Here I am again with my famous question: And now what? What’s next? A question framed in simple words, yet carrying profound meaning. I do not wish to sound overly philosophical, but I find it impossible to avoid, because the question itself is deeply philosophical.
In his book A PhD Is Not Enough!, Peter J. Feibelman argues that earning a PhD is certainly not the end of the journey. He is absolutely right: a PhD is not enough. It is not an ending, but rather a beginning. The real challenge, however, lies in answering a more difficult question: the beginning of what exactly?
And that, my friends, is the tricky question that must be answered.
When I ask, “What next?”, I am not referring to the classic dilemma of whether to remain in academia or leave it behind. That question was settled the moment I decided to pursue a PhD. Instead, what I mean is this: what will capture my intellectual curiosity for the years to come? What research questions will occupy my mind, consume my time, and shape the next stage of my academic life?
Equally important, what obstacles and challenges will I have to overcome along the way? These are questions that demand answers before the D-day arrives.
A PhD teaches us how to ask questions; perhaps the true challenge after the PhD is deciding which questions are worth dedicating a life to pursuing.