Self-reliance was an important personal attribute in the completion of a doctoral program and advancement to a faculty position. Self-reliance for the participants included self-motivation, motivated from within to return to school and advance to a faculty role; self-efficacy, believing they could complete their doctoral degree and become faculty; instrumentality, having agency or the ability to get things done; self-directedness, being directed from within and not depending on others; and self-agency, the ability to promote one's self in order to move forward. The self-reliant behaviors supported the participants as they navigated programs that did not meet all their professional development needs as future faculty.