C = f(c) + P

Or: confidence is a function of your capability plus your preparation.

Or: the confidence you have for something like, say, your viva is related to your capability for your research plus the specific preparation you do for your viva.

I’m a pure mathematician by training, so blame that for how my brain has turned this over! A little “formula” like this isn’t very scientific but as a model there are two important things that stand out:

1. The element that makes the most difference here is your capability as this has grown over a long time. As you get closer to your viva reflect on what has made you good in so many ways.
2. You have a relatively short amount of time to do viva preparation – so plan your time well and focus on the important tasks first.

If you want your confidence for your viva to grow you have to increase your capability or do more preparation. What makes sense for where you are now?

PS: Viva confidence is a big topic at my live 3-hour Viva Survivor webinar on Wednesday 25th March 2026. I’ll be talk about a lot more too! You’ll also get four-week access to a recording of the session and follow-up materials too. There’s more information at the link but please get in touch if you have any questions or want to know more. Thanks for reading!