January, 2005Volume 1, Issue 1

Happy Holidays and welcome to the first issue of FinishLine. If your New Year’s resolution is to finish your thesis or dissertation then you have come to the right place.

After answering several emails from many of you I decided that it was time to write a newsletter to address many of the questions that you shared with me.

I want you to know that you are not alone in your angst about selecting a topic, completing a proposal or finishing your thesis or dissertation. Many of us procrastinate because the task can seem so daunting that we don’t know where to begin.

To accomplish any long-term goal you must have the desire and the faith in the process and you must be able to visualize yourself accomplishing the goal. In other words, you must believe it, affirm it, and visualize it before you can achieve or actualize it.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.— Martin Luther King Jr.

Last year I ran my first marathon. In July I received a flyer in the mail and saw that the marathon was going to occur on my birthday in January. Hence I started with a deadline. I knew absolutely nothing about how to run a marathon except that it was 26.2 miles long. After months of training, I finished with a time of 5hrs:30min:28sec. Many of you don’t even know how long your thesis or dissertation needs to be.

Tip 1. To finish your thesis or dissertation you must decide on a specific date that you want to finish. Be realistic about setting a completion date by not overlooking or undervaluing your current relationships or future responsibilities. Do you have an anniversary or high school reunion coming up? Don't ignore them, plan around these important events.

• Setting a deadline will help you keep your eye on the goal and all the rewards that go with it.
• You may want to write down the many benefits and rewards that will accrue to you and your family when you achieve your goal.
• Post the list in a place where you and others can see it.
• At TADA! is no great magic in this first step to beating your personal stress and finishing your degree

Take the first step. Make a commitment to yourself using our TADA!™ Certificate online. Print it out and use it as a daily reminder of your commitment to yourself.  At TADA!™ we know our system works; we believe "a good thesis or dissertation is a Done thesis or dissertation."

Best Wishes in the New Year.

Please pass on this issue to friends and associates—just keep the entire message intact.

Sincerely,

Wendy Y. Carter, Ph.D.
drcarter@tadafinallyfinished.com
www.tadafinallyfinished.com

About the Author: As a single mother, professor Wendy Y. Carter, Ph.D., completed three masters' degrees and a PhD. Her motto is a Good Thesis/Dissertation is a Done Thesis/Dissertation. She is the creator of a new innovative interactive resource tool on CD--TADA! Thesis and Accomplished. To sign up for her FREE tips and teleclasses, fill out the form located on this page. Privacy is our policy. TADA™ Finishline does not give out or sell our subscribers' names or e-mail addresses.