Who’s Jumping?

NOT ME… I’m not jumping.  I’m too scared to take the first leap.  Does this sound familiar?  It’s like my kid jumping off the pier into the ocean.  As much as she wanted to jump into the water, there was much deliberation… second guessing… and self-doubt.  We all have opportunities like this.  Life presents us with challenges to overcome and achieve.  If you don’t learn it now, it will happen again, and you might learn it later.  The FEAR is debilitating.

I want to jump.  Much like tutoring or teaching mathematics, the learner sometimes has no idea why the process is the way it is or why the answer is correct.  That’s how I feel about my academic writing.  In this case, I am the learner.  Intuition guides us, but how do you know if what you’re right or wrong?  This is the frustrating part for me.  Yup.  Call it a lack of trust.  My proposed methodology took a 180 degree turn and I’m unsure if this is the “right” thing to do. 

OK.  In doctoral research, there is no “right” or “wrong” as long as I can defend what I’m doing.  The crazy part is… with this radical change, all seems to be all falling into place.  It’s like the sky pieces of an annoying puzzle are fitting perfectly without forcing the pieces together.  I’m a little unnerved that what I am piecing together fits.  This has not happened before.  I’m somewhat alarmed.  The only way I will ever know if I am “right” or “wrong” is to jump. 

So, who’s jumping.  I am.  Just get it done… submit… get feedback… and revise.  Wish me luck…. Wheeeeeeeee...