Look, let me start by conceding your point. Any time I hear someone say they’re thinking about a PhD I drag them into my office and I say, “Why would you do that?” And I listen very intently, and then I talk to them about the very real risk/reward ratio and explain better and safer ways to get to their goals (if possible).

But since you went through it, here’s what I’ll tell you.

What are the odds that a normie is going to outwork you if you don’t want to be outworked?

I’ve seen the outer limits. I’ve read and studied until I was ready to puke and then studied some more. I’ve set up work days, in advance, incorporating two hours of sleep on a conference room floor and figuring what tasks I’d be capable of with the severely degraded cognition of the sleep deprived. “Oh, I won’t be capable of X by then. But I can’t screw up Y even if I try, so I’ll do that then.”

I’ve literally hallucinated from overwork and exhaustion.

The only way I can be outworked is if I want to be, or if someone who has been through something similar is up against me.

You’ve been under pressure that almost made you break. Or it did make you break, and you worked broken.

I can learn god damned near anything and give a fifteen minute briefing on it. And after the committee meetings I’ve been through, my minimum level of prep meets most evaluator’s criteria for ‘excellent’. I just can’t afford to be cut to pieces again like I was.

You likely have a psychological fortitude, tenacity, and self-confidence that most people just can’t tap into because they don’t know just how bad it can get.

And for the rest of your life, you’ll never have to wonder if you could’ve done it.

So take those gifts and move forward, just like you did to get here. You’ve got no other option.