Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

(Arthur Ashe)

Self-belief does not necessarily ensure success but self-disbelief assuredly spawns failure. 

(Albert Bandura) 

Don't let your success determine your beliefs. Your beliefs should determine your sucess. 

(Aristotle)

Self-efficacy


Self-efficacy is the belief in one's own ability to cope with different situations.

It is not just about how we feel or what we think about ourselves, but self-efficacy plays an important role in how successful we will be in achieving our goals and objectives in life.

 

Psychologist Albert Bandura, the founder of social cognitive theory, believes that the concept of self-efficacy is fundamental.

Self-efficacy represents a person's belief about his or her ability to succeed in a given situation. It is not so much the abilities that a person has, but rather what he or she believes he or she can do with them. Effective functioning requires both abilities and the confidence to be able to use them. Self-efficacy can affect everything from the psychological state of behaviour to motivation.

The individual must also constantly adapt his or her abilities to the demands of the situation.  Bandura believes that things in life do not happen by themselves, but are the result of human activity. People who doubt their abilities run away from difficult tasks and conversely people who believe in their abilities put a lot of energy into solving the problem. They set goals and follow them. We can talk about a strong sense of self-efficacy and a weak sense of self-efficacy.

How Does Self-Efficacy Develop?

Albert Bandura (1977) suggests that individuals develop their self-efficacy beliefs based on four sources of information:


Performance accomplishments; mastery experience

This is an interpretation of the outcome of a previous performance. It is the experience of having completed a challenge. These mastery experiences are the most influential source of information about performance. It is a demonstration of whether one can muster what it takes to succeed. It is success that builds a strong belief in personal effectiveness. If the sense of self-efficacy is not firmly established, that is undermined by failures. Practice, persistence and a positive mindset are important.

 

Vicarious experience

Vicarious experiences provided by social models are also an important source of self-efficacy. Bandura (1977) argues that "Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers" beliefs that they too possess the capabilities to master comparable activities to succeed."

Vicarious experiences involve observing other people successfully completing a task.

If an individual has a positive role model in their life, they are more likely to have positive beliefs about themselves.

 

Verbal persuasion

Verbal persuasion is used when someone intends to influence someone's behaviour. For example, telling someone that they are capable of achieving something. Self-efficacy beliefs that result from verbal persuasion are weaker than beliefs that result from direct experience, but they can still lead to change if they are given in a realistic way.


Physiological Feedback

The emotional, physical, and psychological well-being of a person can influence how they feel about their personal abilities in a particular situation.

In situations where a person does not feel well, a sense of self-efficacy is more difficult to build, but not impossible. According to Bandura, it is not only the emotional and physical reaction that is important, but the way it is perceived and interpreted. We can improve our sense of self-efficacy by learning how to manage, say, anxiety, or how to improve our mood when we experience stressful situations.

 

A fifth source of self-efficacy is cited by James Maddux, who, like Bandura, has studied this area:

Imaginal Experiences/Visualization

It is about trying to imagine one's goals as achievable. It is about painting a picture that success has already been achieved.

Evaluating Self-Efficacy Strength

For a quick, informal assessment of your own self-efficacy levels, consider the following questions:

If you can answer yes to most of these questions, then chances are good that you have a fairly strong sense of self-efficacy.

If you think you need to strengthen your self-efficacy, take a look at the tips below or solve the exercises. 

Step out of your comfort zone - try new things and prove to yourself how strong and resilient you are

Think about who the people are who support you and believe in you. Build a network of people who will encourage you.

Before taking on a new challenge, think about past good experiences when you have solved a challenge. Write down the good experiences.

Take small steps. Divide a more complex activity into smaller activities. Set realistic goals. 

Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions. Choose and repeat positive affirmations. 

Write down things for which you are grateful. 

Celebrate your successes. 

Treat obstacles that arise on the road to success as learning opportunities. 

Recommendation for additional reading

My life is my responsibility (Peter Mulraney) 

Until we reach the point where we are able to take responsibility for everything that happens to us in life, we are not free". In this case, we always blame someone for everything that happens to us, and we often put ourselves in the role of the victim – the latter is the easiest, isn't it? It takes courage and a strong will to accept responsibility for our actions.

The author calls for taking responsibility for one's life through key life insights.  Each insight also contains questions for reflection and suggestions for trying out new behaviours that are recommended in relation to the insight. 

INSIGHT 1: »Living without a clear purpose is like sailing without a compass.«

Just as a ship cannot sail without a compass, it is important to choose your course before raising the sails.

Question for reflection: Do you live with a clear purpose or do you blame circumstances for your life?

Proposed action: Take stock of what is happening in your life right now – set your purpose and decide on the signposts that will help you move forward.


INSIGHT 2: »Sometimes it is necessary to be in the dark to see clearly.«

Darkness actually gives us the opportunity to stop and look inwards, which does not require external illumination. Sometimes the darkness comes in the form of anxiety, when we are confronted with issues we would rather not have to deal with. We suppress such thoughts with medication or some other addictive substance, rather than reflecting on them and discovering the lesson at hand..

Question for reflection: When was the last time you sat in the dark, without all your devices, and kept at it until you knew what your next step would be?

Proposed action: Spend a day without all devices, make sitting in silence a daily practice.


INSIGHT 3: »All events are neutral.«

We cannot control events, but we can control how we interpret them and how we react. It is positive to ask ourselves, when faced with a painful event, what lesson it is teaching us. The latter gives us the opportunity to learn something from a particular experience, rather than being crushed by it.

Question for reflection: How do you react to events in your life? Do you reflect on why things happened, or do you take them personally?

Proposed action: Try to take a moment and think before you react. For example, take a deep breath and reflect BEFORE reacting.

 

INSIGHT 4: »You can find peace by diving beneath the surface of the waves of life.«

Life is like the ocean – all the drama takes place on the surface, where you can perceive what is happening without understanding why any of it is happening. If we pay our attention only to the surface, life is without doubt chaotic, exhausting. Fortunately, there is a place where you can find peace, calm and love – you  do this by stopping for a moment and taking some time for yourself. You can do this at home, in your favourite corner of nature, in short, where you feel safe and accepted. Sit in silence, breathe and focus your attention on yourself, on your feelings..

Question for reflection: We often resist new things – is that how you feel about meditation?

Proposed action: Learn to meditate and do it every day.

Additional information and help