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Nov 22, 2025 13 min

How You Will Fail Your Dissertation Defense And How To Avoid It

from Office Hours With Dr. Lacy Hosted by Marvette Lacy, PhD

In this conversation, Dr. Lacy discusses the challenges faced by doctoral students, particularly focusing on the feelings of imposter syndrome and self-doubt. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's achievements and the mental barriers that prevent individuals from acknowledging their capabilities. Lacy encourages listeners to shift their mindset from fear of failure to celebrating their successes throughout their academic journey. Takeaways The core of why it's so hard and overwhelming is you have such deep-seated fear and disbelief. You keep mentally rehearsing all of the reasons why you're going to fail. You don't see that as proof of you knowing what you're doing. The fact that you made it to the end of the dissertation is significant. Many doctoral students do not make it to the end, which is proof of your resilience. Self-doubt can hinder your ability to recognize your achievements. It's important to shift your mindset from fear to confidence. Acknowledging your hard work is crucial for personal growth. You are the one who collected and analyzed the data. Recognizing your journey can empower you to embrace your identity as a doctor. Dissertation Information Qual Scholars Community: https://qual-scholars.circle.so/ 10 Pages In 2 Days Writing Retreat: https://qualscholars.com/10pages/ The Finish Your Dissertation Institute: https://qualscholars.com/theinstitute/ Qual Scholars Website: https://qualscholars.com/ Qual Scholars' Instagram: https://instagram.com/qual_scholars/ Book An Astrology Reading: https://www.qualscholars.com/offers/8q2V7xF3/checkout

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This episode was published on November 22, 2025.

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