Trembling with fear will never save you from failure. It is proved! What you need is to find the ways of gaining self-control at your dissertation defense. Of course, it is easier said than done, still, everything is possible if you know how to do it. Do not you know how to manage this yet? You will if you read this article up to the end.

• Before entering the classroom where your dissertation defense will take place, try to think about something pleasant. If you think about your dissertation defense, it will only make things worse, as you will get more and more scared. You need to calm down before your dissertation defense;
• Do not take the dissertation committee as your enemies. They are only people who have to check your work. That is what dissertation defense itself serves for. Take them as your friends who are interested in what you have done, and you are just trying to explain them that research you have conducted is a real finding;
• Look directly in their eyes and do not show that you are scared. People tend to feel fear and uncertainty. Just try to imagine that you ARE already successful giving the speech at your dissertation defense. Your dissertation defense will for sure go big if you impress the committee with your confidence;

• Use gestures. It will be easier for you to talk using gestures and for the committee to understand what you want to tell. Dissertation defense will pass in a friendly atmosphere if you have mutual understanding. Help your audience catch your idea if you want to succeed.

In other words, you just have to get rid of your fear long before your dissertation defense starts. Realize a simple truth: you will succeed if you want to succeed.