Are you intimidated by the thought of embarking on a PhD? Do you wonder if you can or even should go down that path? Are you in the throes of the journey but have lost sight of why you began in the first place? Author Leela Viswanathan has been there and her book, The Deliberate Doctorate, is designed to help you every step of the way. Viswanathan reflects on challenging situations on the road to her PhD and offers insights from her experiences as an associate professor and PhD supervisor. Her exercises will help you identify why you want to achieve your degree, what having one will do for you, and how to stay true to your core values throughout the process. Taken together, the exercises will produce a personalized roadmap to your doctorate. Designed for current and potential PhDs, the book will guide you through networking in academia, avoiding burnout, and setting boundaries - crucial but often unaddressed aspects of the journey that can make the difference between earning a PhD and abandoning one. Ultimately, this book provides a roadmap for a kinder and more meaningful academic experience - one that nurtures rather than saps graduate students' energies.