It's good to have a plan

When it comes to my research, the last several weeks have found me feeling rather unfocused and a bit unsure. In a general sense, I know what I am supposed to be doing - writing my intro chapter - but the actual mechanics of doing it became progressively muddled the more I thought about my project as a whole. Remember the recent post where I confessed I think too much? Well, the paralyzing effects of that problem can hit me intellectually as well.

The good news: when intellectual paralysis hits there is a definite solution - it's called an outline. Of course, I have done previous outlining during my time here, and have had an outline for the chapter I'm working on for quite awhile. Still, what has caused my recent mental paralysis was not writing the current chapter but thinking about how the chapter would fit into the broader project. Since the intro chapter needs to cover the scope of the project along with relevant background issues, it necessitates a fairly detailed understanding of the project's "big picture" both in content and structure.

Until today, I had only developed a plan for the content my thesis would cover. By leaving the structure unfixed, I gave myself a good deal of wiggle room in order to accommodate any large issues that could arise. Basically, lack of structure became my safety net, and one that I seemed quite desperate to keep. However, with any project there comes a point where you have to relinquish the safety net, believe in yourself, and commit to your visualized outcome. Today I accomplished exactly that and the result was not fear, but purposeful relief. Next time, my net won't remain intact for so long.