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Tag: viva confidence

Nathan

Write Two Lists

Daily Post

On the first list capture the following sorts of things:

  • Your disappointments from your research.
  • The things that didn’t work.
  • The questions you don’t know how to answer.
  • Your concerns for finishing your PhD.
  • Your worries about the viva process.

On the second list write the following sorts of things:

  • The conclusions of your thesis.
  • The results you got through your research.
  • The ways you became a better researcher.
  • The topics you’re looking forward to talking about at your viva.
  • Your great plans for the future.

Now decide: which of these lists are you going to look at every day, and which are you going to skim over once a week?

Put the everyday list in a prominent space and the once a week list in a drawer.

 

You get to decide where you put your focus; it might be helpful, for example, to think a little about viva worries and do something about them – but maybe it’s better to think more often about the good things in your thesis than the what ifs of your viva?

 

(writing two lists is a viva-centric riff on a Seth Godin idea – his blog is always worth reading!)

Nathan

When To Get Ready

Daily Post

Get ready for the specific challenge of your viva after taking a short break from your research and thesis submission.

Get ready by making sure you sketch out a plan for your viva prep. Give yourself enough time to read and review your thesis. Take time to reflect on what it all means and rehearse for meeting your examiners.

Get ready during this period by building up your confidence. Recognise that you are a capable researcher. You must be: that’s the only way you could have developed as much as you have.

And recognise that while you are preparing for the specific challenge of your viva, in reality you’ve been getting ready for your viva for a very long time.

 

PS: you don’t need to get ready for the viva until after submission. For help with all of the work and days leading up to submitting your thesis, check out Final Year Focus – my 1-hour live webinar running TOMORROW! Figuring out priorities, getting clear on plans, writing up, thinking about life after the PhD and more. Full registration details are on Eventbrite and there will be a catch-up recording if you can’t attend live. Thanks for reading!

Nathan

Signs Of PhD Success

Daily Post

You don’t pass your viva until you actually pass your viva – but there are lots of signs that can indicate PhD success before then.

  • You have a thesis.
  • You have submitted (or had accepted) one or more papers.
  • You have presented a talk or paper at a conference.
  • You have been working towards a PhD for at least several years.
  • You have submitted your thesis.
  • You have a viva date.
  • You have positive feedback from your supervisor and/or others about your research.
  • You can see future applications for your research, even if you’re not going to be the one to do that work.
  • You have future plans.
  • You have prepared for your viva and feel fairly confident.

You don’t pass your viva until you pass your viva. Before then, pay attention to the many signs showing PhD success in your future.

It’s not simply luck that you’ve got this far.

 

PS: if you’re working towards submission now and any of the above seem out of reach, take a look at Final Year Focus, my 1-hour live webinar running this Thursday, 24th October, at 11am. If it seems good but you can’t make it then you can still sign up to watch the catch-up recording! Full details and registration on Eventbrite. Thanks for reading!

Nathan

More Than Hope

Daily Post

You can hope that your viva will go well, but if you learn what to expect you can do something to make a difference.

You can hope that your examiners will be fair with you, but you can find out what they do to feel certain they will treat you well.

You can hope that you’ve done enough, but you can review your work and know you’ve made a contribution.

You can hope you’re prepared, but you can know you’re ready by planning, taking your time and doing the work.

You can hope you’re not too nervous, but also pursue confidence: reflect on your journey, take steps to get ready and remind yourself of what you’ve done to get this far.

You can do more than hope you’ll succeed at your viva.

Nathan

By The End…

Daily Post

…of your first thesis draft you’ll probably be wondering what to do, what to focus on and how long you’ll need to fix anything that needs fixing.

…of the day when you submit your thesis you can hopefully take a deep breath, relax and smile a little.

…of your viva prep period you’ll appreciate that you are ready.

…of the last minute before your viva I hope, despite any nerves, that you’ll feel like you are enough.

…of your viva I hope that you feel it was a good experience.

…of your PhD I hope you feel good for whatever challenges are in your future.

Nathan

The Expectations That Matter

Daily Post, Sabbatical

It’s not length of the viva or asking for breaks.

It’s not the opening questions or depth of discussion.

It’s not the number of corrections or when you know the result.

Knowing about all of these things help, but the expectations that really matter are knowing that you are good enough. Knowing that your examiners have prepared. Knowing that you have prepared. Knowing that you’re overwhelmingly likely to succeed.

There are lots of expectations for the viva. There are ranges for many of them and having a sense of what to expect from that variety can give you a sense of what to expect. While you wonder about viva lengths and questions though, pay attention to expectations for you, your examiners, your preparations and your success.

Focus on the expectations that matter.

 

Viva Survivors Summer Sabbatical: I’m taking July, August and September off from new writing to concentrate on other creative projects, so will be sharing a post from the archives every day throughout those months. Today’s post was originally published on July 16th 2022.

Nathan

Bit By Bit

Daily Post, Sabbatical

Idea by idea. Paper by paper. Day by day.

There’s no other way to put your PhD together than keep showing up, good days and bad, and work your way through. Learn more, do more, achieve more and find your way to becoming a good and capable researcher in your field.

When the time comes, this approach is what helps you prepare for your viva too. There’s no single activity that flips the switch to “ready”.

And, really, it’s how you get through the viva too.

Question by question.

Chapter by chapter.

Response by response.

Minute by minute you demonstrate the capable researcher that you became bit by bit.

And that’s enough.

 

Viva Survivors Summer Sabbatical: I’m taking July, August and September off from new writing to concentrate on other creative projects, so will be sharing a post from the archives every day throughout those months. Today’s post was originally published on May 23rd 2023.

Nathan

Nerves Are Human

Daily Post, Sabbatical

If you’re nervous about the viva then you will feel uncomfortable, but there’s nothing wrong.

Nerves are a very human response to important situations. Your examiners might be nervous about your viva because they want it go well too. Your supervisor could be nervous, friends and family could be nervous on your behalf. A crowd of people, near and far, all nervous for what will happen and wanting it go well.

I don’t have a tried and tested method for removing nerves – but you can lessen the discomfort you feel by building your confidence. Reflect on your PhD journey, see the progress you’ve made and the knowledge and skillset that you must have. It doesn’t make you not-nervous, but it can help make you more confident for the important event that is in your future.

If you’re nervous about the viva then you’re human. As a human you can do something about it.

 

Viva Survivors Summer Sabbatical: I’m taking July, August and September off from new writing to concentrate on other creative projects, so will be sharing a post from the archives every day throughout those months. Today’s post was originally published on September 7th 2021.

Nathan

A Constellation Of Confidence

Daily Post, Sabbatical

As you prepare for your viva think about a Situation where you did something well. What was the Task that you were trying to accomplish? Was there a goal you were aiming for or a problem that needed a solution?

Whatever the circumstances, what Activities were you engaged with? And when you had finished what were the Results of your work?

Reflecting on a story where you describe the Situation, Task, Activities and Results helps to create a useful narrative for exploring your capability with others. It can be a big help for job applications, interviews or pitching yourself.

Reflecting on a STAR can also help a lot with building confidence. It’s a foundation of knowing that you are good enough.

And you aren’t limited to one story. Find as many as you can and build a constellation of stories that you can look at when needed, to show yourself that you are good.

 

Viva Survivors Summer Sabbatical: I’m taking July, August and September off from new writing to concentrate on other creative projects, so will be sharing a post from the archives every day throughout those months. Today’s post was originally published on January 11th 2023.

Nathan

Save Points

Daily Post, Sabbatical

Video games have been a big part of my pandemic coping strategies. Interactive stories, complex challenges, puzzle solving and sometimes great big emotional experiences to distract me from the background of life right now.

Save points have featured a lot too: either specific locations within a game where I have to pause and record my progress or a menu option that takes me out of the moment so I can make sure my journey through the game’s experience is recorded.

Save points are useful in viva prep too for keeping you on target. Rather than simply record your state for the next time, a prep save point could act as a very quick review – a growing record to look at and know that you are getting closer to being ready.

Any time that you take time to get ready, as you finish, just ask yourself:

  • How long did I invest in my future success?
  • What did I do?
  • How did it help?
  • What could I do to keep building on this progress?
  • What will I do when I next do some viva prep?

Each time you finish some prep task respond to these, quickly, a few words or sentences for each. Two minutes to capture something that helps prove to yourself that you are getting ready.

You are getting closer to that big achievement of passing your viva.

 

Viva Survivors Summer Sabbatical: I’m taking July, August and September off from new writing to concentrate on other creative projects, so will be sharing a post from the archives every day throughout those months. Today’s post was originally published on February 13th 2021.

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