know two languages at least. Right now I run two groups. I never make one larger than 7 ppl. I’m never the smartest in the group but that’s what makes it lovely ya know?

Being an extravert (well 52% of me lol) can be a blessing.. since I don’t have any qualms about just reaching out and saying hi I can invite ppl who otherwise wouldn’t engage. Every single one of my intellectual friends is an introvert. I had to break the ice first. I had to be the host of the online party.

There’s a Twitter guy who did a similar thing. He wrote letters and then started his own stoic/philosophy book discussion group. I can’t remember his nickname. Anyhoo.. all that to say it can be done. Maybe not with 20 yr olds, but I’d be willing to bet that there are some extremely brilliant men who would love to have a solid friendship built on intellectual pursuits.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
gahhhhh

Just got my results back from last week's assignment. An 80%... I'm incredibly frustrated with that score after how much time I put into it. I need to adjust how I study going forward, or I won't be able to maintain an A in the class.

I'll have to spend more time watching YouTube videos covering these stupid equations and topics. I hate this class with a burning passion now. Thankfully, I'm on the downward slope. Three more weeks (plus 8 weeks of advanced statistics FML).

On a bright note, the complicated equations from last week doubled in complexity for this week. What luck!
 

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,563
68,689
Ireland
gahhhhh

Just got my results back from last week's assignment. An 80%... I'm incredibly frustrated with that score after how much time I put into it. I need to adjust how I study going forward, or I won't be able to maintain an A in the class.

I'll have to spend more time watching YouTube videos covering these stupid equations and topics. I hate this class with a burning passion now. Thankfully, I'm on the downward slope. Three more weeks (plus 8 weeks of advanced statistics FML).

On a bright note, the complicated equations from last week doubled in complexity for this week. What luck!
Shudder. Definitely feel for you doing all that complicated stats. CTR, CPC, ROI. That's the level of maths I care about.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
Shudder. Definitely feel for you doing all that complicated stats. CTR, CPC, ROI. That's the level of maths I care about.

I split my studies up for the week. I did the reading over several days while waiting to pick my daughter up from school (I arrive about an hour early so I can get a close parking spot lol). I watched the video content in the evenings and then worked on my assignment first thing in the morning when my mind was fresh.

I also created a playlist on YouTube for statistics so I can save helpful videos. So far, it's working well.

I found an interesting problem. One of the questions on this week's assignment was almost impossible to answer. It asks for an example of a variable that would result in a platykurtic distribution.

First, I turned to my textbook to find an example to spur ideas. The textbook had none. Then I went to the video content. No examples. So I turned to Brave browser and also Google search. No clear examples. So I turned to YouTube. No clear examples.

How the hell do I give a real-world example of a variable that would result in this outcome when apparently nobody in the history of mankind can explain how this shit works?!

Eventually, I did find one or two examples after reading a bunch of Google articles. They just weren't very clear and didn't explain the concept well, so I'm still not 100% sure my answer is correct (but I think it is). Assuming my response is correct, then I could come up with additional examples and publish those on a blog or YouTube and pick up a shitload of views/traffic.

When it comes to statistics simplified for regular people, there are some big a$$ gaps in the market.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
I'm close to my breaking point. Five hours invested into solving a single problem on this week's assignment and I still have no idea if my answer is correct. What sucks is I won't allow myself to give up and take the L on it. I want to know how it works, but the explanations aren't clear. I'm about ready to hire a freelance statistician tutor. This is insane. It's so bad I even developed a migraine. I'm out for now. Heading to a theme park. Hopefully, the problem solves itself by the time I return.
 

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,563
68,689
Ireland
I'm close to my breaking point. Five hours invested into solving a single problem on this week's assignment and I still have no idea if my answer is correct. What sucks is I won't allow myself to give up and take the L on it. I want to know how it works, but the explanations aren't clear. I'm about ready to hire a freelance statistician tutor. This is insane. It's so bad I even developed a migraine. I'm out for now. Heading to a theme park. Hopefully, the problem solves itself by the time I return.
Sometimes sleeping on it makes it crystal clear in the morning.

Sounds like you could indeed hire a tutor and move forward faster and easier.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
Sometimes sleeping on it makes it crystal clear in the morning.

Sounds like you could indeed hire a tutor and move forward faster and easier.

As it turns out, a website called "Course Hero" (that you have to pay for) showed a preview of the solution for the exact problem I've attempted to solve. I didn't pay for Course Hero, but from the preview, I can tell that I have correctly solved the problem. I think the issue is that I'm overthinking the equations to the point that I second-guess my answers and then spend so much time trying to figure out if I missed something that I lose the bigger picture.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
Things turned around nicely this week. Got my grade on the latest assignment. Missed 1 point. That brings my overall class score back up and confirms I didn't break my brain for nothing.

I have less reading this week, but it's more complicated. I'll have to move my reading to the mornings when I have the mind power to process the concepts.

According to internet stats, 50 to 60% of Ph.D. students quit. That's pretty high attrition.

My daughter says I just need to focus on one thing at a time. Ironically, that's also what my therapist says.
 

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,563
68,689
Ireland
Things turned around nicely this week. Got my grade on the latest assignment. Missed 1 point. That brings my overall class score back up and confirms I didn't break my brain for nothing.

I have less reading this week, but it's more complicated. I'll have to move my reading to the mornings when I have the mind power to process the concepts.

According to internet stats, 50 to 60% of Ph.D. students quit. That's pretty high attrition.

My daughter says I just need to focus on one thing at a time. Ironically, that's also what my therapist says.
Kids are wicked smart. I get my kids to watch my videos and give me advice. I should pay them really. (Hope they don't read this.)
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

msufan

Gold Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
202%
Mar 13, 2013
550
1,109
Great thread to read -- tracking a very different kind of progress than many other threads on here, but it's the same mindset and approach that wins the day in either case.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
After making adjustments to my study patterns, I'm seeing improved results. My homework and test scores are much higher. I've raised my grade back into the mid-90s. There are two weeks left of class.

I'm starting to look for research questions for my dissertation. I'm considering topics in the areas of social and behavioral fear. There aren't many studies on recreational fear (fun activities that trigger fear), so that's an area I'm considering.

When it comes to psychology topics, there are a few main areas I've put focus on over the years:

- Influence & Persuasion
- Hypnotherapy
- Warfare
- Dangerous Cults

Fear typically falls within these areas as a sub-topic.

For instance, fear can be used to influence and persuade mass audiences. It can be used in war to keep an enemy on their toes and in dangerous cults to keep members in line. Hypnotherapy often aims to resolve fear; however, used in reverse, it can install fear.

Currently, I run a blog where I talk about recreational fear in the context of haunted attractions. I've considered opening a local attraction since 2019, and I'm currently looking at it as an option for next year.

To specialize in fear would add a great deal of branding power to the backstory and lore of any future attraction. Plus, it would just be different and fun.
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
This week presents a unique opportunity to test a fear topic within the context of my university.

We were given an assignment that involves discussing recent research in one of X provided areas OR an area of our choosing (my favorite words).

Not only will this assignment be a good test, but any takeaways can become an article for my site.

Currently, I'm looking into research on how pain-related fear influences movement and sound perception. I'll also look into various methods of fear conditioning.

This is going to be fun, buahahahaha!

:innocent: :halo:
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,930
Utah
I'm crawling my way through this week like a zombie on the Walking Dead.

A little over a week ago I caught a cold. I recovered for about three days, then caught covid. I'm on day six of that, and it's been a total shitshow. I took on a higher client workload than usual just before I got sick again, so the week has been a special kind of hell.

The bad parts were an extreme headache, dizziness, and mind fog. Trying to understand statistical equations made me sick to my stomach. But the WORST WORST part was I couldn't keep my morning coffee down!!!!! So I couldn't drink it :(

Okay, the real worst part was the freaking hot/cold flashes. One night before I realized I had covid, I woke in terror thinking I was having a seizure because the cold chills had my body shaking violently and uncontrollably. I actually got out of bed to check in the mirror for signs of muscle control loss. Later in the week when I mentioned the hot/cold switching to someone is when they suggested I might have covid. So I tested and came up positive.

I lost a lot of sleep this week. The first few nights I could only sleep in 20-30 minute sprints. My temperature was changed between freezing cold and blazing hot within a matter of seconds. Later in the week, I managed to get 3-4 hours per night, and last night was the first night I pulled 6.5 full hours. I even had dreams! I only woke because mucus built up that triggered a harsh coughing spell.

Now it's Saturday, and I'm playing catch-up. Basically, everything I did during the week has to be rewritten / relearned.

Next week is the final week of class, and the deadlines are shorter than in previous weeks. I've got family events going on next week as well, so I needed to get more done this week to make up for the lost days.

blah.
 

Antifragile

Progress not perfection
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
453%
Mar 15, 2018
3,706
16,806
Take care of health first Lex. The rest, like classwork and even clients... yeah, they aren't as important. Hope you feel 100% soon.

Coincidentally, I got sick a week and a half ago with a gentle cold, got better within 2 days like you. Went back to regular life, work etc. Then on day 7 hit me like a ton of bricks, last few days had been shit. I didn't test for covid, but maybe that's what happened. Your post made me think. Because it's been a major WTF moment for me.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top