Count them up to build your confidence for the viva. All along the timeline of your PhD – months of work, weeks of grinding through papers, projects and problems – nestled here and there are moments of shining success. Brief joyous periods where you figured something out, or the data said what you hoped or you found an answer!
And then you were back to work, looking for the next thing…
The work matters: it shows your determination, your skill, your talent. You stuck to it!
The success matters: it shows that you achieved something. You did it!
It’s easier to see the work than the success sometimes. Recognise them both as you prepare for your viva.
