Fear techniques are basically using punishers to elicit behavior. There are three effects of punishment and any one can take place. Punishment may stop the ongoing behavior, it may cause the organism to run away or it causes the organism to fight back. All three are not desirable in a doctoral degree.
So it is best to use a series of rewards, stimulus control and periods of rest. Short term rah-rah techniques that pit you against yourself will work for a while. Just some advice that even though you can psych yourself up by visualizing failures and bad outcomes to give yourself some adrenalin. Your body needs rest, rhythm and rewards plus plenty of down time.
An interesting email question that keeps popping up.
Mind your goals,
Dr. Parker