No accomplishment is achieved alone.

No accomplishment is achieved alone, much like no person is an island onto themselves. According to Albert Bandura’s (2001) social cognitive theory from the agentic perspective, there is the human agency, proxy agency and collective agency. The human (direct personal agency) leverages their intention, foresight, self-regulation and self-reflection in pursuit of their goals, while leveraging their proxy or inner circle to advocate on their behalf (Bandura, 2001). The collective agency or community invokes social systems and interdependent effort, much like the African proverb of “it takes a village…” as the individual pursuits and accomplishments are a result of the villages’ collective alignment of support. So, while a person may invest the work, make tremendous sacrifices in pursuit of their dreams and receive the recognition, behind that person often lies a person, an inner circle or network of communities that provide a safety net of psychological support. They serve as the air beneath one’s wings or the cheerleaders at the finish line, to help that person build the stamina needed to overcome self-doubt and setbacks, while celebrating the small accomplishments along the way. Consequently, after the momentous milestone of completing my Track 3 PhD residency last weekend, I paused to reflect on the journey. At the forefront of those memories, are my family, friends and community that have helped to carry me this far because pursuing a PhD is not for the faint of heart as it can be excruciating at times

Honestly, at the beginning of Track 3, I sat at my computer late one evening ready to press the Send button to my Advisor to drop the course. That voices loudly saying, “I just can’t do this…I’m exhausted. I’m scared. My research is on work passion and I’m not feeling very passionate about my topic right now. Why did I decide to do quantitative research????!!!! I don’t even like statistics......” The second before I pressed the left click on the mouse to end my misery, my fellow ‘Warriors in the Trenches’ came to mind. While we have that collective support, it’s those people that are ears deep in research, fighting the good fight alongside you, sharing their own fears and desires, that truly understand the intricacies of the journey. The thought of calling my fellow learners, Marsha, Cresha and James, to tell them that I would not be meeting them for Track 3 in a few weeks was inconceivable. You see, in Track 1 where James, Marsha and I initially met we were in a cohort of ten (10). By Track 2, our initial cohort was down to five (5) and Cresha joined our little warrior circle of PhD jokes and heartache. By Track 3, there was only four of us standing…battered and bruised…but together, finishing the PhD residency together in Orlando. A milestone that as “freshmen” three years ago, seemed so far away and now we felt like “seniors” on the first day of college. Yeah, we were the upper classmen of this PhD residency and knew that we would be there for each other through the remainder of this journey. 

Celebrating the small qualifying rounds on my way to the PhD Olympics, I can’t help but to reflect on all the people that helped to carry me this far.  It is truly a result of my village, the proxy and collective spirit of love, support and genuine happiness to be a part of this journey, particularly when my humanness begins to waiver. To my village (too many names to mention, but you know who you are) thank you for being there. My heart fills with intense gratitude at your favor and grace. This is our accomplishment. Now, buckle up!!!! We are still in for quite a ride. 

And you…yes, you! If you are still reading, who is your air beneath your wings, cheerleaders and/or warriors in the trenches? There is no time like the present to reach out and let them know you appreciate them. 

Reference:

Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1-26.