Give It What It Takes

This past week marked a significant milestone in my doctoral journey at Oxford: the Transfer of Status. It’s the first formal progression point in the DPhil program. When you begin, you’re registered as a Probationer Research Student (PRS). To move forward, you must submit a substantial piece of written work and then defend it in front of two assessors who are not your supervisors. Their role is to judge whether your project is viable and whether your progress is appropriate.

If they are satisfied, your status is transferred from PRS to DPhil, allowing you to continue toward the thesis as a fully registered doctoral candidate. If they are not satisfied, you may be asked to rework, rewrite, or even step down. It is a moment of truth.

To say that this year has been challenging would be an understatement. The path was anything but clear. There were moments of doubt, times when life felt overwhelming, and days when the finish line seemed impossibly far away. Yet I made one decision that changed everything: I chose to be resilient, to adapt, and to keep moving forward no matter what happened, and keep my eyes focused on the goal.

That decision carried me through to this triumphant moment. And it reminded me of a principle I’ve taught for years: desire is the spark, but willingness is the fuel. To change anything, you need both. Desire sets the vision, but willingness means giving it what it takes, and it usually takes more than you think you have.

This past year, I’ve lived that truth. I leaned in fully, gave more than I thought possible, and discovered new reserves of strength along the way. Crossing this milestone is not just about academic progress. It’s a reminder that breakthroughs come when we commit fully, even when the odds feel stacked against us.

So I leave you with this reflection: Where in your life are you being asked to give more than you thought possible? What would shift if you chose to lean in with full willingness? What breakthrough might be waiting for you on the other side of that choice?

With gratitude (and thanks to Neville, my loyal dog, who was a big “helper” in my reading by keeping the books warm), I celebrate this step forward.

Reveal Greatness,

gina 🙂