wanting to drop out despite amazing program?

[potentialphddropout]

Hello, I know most posts about leaving PhD programs are because people are unhappy or the work conditions are too poor, but mine is literally the opposite. I could not have asked for better conditions - the stipend is high, the workload is manageable and mostly enjoyable, I like my classmates, I love my university, etc. I only need to TA once a year and the department funds a lot of my activities. There couldn't possibly be better working conditions, in fact on a per-hour basis I suspect that I actually earn more than some of my friends who are making six figures right now. (Based on stipend + other funding / class hours). 

However, I can't help but feeling I want to potentially drop out. I don't particularly enjoy doing school work (although I have no doubt that if I entered the real working world, it is possible that I'd enjoy that work even less), the field I want to work in would be enhanced by having a Ph.D although not strictly necessary, etc. My dream is to open a particular kind of business in another country, which carries with it a non-trivial risk of failure and indeed the chances of failure are very high. 

At the moment I know for a fact I'm not going to drop out, but I just wanted to hear some of your thoughts. At the very least, I wanted to open up the conversation about those who like their programs but want to leave anyway. For me, I think there biggest reasons I'm still in it are fear and social pressure. I fear dropping out (I don't care about the potential "stigma," I just fear losing my high-ish stipend and never being able to make that much again) and I have pressure from family and just feel socially pressured to stay in it. 

[MastersHoping]

If dropping out and starting a business is your dream, go for it. Don't just do something because it's what you think other people expect of you if your heart's not in it, otherwise you'd just be wasting your own time and your department's resources. Think of it this way - there are many amazing jobs in the world, but just because someone else might like being an accountant or a professor or a lawyer doesn't mean you might. There are many people who have quit jobs at consulting firms or law firms with six-figure salaries to live on basically poverty wages while pursuing their dreams. Do what's best for you! Good luck. 

[ShewantsthePhD101]

PhDs are HARD. I'll tell you what every professor I know has said of getting a PhD: "If you have any inclination to do anything else with your life - do that instead". Why? They're time consuming. And expensive. And even if you enjoy what you're studying... they're relatively joyless. If you don't need a PhD to do what you want to do, I'd suggest you forego it.

[Shnoztastic]

You should do what is best for you. My sister attended Berkeley for a PhD in Chemistry a number of years back... She made it through quals and performed very well academically and worked on fascinating research but she was totally miserable. She chose to leave. They gave her an MS and she moved into the business world and made more than 6 figures. Her job wasn't her favorite but she had way more time for herself and pursued her interests. During this time she found a field she was more interested in and went back to grad school (at a top 10 school in her field).

She seems much happier now and leaving her program did not hurt her career or prospects going back to school later. As long as you have enough reasons to justify leaving to yourself. Going forward, if you can adequately explain your reasons for leaving, your career shouldn't be negatively impact of.

Hope this helps. Good luck!