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“I Will Do a PhD at Any Cost” — The Fastest Way to Regret Your Life
Ali Hindi
January 24, 2026
I get a lot of emails from people wanting to do a PhD. Many of them are the same underneath the polite words:
Dear Dr. Hindi,
I came across your profile and research interests, and I am extremely excited about your work in [copy-pasted my exact research areas]. I would be thrilled to contribute to your projects and pursue a PhD under your supervision.
I have attached my CV for your review and would be grateful for any opportunity to discuss potential PhD positions with you.
Sounds good but nothing on their CV comes close to the project. This is the “I’ll do a PhD anywhere, on any topic, with any supervisor, in any country” mindset in disguise.
I have seen what happens when people actually follow through on that mindset.
1. Any PhD is not a trophy
A PhD is three to five years of your life, your brain, and your energy. Doing it somewhere you do not fit, on a topic you do not care about, or with a supervisor you cannot work with is a recipe for misery. Sure, you can finish, but do you want to?
I have seen smart, capable people commit to a PhD out of desperation, because they did not know what else to do, because it looked good, or because they felt they had no choice. Years later, they admitted they regretted every late-night experiment, every revision, every endless meeting. Some left unsure where to go next. Others burned out entirely.
2. Supervisors are not magic
Those “I’ll work with anyone” emails scream that the applicant does not actually care about the research.
A bad match with a supervisor can derail your project, crush your confidence, and leave you asking: what now?
I push back on these applicants because nothing is worse than getting in somewhere toxic and finishing a PhD that leaves you burned out, lost, and questioning why you started.
3. Don’t lead cluelessly with your email
Your first email is your first impression. Don’t send generic, robotic, or copy-pasted messages. Have an idea, a question, or some research direction in mind. Show that you’ve thought about the work, your own experience, and why it connects.
Follow up respectfully, but don’t haggle or pressure. How you approach this says more about you than any CV ever will.
4. Life, money, and sanity matter
Funding, visas, relocation, and personal life all matter. Ignoring these for a “just get in anywhere” mindset is not ambition.
I know people who spent years chasing a PhD spot they did not care about, moved countries they hated, and ended up miserable, and wondering if they had wasted their time.
5. Ask yourself what really matters
Are you chasing techniques, titles, publications, or just a piece of paper? Do you know if this PhD is for industry, academia, or simply adding a credential? What do you actually want from this experience?
Rushing in without clarity is how people waste years on something that doesn’t help them grow, learn, or move forward.
Ask yourself: Which person are you?
Person 1
Your CV barely matches the project
You’re chasing a PhD as a solution to life or career confusion
Your email looks generic or copy-pasted
You’re focused on getting in, not learning or growing
You haven’t thought seriously about life logistics
If this sounds like you… well, you’ve got a lot of thinking to do. A PhD isn’t going to solve your problems and it will amplify them if you don’t get your priorities straight.
Person 2
Your CV demonstrates relevant skills or experience
You’ve reflected on why this project, why this supervisor, why now
Your email is clear, specific, and shows genuine curiosity
You’re focused on learning, building skills, and long-term impact
You’ve considered funding, location, and personal circumstances
If this is you, then you’re already thinking like someone who can make a PhD work for you instead of against you.
Bottom line
If your plan is to take any topic, work with any supervisor, and go anywhere in the world just to get a PhD, stop. Take a step back. Think. Wait. Choose wisely.
Doing a PhD just to do a PhD is the fastest way to regret it. I have seen the real-life consequences too many times.
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