Thank you for sharing this! Perhaps you could do this later in your life! I actually finished my PhD on January 6th, 2019. I was 71 when I finished! You have a lot of time to explore! Enjoy your life!

I quit my PhD in Computer Science to emigrate to another country. I retired 2 years ago at age 42. Now I play piano as a hobby and watch videos of people that also quit their PhD. Life is non-linear, regardless what your goals are.

You overcame one of the most common and powerful human errors known to economics "Sunk Cost Fallacy" - congratulations. The ability to know when to quit is one of the greatest skills to ever learn.

Completing my PhD was the loneliest journey I have ever been on. I’m very glad it is over.

"Science is a wonderful thing if one does not have to earn one's living at it." Albert Einstein

Don't let schooling get in the way of your education. - Mark Twain [Edited - I changed "college" to "schooling".]

I applied to 9 different schools throughout the US for a PhD in pharmacology after receiving my masters in the field at 40 years old. I had all A’s in my masters and had excellent recommendations. I wasn’t accepted into any program. I only had been called for one interview and was basically interrogated and shamed for my undergraduate performance which was more than 20 ago when so was a confused messed up kid. Despite the fact that I had stellar grades in my masters program and a successful career in information technology. While I was crushed at the time, looking back, I’m glad to have not been stuck in the toxic cesspool that is academia.

Writing a thesis isn't a matter of smarts, it's a matter of how much you can suffer. But no matter whether you finally make it, you got the experience and the expertise and the time was not wasted if it brought you forward.

This was the opposite of clickbait.. Good luck with everything!

don't continue to invest into a mistake, only because you already invested in it

I quit my PhD 10 days ago and I got recommended this. I felt every single bit of what she was saying

Fellow PhD dropout who is also quite disillusioned with the academic system! Thanks for putting this out there. People need to understand that it is not worth spending more time doing something that sucks joy out of you just because of "sunk costs" ♥️

I know *many* people who quit their PhD. They all know they made the right call, but they all feel a bit ashamed. We gotta stop the shame!

I dropped out of high school. Best decision I ever made. Left home, kicked around, did a lot of growing up, traveled (ironically, to Australia). After 3 years, I went back and finished high school with motivation, was accepted to a university, worked my way through a bachelors degree and PhD in engineering. I had a great career and am now happily retired. I laud your courage in leaving your PhD. You are lucky to have a path to follow that you love and the wisdom to recognize it. Two thumbs up.

I quit my PhD 3 years after starting! I regret the time I spent not being happy, getting paid badly. Well done for taking this step at an earlier point! :)

I’m so obsessed with the way you talk about the genuine feelings about Ph.D. and academic life. No resentfulness, no anxiety at all

Got recommended to me when I'm joining PhD next month. Nice

Amazing story! I wish you the best in everything and look forward to see more videos from you!! yay!

theres something in her eyes that shows how hard she has worked! we are so proud of you

Not a PhD, but I quit my first job after 3 months of working there. And the video seems like you've reached into my psyche and pulled out what I feel. Good luck to the both of us.

My only observation is that KZfaq careers, even the most successful, tend to be like a box of fireworks. They are bright and boisterous, full of excitement and surprise, but they explode and fizzle out quickly. Fun, then aching emptiness, like a summer romance. If science communication is your passion, take every opportunity to transition to other media. You are very independent and self-driven, but you may just enjoy working in a team for a change. Leave the books and introspection behind by all means, but don’t put all your eggs into the KZfaq basket.

I like this young lady , she has a calming spirit about her...

i literally cried while watching to this! i just got my master's degree on science and i'm on the first year of my PhD in one of the most renowned universities in Brazil and i keep asking everyday "what am i doing, REALLY? does it worth, do i want to be a professor, etc" and it makes me so sad, so many people that would like to be here where I AM now and i just keep thinking that maybe this is not the right way to go RIGHT NOW. there is do many other ways to do R&D, but would i be able to do it in a big indrustry after 4 years without any experience? after all, doing PhD in Brazil is sooo frustrating, people don't see you as a worker, you're just a regular student "who get paid for studying" and most people, even your family, don't see you in a job when what we do is ACTUALLY our job.

Hi Toby, just found your channel. I withdrew from my Phd in Astrophysics at the end of 2019 and I resonated with everything discussed in your video. Wishing you all the best. What you said about not working to answer the questions that drove you into science was what I realised I wasn't doing either.

I also cancel my PhD, Pizza Hut Delivery.

Thank you for this. I recently withdrew from my PhD (September 2019, after beginning in summer 2015). So I spent most of the previous 4 years focusing on getting through my PhD, ignoring more and more signs that I wasn't in the right place. I allowed my health (physical and mental) to suffer. I allowed my hobbies to fall by the wayside. Perhaps worst of all, I allowed the best romantic relationship I've ever been in (perhaps the best I'll *ever* be in) to suffer, and I hurt the most important person in my life because of my own blindness. I'll have to live with that forever, and it's a guilt that I wouldn't wish on anyone. I don't mind making a misstep; I *do* wish I had learned my lesson at least a little sooner. I have learned from the process, but the price was too high. So props to *you* for making the right decision for yourself. When it comes to my field, I'm a teacher first, and everything else second. The academic treadmill is unfair, abusive, and often stifling to the sort of passion and creativity that some of the best teachers and communicators have. People who say you should "just" finish a PhD are delusional; they don't understsnd what you're feeling if they can say so flippantly that you should continue subjecting yourself to the pain, stress, and dissonance that your studies were clearly causing. So for what it's worth coming from someone in a very similar situation -- right down to being recruited with a prestigious scholarship (a fellowship, technically), having an adviser who was excited at the prospect that I might leave and be happy (she actually suggested to *me* that I leave because she saw the toll it was taking on me), and having a passion for learning and sharing that with others (I've taught in local colleges as well as online and plan to continue doing so) -- you're doing exactly the right thing. That is, the right thing for *you*, and it is your passion to stay on that path that has earned the respect and admiration of people who follow your journey. If you inspire people, it isn't because you're chasing a piece of paper; it's because you're you. Continuing to follow the best path for you is the most inspiring thing you ever could have done. If you want to be that light for others, then you've only become that much brighter by sticking to a path that is true to you. Keep doing what you're doing. That is, follow what you enjoy. The rest of us will be here excitedly watching and journeying with you 😊 Sincerely, Geoff -- Teacher... and Non-PhD

Great story! Just subscribed, being a PhD student myself I understand completely your point here!!!! Keep doing what brings passion!

Look at it this way. As a result, you are here giving a real "original contribution to human knowledge" that reaches some 1.2M people. Not many PhDiers, including myself, can say that. Congratulations

I barely made it through my master's degree at the end of 3 years. I learned there's a big difference between studying a lot of different topics and taking exams, versus banging your head against the same problem day after day, week after week (and often having few/no people to consult for help). I don't see any reason to feel shame if a PhD is not working for you. Good luck with whatever you pursue next!

We are so impressed by your calm, clear-headed approach to this transition, Toby! Both of us left our PhD programs ABD as well, and we never went back. Sometimes we wonder about the road not taken...but you are doing it with such a positive attitude! We think this will be very helpful to other grad students wrestling with this decision. Thank you for sharing your experience with everyone.

This helped me during a tough time. Seeing someone redirect their life for themselves is refreshing.

I’m proud of your authenticity. Thank you for sharing your flaws :) Glad to see your journey

This is exactly what this platform needs: authentic people like you. I wish you the best.

I just got my Phd in physics in Nov 2018, took me 6 years total. There are so many things I want to say, I could write pages. The stress and anxiety get worse, yes, its what happens when you put years of your young life into one basket. Even if you stick it out and successfully defend, you need to make some really important decisions. What next? Stay on the train or get off? Staying on means post-docs for another 2 to 5 years. Even then only like 10 to 20% of post docs get a faculty position. Get off means starting a career you should have started 6 years ago. Most companies dont care about your obscure research. Hopefully you made a few contacts over the years, cause thats how you land an inyerview as a phd. At this point your probably in your late 20s or well into your 30s. You start thinking about things that maybe you had to push off. All of a sudden that "its all about the science" attitude seems silly and you start considering salary, family, your future.

While I knew that my phd wasn't for me anymore, I struggled with admitting it to myself and to the people around me. I was mainly afraid of disappointing my mentor (whom I appreciate a lot). Your way of explaining your thoughts process leading to your final decision really resonated with my own and I now feel less anxious about it. So a huge thank you from a new fan on the other side of the planet!

Thank you for such an authentic video. I am currently doing my masters and resonate with so much of what you said. I am halfway through and will likely try to stick it out. But it is so reassuring to hear that changing one's path is not the end of the world.

"Disillusioned with the academic system itself", yeah, many of us do. It's just not about science anymore.

Now you can start enjoying mathematics and physics.

It takes great courage to share your experience online to the world. It is like you publishing a paper in a journal that puts you out there to all academicians, policy-makers, and practitioners. Thank you for your honesty and your willingness to be YOU. Your honesty will open many doors to you as you keep looking for the right path to your desired dream. Am sure you may have found it by now 😊. Wishing you well on your journey of life. Be of good cheer always.

I know I'm coming in a bit late into this video, but I did just want to contribute to this conversation as a fellow PhD student that pursuing a PhD takes an incredible amount of passion for the topic you study. A lack of passion can make it incredibly difficult to forge through a graduate-level program, and I think the discordance of pursuing a PhD without that passion is injustice to the pursuer and their intellectual potential. Finding the right field of study, lab and/or university requires much of the intimacy, passion, and vulnerability to finding the right partner. For many of us, we don't find the perfect partner the first time, and likewise, we don't find the perfect graduate program the first time. I am humbled by your bravery to both acknowledge that you were not in the right field of study and to also take action to address that by leaving the program - many of us would have suffered through the program to only end up burnt out with a degree we never wanted. I am so confident that you will find your fulfillment, and I can't wait to learn more about your adventures getting there.

She out here quitting her phd, when i feel like quitting my first year lol Edit: i was close to giving up, now I’m transferring to one of the prestigious school in canada. Thanks for the support!

I love the fact that you just keep smiling all throughout the video, I love your content and I don't really care about what you strive for as long as you're happy, love you.

I can totally relate. I quit my PhD in plant genetic resources as well and I feel that anyone should quit anything when they can't do it anymore. It shouldn't be normal to feel this way during a PhD and it is important to find the courage to walk away. I have friends who gave up their life for the PhD and I genuinely feel sorry for them. Great to hear your story!!

Thank you so very much for sharing your story. It took a lot of courage! You cannot please everyone nor should you try. The most important thing is to be happy and satisfied with what you are doing. Follow your dreams but follow your heart too.❤️

I'm a PhD student myself (EE) and I've thought about quitting multiple times (and I don't even want to be a professor, just work in industry). Dropping out is a very common thing, and part of me is jealous of those who do... Cheers from Stanford!

I hear you. I am in a PhD program currently and I've thought about leaving a number of times. I have also become disillusioned with academia because of certain happenings. I still have a lot of things pushing me forward, but you are definitely not alone! I am glad you made the right choice for you.

Now this is a simply honest person. No unnecessary drama and exaggeration. SIMPLE. HONEST. TRUTH. You are such an inspiration. Thank you

I actually got really inspired by you years ago and I started a physics degree around the same time I started watching you. I hated the degree but I felt like I had to keep investing in the mistake just because I had spent so much time on it. I saw this video and I was surprised that you quit but it helped me leave my degree behind and study something I found more fun even thought I still enjoy your videos and learning about physics in a non academic context!!!

It's very impressive how I found this video just in the right time, I quit my physics PhD also this week, and my thoughts about it were so confussing. I didn't know if it was right or wrong, if I was doing a favour to myself or just doing an stupid decision. But after hearing all of your reasons, I actually have to say that I'm so happy to have watched this video, you gave me a way to structurate my feelings and thoughts and they're so similar to the way I'm actually feeling. Thanks for that, and as you said, we are brave! And we will get through this! Greetings from Mexico! :D

There is no need to be worried - it is all your choice; you do what is best for you. Good luck with everything you do.

Thank you so much for this video. I have been so conflicted about starting a PhD or going to do other things I am more interested in. A lot of your reasons for quitting are my doubts about starting and I appreciate the way you talked through them. All the best in your journey forward.

Thank you so much for making this video. I can identify with what you are saying on so many points. You are an inspiration- just keep doing what you know is right for you, which requires much courage and faith and is easier said than done. I believe things will work out beautifully for you and help those around you. Best to you!

Life is too short to do something you don't enjoy. I quit college and my job. I moved 1600 miles away and I am now writing a book because I want to be an author. Chase your dreams! 😊💕

I have a PhD and I'm assistant professor in my dream university. Honestly, happiness can be achieved in many other pursuits. You are brave.

Thanks for sharing this video. I’ve just decided to take a leave of absence from my phd program after finishing 3 years. At first, I thought I shouldn’t have dragged it this far, but I’m glad I did. It’s bittersweet but I can’t wait to finally explore life, explore myself! If there are anyone considering quitting or taking a break, you are not alone.

Good on you Tibees for having the courage to pursue your own interests. I was so pleased that your supervisor was so understanding; and that your sponsor took it well. I understand how difficult your deliberations must have been before you made your decision. I wish you well in your new ventures and I will follow you on KZfaq. Very well done!

I took two years out working in industry between finishing my Masters in Electronic Engineering and just recently starting a PhD in Quantum Engineering and I'm super glad I did. Working in industry I met lots of cool people, learnt lots, became more confident in my abilities (and my employability) and it allowed me to generally mature. I wish you the best of luck!

Wow, I just discovered your channel and I think you're really cool. Good for you for making such a difficult decision.

You're incredibly brave! Your story is inspiring.

This is possibly the most candid, heartfelt video I've ever seen by an academic scholar. As someone who contemplated leaving grad school before completing a PhD (in astrophysics), I congratulate you in your clarity in making the right decision and your willingness to share your thoughts with us. So many will benefit from this video. People pursuing academic studies should be aware that the amount of time it takes to finish a PhD is uncertain. It sound like you, Toby, were 2-3 years away. But it always takes longer than one thinks, especially for brilliant people such as yourself, who have many interests, other pursuits, and/or who wish to explore many of the "side paths" of their own research project. This is normal, not bad, but it is time consuming. And bad things can happen along the way also. PhDs are only granted to those who have contributed original research. That means that if someone else publishes the discovery you are working on, it is no longer original. There were two people in my PhD program who had to abandon years of research because they were "scooped" by a discovery made by someone else! One of them switched his research to a simpler project using a local telescope....which was then damaged and put out of commission by an earthquake! Two of my classmates in grad school took 9 years to earn their PhD, and then immediately left the field, disenchanted. pursuing Thanks again for making this video, and I look forward to viewing your other videos, and seeing what you come up with next.

When I saw the notification with title, "I quit my PhD", I screamed NO!!! mentally, but then snap because I understand that you have your reason, you know what's best for you, and as my inspiration, I'll support you with whatever good path that you will take! 😇 I hope you're doing well Tibees!! 😁😊

I'm defending my PhD next month. I'm glad I followed through, but I'm also glad you had the courage to leave if you felt it was best for you. Everything about that "straight line" path is full of stress. Follow the path you feel is right. Humans are weird creatures, and our minds work better when we feel fulfilled. Pursue what inspires you.

This is an absolutely helpful video! Thank you so much :) this was exactly what I needed! Can definitely resonate with you!

Also - more than the size of the audience you are reaching - it is cool to think about the type of audience. People who are curious - not just trying to achieve a grade. I think you were spot on when you said inspiration. Thanks for sharing! Your story, knowledge, and passion!

This is how I feel in my Masters program but everyone around is telling me “Don’t quit.” I never quit... I’m not a quitter but as I’m closing in on year 2 of 3 the journey gets less appealing. I haven’t quit because I’m terrified of giving up and am on the fence. Thank you for sharing this... it helps to know other people feel the same way.

I was in a similar situation, but stayed longer despite increasing pressure, disinterest, and disillusionment. In hindsight, I wished I got out earlier than pushing on and digging myself deeper into what felt like an abyss. Mental health is real concern for the life of a PhD student, for many, spending long hours in a lab, or long periods working solitary in an office, can be demotivating. I think there is a cultural taboo within Academia to discuss these difficulties.

Thank you for this video. I have a feeling KZfaq won't be around for that much longer . Information is fascinating. Stay with your passions and you will keep assimilating even more knowledge that you can share on KZfaq.

Thank you for being true to your true self. I quit the track to phd as well. I enjoy watching your videos every evening after work.

I had a friend in college who quit his PhD in math to become a trapeze artist! Follow your bliss!

Not all those who wander are lost. -jrr tolkien

I am trying to quit my job, and watching this video just made me sure that am doing right thing. thank you Tobby for your amazing content. just keep doing what inspires your.

It is amazing how brave you are. I wish I would have had the courage to do the same thing. I finished my PhD although I didn't like it because I was afraid of quiting. I was afraid of what my family was going to think, my friends, having to payback my scholarship, etc. I really do regret that now because at this moment I feel that I wasted valuable years that I could have use to do something different. You are very inspiring.

You'll find your way! 👍🏾

Good luck to you Tibees. I love your videos. My daughter is a fan too.

Thanks! Your video and your story is really inspirational! Whatever you are going to decide to do, I’m sure you are going to achieve great results! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you for putting this out. I am 7 months into my PhD and I resonate so much with everything you've said.

I flunked out of a Master of Science education. Worked crap jobs for a year. Started a new Master of Science education at another university and got my degree. The road is not always straight or the path clear. Just walk it anyway and let things take care of themselves.

I really struggle with my self confidence and what I want to do with my life. I've always felt inferior to people who've achieved academic success. It's comforting knowing that people, even when they seem so above me, go through the same struggles. Thank you for your honesty on the subject. I hope that we all can find our own version of happiness.

This video got recommended to my now, 2 weeks after I finished my PhD (physics and geology) and honestly it couldn't be more relatable. I struggled a lot because I wanted to quit but I also wanted to finish and now I still feel confused about how I feel about this "accomplishment", I feel very proud of it but no one in my life understands me but at the same time it has not given me a future since, even if I finished it, I can't become a professor because that is just not how it works here so... I'm proud of me even if no one else is but I don't know what am I proud of since now I have to pursue a different career path and I will be struggling a lot this year because of it. I think you were so brave to quit in time and to be able to tell what would make you happy and what not. In the end, I did not quit because I couldn't find this special something that would make me happy :)

Thank you for sharing your story! I am on leave from my PhD program for many of the reasons you mentioned and am currently trying to decide whether my leave should be permanent. I completed 2 years of my program (MA), so it's a good inflection point. I think for myself, I feel a lot of shame as well as a sense of failure for not thriving in the path that I set out upon. I thrived in undergrad and dreamed of becoming a professor in my field, and even though I think I know deep down that the right decision to is quit I can't help but think that I was the problem, that I wasn't enough, that I didn't try enough.

" . . . disillusioned with the academic system as a whole . . . " 2 minutes in and this keeps getting more and more relatable to my college experience!

I quit my PhD, my wife quite hers and after a little while is doing another one. Sometimes it's just not the right path. By having the guts to quit you learn more about yourself than you would if you just stayed on because it was the default path. Good luck for the future.

That video really spoke deeply to my soul. I’m in a similar position right now not being super happy with my PhD project any more and unsure for what I want to continue. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and passion

This video is so inspiring thank you so much!! Choose your career wisely my friends :)

It's hard for us math and science types, but sometimes you need to go with your 'gut feeling' 👍much respect and support, you're a smart individual and I look forward to see what you accomplish 😁

No sensible person is going to judge you for quitting your Ph.D program. There is so many reasonable reasons for doing other things. In particular if you are not enjoying it anymore, then you have probably made a wise decision. All the best wishes to you! I hope you will keep making videos on related topics! You are a great communicator!

Loving what you like to do now is the really genius thing. Everything is change and movement. I admire your light to make the change. Greetings from Mexico

Only knew you from daring to touch the van de Graaff generator. Seeing you dare quitting your studies while being so much in the spotlight really was touching on another level. Glad that things seem to be working out looking at the clips coming after. Subscribed, and all the best on your YT and popularizing science endeavors! ❤️

I did the same thing last year. Quit my PhD position in NYC and moved back to europe in my third year. It was the best decision in my live, I now have a great job and I am about to be married to a wonderful woman

Thank you for sharing your story! It's brave of you to talk about this, and I'm sure it will inspire a lot of people to have the courage to make better life choices.

You are a wonderfully humble but inspirational role model. By sharing your courage and your doubts you make a difference for us. Thank you

There is a reason for everything and I am just seeing this today (a year later) and it is very pertinent in my life right now. I am so happy to have found you. I hope all is still well with you today. Thank you

I actually didn't even know that you are a phd student, I just really like your inspiring attitude and as long as that doesn't change, I will be around for much longer : )

In this life u gotta do what u gotta do and im glad u have the strength and the courage to go after what u believe in ur gut to be true. i hope this decision works out for u and u can always go back if u ever really need to.. ALL THE BEST!

You're bringing me in tears Tibee. You're truly my role model. Keep up the good work.

Well said! I can relate well as I was also in physics undergrad, and academia does feel like limiting in its structure, and congrats in doing what u like!! And don’t care about what others think!!

I have been following you for a year now. You are one of my greatest inspirations: You are polite, patient, kind and smart (really smart). For the past few months, I’ve been watching your videos on a daily basis and learning a lot more that I have ever learned in school. One of the things I noticed right away while hearing you expand on things, was that you had an entrepreneur personality. I honestly think that you made the right decision, because I am completely sure that whatever project you are working on is completely worth it. Let’s just say that you have that Elon Musk vibe...

You are so confident and charismatic. You are amazing. You will be fine what ever you end up doing. All the best. God bless you.

You do an excellent job of explaining what you know. I think whatever you decide is the path for you it will be a great success.

This video was incredible! I did something similar to this nearly 3 years ago when I decided to switch my major 8 semesters in. I was scared my parents would be angry, but when I told my mom she responded with "it's about time you did that". It was the best decision of my life!