Talent & Work & Time

Talent, work and time are three related things that help a PhD candidate get to their viva – and help them get through their viva.

You need all three and each of them needs the others.

• Your talent, by which we mean your capability as a researcher, rests on being developed through your work over a long period of time.
• The work you do requires ability and a good amount of time for it to be done and to mean something.
• The time for your PhD journey is necessitated by the work you do and the effort and talent you bring to it.

All three of these are wrapped up in you, your research and your PhD journey. All three of these are behind you, supporting you as you work towards being ready for your viva and then help your success at your viva.

You took the time. You did the work. You have the talent.

That’s how you got this far and it’s how you will succeed at your viva.

PS: I’ll be exploring viva confidence, which is what today’s post is all about, at my Viva Survivor webinar on Wednesday 3rd December 2025. I’ve shared Viva Survivor more than 400 times. It is my comprehensive live session on getting ready for the viva covering expectations, viva prep, examiners and more. Check the link for full details of what to expect from the webinar!