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Tag: hope is not a strategy

Nathan

Luck and the Viva

Daily Post

Luck could be a factor in your viva, some strange twist of fate that determines the eventual outcome. But in the same way that sunlight and water stimulates plant growth more than playing Mozart, there are other factors that are far more important. For example:

  • The work you did in your PhD;
  • Getting help from others;
  • Knowing what to expect from the viva;
  • Taking steps to prepare for it;
  • Feeling confident about your ability.

Don’t rely on luck winning through for you; instead, focus on factors that you can actually influence to steer your success.

Hope is not a strategy; luck is not a resource.

Nathan

Hopes & Disappointments

Daily Post

There was a time, thankfully long ago now, when my background philosophy could probably be summed up by, “I’d better not hope for too much, then I won’t be disappointed.”

This was a time when I generally expected that I had to work hard and then hope I achieved what I was aiming for, rather than working hard and seeing confidence rising from my actions.

Hope is good, but hope is not the word you want to have hanging around your viva. Don’t only hope you will pass: know that you will. You won’t be disappointed.