Indecision

[Ganepark32]

So, currently sat in a lab setting up for testing participants on someone's experiment and while I have no objection to the work, it's definitely not what I envisioned for myself this year. However, needs must and it'll go towards my eventual Masters qualification.

 

Anyway, the reason I'm making this thread is that I'm also sat thinking about what my next step(s) are going to be, within the next months and beyond. I've never been great at coming to decisions no anything which is probably why I've started to really think about what I want to do next now so that it gives me time to really think things through.

 

Obviously, one of my thoughts is the possibility of doing a PhD and I'm looking at several being offered at the moment which are all fully funded and sound amazing. For example, there's one being offered that's about doing research into a drug currently used for diabetes but has been shown to reverse some of the early symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Very neuroscience-y and definitely up my street. The main issue... they want the person who gets the position to start in early April and my Masters doesn't finish until August/September time, meaning I'd probably have to drop what I've done on my Masters if I got the position (and even that's a very slim possibility). The other issue... it's based in London and so I'd have to up sticks and move/get settled within about the space of a week and a half

 

Really, I'd love to do that kind of work but I can't decide whether it's worthwhile throwing in an application for it, especially when I know I probably won't get the position. Usually, I'd stick on a bit of music and bash around the ideas in my head until I either get something or just forget about it, the latter being most common for me as I have a tendency to be forgetful. I have tried the old 'make a list of the pros and cons' thing but it never seems to help me get closer to that decision.

 

And it's not just with potential careers/work that I struggle to come to decisions with, it's pretty much everything. Relationships (already got a thread for that so I didn't see the need to present that 'story'), making plans for meeting friends, just about everything.

 

Anyway, long story short, how do you guys and gals deal with coming to a decision and getting over that hurdle to come to it. What's your go to method or do you simply jump in head first and hope for the best.

[bob]

I am terrible with indecision. Sometimes it is almost crippling when i come to a choice between two things which have no discernable difference between them, and i can't make up my mind.

 

If I can't weight up the pros and cons and see a winner, then i get stuck. It's like an off button...

[Rummy]

I sometimes think I'm terribly indecisive, or at least I procrastinate a lot. I put stuff off til I really have to deal with it, when it matters so much I'm forced to make a decision and can't leave it anymore kinda thing. It's funny, thinking about it now, I don't feel like I've really had to make all that many decisions in the last few years? No major life ones anyway, often the 'choice' or path is somewhat obvious/limited.

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

I usually go with my gut feeling, which I realise isn't very helpful advice at all. If the initial gut feeling isn't clear, I make a decision and stick with it for a while, taking notice of how I feel about it; if it feels wrong, I change my mind and go with the other option, again noting my gut feeling. Usually this method helps me figure out which option feels most right, but obviously it's not perfect.

[Rummy]

Coin flip between two decisions is often helpful for me. If you wanna flip best of 3/5/7/9 then I think you know what you really want! Also sometimes just quite handy for decisions anyhow.

[Ashley]

Big life decisions I'm usually okay with. I decided I wanted to move to London, so I did. I decided I wanted to study animation, so I did. Decided I wanted to quit work, so I kind of did. But ask me which table I want at a restaurant and I'm useless.

[Captain Falcon]

Coin flip between two decisions is often helpful for me. If you wanna flip best of 3/5/7/9 then I think you know what you really want! Also sometimes just quite handy for decisions anyhow.

 

I do this for the exact same reason. You flip that coin and if you get the result you want, you go with it or you start saying to yourself "best of x" and keep bumping it up until you get the rsult you really want.

 

Otherwise, you can't go wrong with your gut.

 

Often, I find I don't even really think about things - especially the bigger things. I just say to myself "sod it" and then just do the thing I want to do at the time even if it might not necessarily be the best thing overall.

[MoogleViper]

Am I indecisive? Ummm, maybe, I don't know. I'm not sure.

[Sheikah]

So, currently sat in a lab setting up for testing participants on someone's experiment and while I have no objection to the work, it's definitely not what I envisioned for myself this year. However, needs must and it'll go towards my eventual Masters qualification.

 

Anyway, the reason I'm making this thread is that I'm also sat thinking about what my next step(s) are going to be, within the next months and beyond. I've never been great at coming to decisions no anything which is probably why I've started to really think about what I want to do next now so that it gives me time to really think things through.

 

Obviously, one of my thoughts is the possibility of doing a PhD and I'm looking at several being offered at the moment which are all fully funded and sound amazing. For example, there's one being offered that's about doing research into a drug currently used for diabetes but has been shown to reverse some of the early symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Very neuroscience-y and definitely up my street. The main issue... they want the person who gets the position to start in early April and my Masters doesn't finish until August/September time, meaning I'd probably have to drop what I've done on my Masters if I got the position (and even that's a very slim possibility). The other issue... it's based in London and so I'd have to up sticks and move/get settled within about the space of a week and a half

 

Really, I'd love to do that kind of work but I can't decide whether it's worthwhile throwing in an application for it, especially when I know I probably won't get the position. Usually, I'd stick on a bit of music and bash around the ideas in my head until I either get something or just forget about it, the latter being most common for me as I have a tendency to be forgetful. I have tried the old 'make a list of the pros and cons' thing but it never seems to help me get closer to that decision.

 

And it's not just with potential careers/work that I struggle to come to decisions with, it's pretty much everything. Relationships (already got a thread for that so I didn't see the need to present that 'story'), making plans for meeting friends, just about everything.

 

Anyway, long story short, how do you guys and gals deal with coming to a decision and getting over that hurdle to come to it. What's your go to method or do you simply jump in head first and hope for the best.

 

Heh, quite a coincidence that. I'm doing a PhD in London (UCL) based on diabetes and making chronic ulcers heal.

 

I did a Masters too (MRes) down in Manchester. I pretty much didn't really know what to do and eventually opted to do a PhD. But I will say, there are so many times once you undertake your PhD that you'll question why you ever took it. It'll be really gruelling.

[The fish]

Coin flip between two decisions is often helpful for me. If you wanna flip best of 3/5/7/9 then I think you know what you really want! Also sometimes just quite handy for decisions anyhow.

 

They say flipping a coin helps you make a decision not because of the result, but you realise what you want as the coin is in the air.

[Iun]

 

I did a Masters too (MRes) down in Manchester. .

 

"Down" in Manchester?

 

Where are you from, the North Pole?

 

Anyway: if you are into clinical drugs etc, I'd say do something that is of direct benefit to humanity - if that's the research that will happen through the PhD, then go for it. You'll feel better if you actually do something that brings results to real people.

[Ganepark32]

Heh, quite a coincidence that. I'm doing a PhD in London (UCL) based on diabetes and making chronic ulcers heal.

 

I did a Masters too (MRes) down in Manchester. I pretty much didn't really know what to do and eventually opted to do a PhD. But I will say, there are so many times once you undertake your PhD that you'll question why you ever took it. It'll be really gruelling.

 

Oh, that sounds really interesting. Is it based on diabetic treatments which could have novel applications in healing chronic ulcers or are they a specific target of the treatments?

 

A few of the PhD students up here at Dundee have said the same thing about their PhDs. I know at least one really regrets having taken it on but she's in her final year of it but it's really put her off doing/getting a research based job in the future.

 

"Down" in Manchester?

 

Where are you from, the North Pole?

 

Anyway: if you are into clinical drugs etc, I'd say do something that is of direct benefit to humanity - if that's the research that will happen through the PhD, then go for it. You'll feel better if you actually do something that brings results to real people.

 

It's not something I'd given a huge amount of thought to previously, the whole clinical drugs thing to help with some neurological disorder, as I've generally been more interested in memory and figuring out ways you could potential help those with deficits/problems and perhaps even going so far as to consider neuro-engineering to rewire and bypass areas of the brain the are damaged and causing the problems. But the PhD I mentioned sounded awesome.

 

Sadly, I didn't get the position, as I pretty much knew would happen anyway. Think having a degree in Psychology was a bit of a stretch considering some of the areas you'd be covering in the programme. A real shame as it sounded great. Still, there'll most likely be something else that will come along if I still want to do a PhD, which is a bit questionable at the moment but again, it comes down to me being unable to decide at the moment whether it's something I really want to do or not.

[Sheikah]

Oh, that sounds really interesting. Is it based on diabetic treatments which could have novel applications in healing chronic ulcers or are they a specific target of the treatments?

 

A few of the PhD students up here at Dundee have said the same thing about their PhDs. I know at least one really regrets having taken it on but she's in her final year of it but it's really put her off doing/getting a research based job in the future.

 

 

 

It's not something I'd given a huge amount of thought to previously, the whole clinical drugs thing to help with some neurological disorder, as I've generally been more interested in memory and figuring out ways you could potential help those with deficits/problems and perhaps even going so far as to consider neuro-engineering to rewire and bypass areas of the brain the are damaged and causing the problems. But the PhD I mentioned sounded awesome.

 

Sadly, I didn't get the position, as I pretty much knew would happen anyway. Think having a degree in Psychology was a bit of a stretch considering some of the areas you'd be covering in the programme. A real shame as it sounded great. Still, there'll most likely be something else that will come along if I still want to do a PhD, which is a bit questionable at the moment but again, it comes down to me being unable to decide at the moment whether it's something I really want to do or not.

 

Yeah it's a novel drug that speeds up healing, pretty cool really. I'm part funded by the BBSRC and a drug company sponsor, and as part of my PhD I'm going to work for the company in New Zealand and America.