Three Ways in Which a PhD Changes The Way You Assess Your Circle of Competence

Working on a PhD is difficult, but something is rewarding in building a habit of questioning what you know and quickly learning what you don’t.

If it is kept in check, this habit can be used as a significant force for self-improvement. We don’t have to grow continuously. On the other hand, the world around us is changing, and we are inevitably pushed to do so alongside it.

Asking and researching answers is a valuable skill which keeps you growing at the right time.

The good: reviewing and growing your circle of competence

All areas of your life are constantly changing, and having a habit of reviewing your circle of competence is a superpower.

You can meet the challenge and grow at every difficulty that you encounter. Through your PhD, you have plenty of moments in which you question your competency and immediately take action to address essential holes in your knowledge.

Unfortunately, this can degenerate if it’s not kept in check.

The bad: not knowing when to stop

What happens when you try to ask too many questions?

This is a problem as you can’t question and learn everything. There is a chance that you might not know when to stop. Some of us had an advisor that helped us cultivate this skill, but sometimes we might get lost.

If you wonder if it can get worse… yes, it can!

The ugly: the wrong questions lead to imposter syndrome

The worse part is when you start thinking that you are an impostor.

Your circle of competency might look smaller than others, or you might consider others’ circles much larger than theirs. Either way, this is dangerous as you might start second-guessing what you have learned. This is impostor syndrome; unfortunately, many of us experience it.

Remember that you are intelligent and resourceful: simply questioning what you know puts you ahead of most people, but you don’t need to know everything.

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