You have to look for it.
If you want to feel confident for your viva it’s not enough to hope that you will feel good on the day. You have to do something before then to feel confident.
Reflecting on your PhD journey is a good start. Remembering and reminding yourself of the successes you’ve made and the growth in your knowledge and capability.
Highlight your particular achievements. Make a list and write about why these things matter and help you to feel good.
Explore viva expectations to get a sense of what happens in vivas. Consider how suitable you are to thrive in that situation: talking about yourself and the work you have done.
Decide on specific actions to take in the days leading up to your viva to feel better. What can you do to prompt confident feelings? What can you do to remind yourself of the many successes you’ve had?
It’s not enough to hope you feel confident. You have to search for and find confidence.
