6 PhD Habits That Will Save You Years of Struggle (Start Using Today)

A PhD advantage doesn’t come from being the smartest person in the room; it comes from adopting specific mindsets that change how problems are handled, how progress is measured, and how setbacks are interpreted. The core message is that finishing faster—and doing better work—depends less on raw talent and more on how a researcher thinks when experiments fail, supervisors push direction, and motivation dips.

First comes “problem solver” thinking. When a PhD student hits a roadblock, that obstacle becomes their responsibility, not something to outsource. Instead of bringing supervisors vague requests for permission or help, the student should arrive with a clear problem definition and at least one proposed solution. That approach keeps momentum intact: asking someone else to solve the issue forces them into problem-solving mode, while presenting both the problem and a solution “lubricates” collaboration. The same logic applies beyond academia—if something blocks goals, ownership of the fix is what moves progress.

Next is “ownership” of the project. Even if supervisors micromanage or dictate day-to-day work, there’s a point where agency must take over. The guidance is to take ownership of the direction of the PhD, using the “easier to ask for forgiveness than permission” mindset when trying new experiments or exploring alternative approaches. The payoff is mental health and a stronger sense of control: when things go wrong, the student can identify what’s within their control—performance, planning, or strategy—rather than blaming external forces.

A third mindset—“yet”—targets the language of failure. When negative thoughts appear (“I can’t do this,” “I’m not good at this”), adding “yet” reframes the situation as temporary and solvable. “I haven’t figured it out yet” shifts expectations from fixed inability to actionable learning, turning dead ends into next steps.

Progress also requires a “small wins” habit. Daily wins can be tiny: tidying the lab, spending 10 minutes on a graph, or even having the courage to tell a supervisor, “I’m not feeling great today.” The warning is against dismissing small progress as worthless unless it’s dramatic. Energy varies day to day, so the win should match the capacity of the moment—then accumulate over time.

The fifth mindset is “constant testing.” Because reality rarely follows the planned outcome, researchers should run iterative cycles of experiments and treat failures as information. The transcript gives a personal example from YouTube: testing multiple channels, then doubling down on what performed best. In a PhD, the same principle means communicating the small tests being run with a supervisor—most will fail, but the few that take off become an “unfair advantage.”

Finally, “discomfort is feedback” reframes avoidance. Discomfort—whether from imposter syndrome, repeated failure, or an experiment that feels wrong—contains data. Instead of fleeing it, the student should dissect what the discomfort is signaling: confidence gaps, communication fears, or mismatches with the experiment itself. Sitting with discomfort longer helps identify the root problem and extract actionable lessons, which the speaker credits as a reason they were able to finish a PhD in three years.