An Unconventional Life

This is An Unconventional Life podcast hosted by astrophysicist turned teacher, author, dissertation coach, and more, Dr. Russell Strickland. He shares stories about the crazy 1% out there who earned their doctoral degrees and then went on to use them in crazy, cool, unique, and unconventional ways.

Making Friends with Fear 09/14/2021

Making Friends with Fear In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Mark Metry shares with Dr. Russell Strickland his story of growing up as an introvert. His struggles made him realize that he needed to speak up for the sake of his younger self, thus came the book, “Screw Being Shy.” The best-selling author talks about the many opportunities that built off each other when he put his authentic self out there for the world to meet. He also discusses the three biggest things he learned to overcome anxiety. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/20487629

Turning Pain into Purpose 09/08/2021

Turning Pain into Purpose In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Suzana Flores speaks with Dr. Russell Strickland about the story of how she unexpectedly ended up in the comic book world as she recovered from pain and trauma. The author of “Untamed: The Psychology of Marvel’s Wolverine” shared how the X-Men character helped her turn pain into purpose. Having the first name “Doctor” has opened up opportunities for Dr. Flores, and she’s prepared to seize some more. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/20315873

Realizing the Dream...with a Twist 09/01/2021

Realizing the Dream...with a Twist In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Derichard McCoy shares with Dr. Russell Strickland how his childhood dreams were always about football and how these dreams motivated him to ultimately earn his doctorate in sports management. Derichard took football as far as he could on the field before he made an unlikely transition... effectively getting his doctorate in football. Dr. McCoy talks about how he found Dissertation Done and got the help he needed to push through to graduation. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/20315810

When Having the Smarts Is Not Enough 08/25/2021

When Having the Smarts Is Not Enough In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Gregory Cason shares with Dr. Russell Strickland his dream of becoming a psychologist. Starting in Theater Arts and making his way to Psychology, Dr. Cason says that plans never worked out the way he wanted, but all that matters is you push through. Although his dissertation process wasn’t as easy as he thought it’d be, setting his mind to his goal of graduating eventually did the trick. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/20101709

Passion, Grit, and Initiative 08/18/2021

Passion, Grit, and Initiative In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Michael Levittan talks to Dr. Russell Strickland about his journey as a student, transitioning to being a renown expert. Everybody has different goals in their dissertation process, but Dr. Levittan says that it was passion that carried him through. He also discussed the profound experience of becoming peers with your mentors, highlighting the transition from student to expert that every doctoral student undertakes during the dissertation process. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/20101688

Your LinkedIn Profile: It’s Not About You 08/11/2021

Your LinkedIn Profile: It’s Not About You In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Sandra Long discusses with Dr. Russell Strickland why she chose to become a LinkedIn expert. She talks about her book LinkedIn for Personal Branding: The Ultimate Guide and also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a friendly and approachable online profile so you can build connections and help more people. Sandra also shares some interesting tips in building a strategic network and her personal hobbies when she is not knee-deep in the professional platform. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19843181

From the Catwalk to the Commencement Stage 08/03/2021

From the Catwalk to the Commencement Stage In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Felicia Clark speaks with Dr. Russell Strickland about life’s ups and downs and how she braved through her PhD journey despite a significant loss. She credits having a hand to hold and a shoulder to lean on as critical to getting her dissertation done. She also talks about her passion for mathematics, her modeling career, and her upcoming book on debunking women’s beauty standards, "Beauty and the Beastly Standards." /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19843166

What’s Your Next Challenge? 07/27/2021

What’s Your Next Challenge? In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Diane Hamilton shares with Dr. Russell Strickland how curiosity has motivated her to pursuit of her PhD. The author of multiple books such as Cracking the Curiosity Code and The Power of Perception discusses her postdoctoral journey, the many doors of opportunities that opened along the way, and her experience in writing for people outside academia. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19843154

Getting Through Your PhD One Day at a Time 07/20/2021

Getting Through Your PhD One Day at a Time In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Stefanie Boyer shares with Dr. Russell Strickland about taking things one day at a time, and the experiences that prepared her for her doctoral journey. She talks about the importance of having a support network to get you by, and the opportunities that came her away after making it through. Dr. Boyer also discusses about her book “The Little Black Book of Social Media,” and gives a piece of advice to doctoral students going through this unconventional path /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19843142

The Terrifying but Exhilarating Pursuit of a PhD 07/13/2021

The Terrifying but Exhilarating Pursuit of a PhD In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Angela Swain shares with Dr. Russell Strickland the story of the one thing she knows she was meant to pursue—her doctoral degree. She talks about transitioning from writing her dissertation to writing her book, "Kitchen Table Talks With Dad," and her experience becoming a doctor, author, and coach. Dr. Swain highlights the challenges in getting comfortable with change and the opportunities that came her way after earning her PhD. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19791494

Learning to Move Past the Starting Line 07/06/2021

Learning to Move Past the Starting Line In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Melody Bacon inspires us by sharing her experience in getting started with her doctoral degree and getting to the finish line. She briefly discusses her book Grace Filled Divorce and how she found inspiration to write it. Dr. Bacon reveals how to ensure the guilt-trip card never hold you back, how to maintain commitment to your passion, and how hoarding a mountain of courage is critical to actually following through on achieving your goals. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19620011

Knowing Your Value: You Owe It to Yourself and Those You Serve 06/29/2021

Knowing Your Value: You Owe It to Yourself and Those You Serve In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Colleen Georges shares her journey of becoming her authentic self throughout her doctoral and postdoctoral experience with Dr. Russell Strickland—from being burnt out and not knowing what’s next to knowing her “why” and moving on with her passion. Dr. Georges believes having a sense of self-worth is important to achieving your goals and—ultimately—helping others achieve theirs. After helping someone fulfill their passion is a feeling like no other. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19619606

The Importance of Enjoying Yourself 06/22/2021

The Importance of Enjoying Yourself In this episode of the Unconvential Life, Dr. Rachel Allyn talks about her motivation in pursuing her doctoral degree with Dr. Russell Strickland. She also shares about her book The Pleasure Is All Yours in which she redefines pleasure and emphasizes the importance of mind-body integration to connect with others and find your purpose. She also briefly discusses her experience as a TEDx speaker. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19511768

Everything I Learned Along the Way: Synthesizing Your Life from Your Experiences 06/15/2021

Everything I Learned Along the Way: Synthesizing Your Life from Your Experiences In this episode of Unconventional Life, Dr. Rachel Herz shares her story of discovery with Dr. Russell Strickland. She discusses how her early academic experiences taught her what she didn't like and how she was able to find nuggets from each of those experiences to craft her eventual career. Dr. Herz goes on to her describe "the hardest thing" she's ever done (and, no, it wasn't her dissertation) and what it was like to turn science into a story for her first book. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19511696

Hope and Inspiration: A Survivor’s Story 06/08/2021

Hope and Inspiration: A Survivor’s Story In this episode of Unconventional Life, Dr. Debra Warner shares her doctoral journey with Dr. Russell Strickland. She discusses her experience with not having a mentor and the direction she was headed until she met the right person at the right time. With the proper guidance, Dr. Warner gained the confidence needed to set her sites higher and earn her doctoral degree. Despite the odds and negative perspectives of others, doors of opportunity were opened, and her educational journey continued. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19450268

Invent a New Route: Possibilities are Limitless 06/01/2021

Invent a New Route: Possibilities are Limitless In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Jeffrey Darville shares his unconventional career path with Dr. Russell Strickland. From working for large companies to real estate business to technology business to startups. There were stumbling blocks along the way, which led Dr. Darville to the start of his doctoral journey. Determination was the fuel and driving force to earning his Ph.D. and pursuing his dreams—entrepreneurship and travel. He visualized a plan and set it in motion. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19156610

Your Journey to Doctor is Not Over 05/25/2021

Your Journey to Doctor is Not Over In this episode of An Unconventional Life, expect to gain invaluable insight from Dr. Louis Fletcher as he reveals to Dr. Russell Strickland the challenges that motivated him to embark on his doctoral journey. He shares the tragic loss of his brother, becoming an instant parent of two children, and the departure of two dissertation chairs. His experiences were the driving forces by which he achieved his goals. The Drs. discuss inner strength, passion, and emotional discipline as motivators—staying power. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19156520

Big Brands of the 21st Century: Apple, Coca-Cola, and You 05/18/2021

Big Brands of the 21st Century: Apple, Coca-Cola, and You In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Chaz Austin and Dr. Russell Strickland talk about the Gig Economy and the freedom it can create for folks with doctoral degrees. Dr. Austin demonstrates how workers in the Gig Economy are de facto businesses. In this paradigm, workers now have two distinct responsibilities: to do their work and to find more work. Although this may seem more complicated, Dr. Austin makes the case that gig work offers far more autonomy and freedom than employment. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19156448

Switching Careers with a Little Help from Your Friends 05/04/2021

Switching Careers with a Little Help from Your Friends In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Dawn Graham shares the story of her doctoral journey with Dr. Russell Strickland. She discusses the value of waiting to pursue a doctoral degree, the importance of mapping out your route, and the need to remain committed to the process despite the many false summits in will encounter on the way to graduation. The author of Switchers also shares her top strategy for finding the right career fit for you and your new credential. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/19065662

9,000 Ways to Share Your Message Today 04/27/2021

9,000 Ways to Share Your Message Today In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Jackie Lapin reveals to Dr. Russell Strickland how experts can get their message out to their ideal audience by appearing on stages, summits, podcasts, radio, TV, and more. She shares insider secrets on accessing the 9,000 professional speaking opportunities available in the U.S. and Canada each day and navigating often confusing process of getting chosen for the spotlight. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18936386

National Dissertation Day and All the Things 04/20/2021

National Dissertation Day and All the Things Want to launch a book? Think about giving and serving, too. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18836513

Encouraging Children is Like Molding Clay 04/13/2021

Encouraging Children is Like Molding Clay In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Francisca Enih and Dr. Russell Strickland discuss her experience in developing academically successful children. Dr. Enih is quick to point out that excellence is not just about academics. She relates stories, with equal pride, of the student who helped his fallen classmate up from the ground and the former student who is currently attending Harvard University. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18719594

More Content, More Content, More Content 04/06/2021

More Content, More Content, More Content In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Todd Dewett shares his story with Dr. Russell Strickland. They discuss how to utilize each experience to target, refine, and confirm your big why. Dr. Dewett discovered his passion incrementally with stints in big-box consulting at Accenture and Ernst & Young, high-level research at Texas A&M, and college "professoring" with Wright State University. These experiences led Dr. Dewett to finding his calling as a speaker, author, and storyteller extraordinaire. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18407336

The Incredible Disappearing Advisor, Fate, and Wite-Out 03/30/2021

The Incredible Disappearing Advisor, Fate, and Wite-Out In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Jennifer Gardella and Dr. Russell Strickland discuss how busy you can be "doing nothing," the power of focus, and making bunny slippers a lifestyle choice. After raising her three kids to school age, Dr. Gardella was challenged by university admissions to prove that she'd done anything over the past decade. Research, relationships, and resiliency took Dr. Gardella from there to graduation and beyond. She now runs her social media consultancy. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18407321

Making Science Change the World 03/23/2021

Making Science Change the World In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Zina Jarrahi Cinker and Dr. Russell Strickland geek out on physics, the role of science in society, and the psychology of effective communication. Dr. Cinker's dream of growing up to be an astrophysicist, and Bill Gates(!), eventually settled on neither. Listen as Dr. Cinker shares stories about academic politics, talking with U.S. Senators on Capitol Hill, and Tom...Somebody. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18407303

PhDs Can Do Pretty Much Anything 03/16/2021

PhDs Can Do Pretty Much Anything In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Jasmine Escalera speaks with Dr. Russell Strickland about the identity crisis she suffered while pursuing her Ph.D. Knowing that there were two typical, and unappealing, paths for students in her program led her to the brink quitting. Fortunately, Dr. Escalera's a-ha moment came when an advisor told her that she could do anything after she earned her Ph.D. Overcoming the tyranny of the Or empowered her to experience the amazing rewards her Ph.D. affords. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18373649

What We Were, What We Are, and What We Might Be 03/09/2021

What We Were, What We Are, and What We Might Be In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Erin Kelley shares with Dr. Russell Strickland the fascinating story of her unlikely journey from small town to law school; the gentle nudge the bar exam provided, again and again; and how she ultimately found her true calling by uniting her two passions. Dr. Kelley wants you to know that making it look easy doesn't come easy! The real search sometimes begins when you think you've reached your goal. That's OK, because the rewards far exceed the effort! /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18226982

"I don't believe in PhDs" and Other Fantastical Tales 03/02/2021

"I don't believe in PhDs" and Other Fantastical Tales In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Kathy Gruver lays out the breadcrumbs of her career for Dr. Russell Strickland. From massage therapist to naturopath. Along the way she met a client working to finish her Ph.D in a field she hated, a man who didn't "believe in Ph.D.s," and Dr. Phil! She's now a public speaker, coach, and multiple author. The journey didn't quite go as planned, but she wouldn't have it any other way! Dr. Gruver is "one to say 'yes' for things." What are you saying 'yes' to? /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18059384

Wearing Multiple Hats and Staying on Mission 02/25/2021

Wearing Multiple Hats and Staying on Mission In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Darin Detwiler shares with Dr. Russell Strickland the heart-breaking story about the loss of his son at 16 months and how it fueled his mission. His doctoral journey began with a moment of epiphany when one of his students asked why are you here. His immediate response was, "I quit." But quitting was just the beginning... Dr. Detwiler went on to become an assistant dean at his doctoral university so quickly that he actually hooded himself at commencement! /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18059402

Life-Long Learning 02/23/2021

Life-Long Learning In this episode of An Unconventional Life, Dr. Fergus Connolly and Dr. Russell Strickland get into your head!Since your are unique and special, Dr. Connolly figures that your approach to your dissertation should be, too. It's all about being intentional, discovering your "why," and then being true to that truth. But, as special as you are, you're not perfect. Coming to terms with this fact early in the dissertation process is perhaps the most important thing you can do for your sanity...and your graduation. /episode/index/show/anunconventionallife/id/18059375

An Unconventional Life

TOPICS