Self-Efficacy
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What is Self-Efficacy?
Self-efficacy pertains to one’s belief in their own abilities to complete desired effects of their own actions (Bandura, 1977, 1986, 1997). Through self-efficacy, the belief you will be able to reach your desired goal, or outcome expectancy, you analyze your own skills that reflect the possibility to get that goal or task done, or efficacy expectancies.
Think of the childhood story of The Little Engine That Could. The popular phrase “I think I can, I think I can” is parallel with what self-efficacy is. Do you think you can complete your goals with the traits and skills you have already learned?
Self-efficacy stems from social cognitive theory. This theory states that humans can actively shape their lives rather than being bystanders of environmental forces around them. We have the ability to create our own outcomes through self-efficacy.
Having self-efficacy can develop out of the following:
Success in previous similar situations
Modeling after others behaviors in situations
Visualizing life after goal is secure
Arousal and emotion can be manipulated to our benefit
Influence from a trustworthy expert
Neurologically, self-efficacy shows up in our frontal and prefrontal lobes to facilitate our prioritization of tasks and goals. When faced with these, the left side of our brain lights up to help with problem-solving. On the other hand, the right hemisphere reacts to the language and abstract processes.
Why You Don’t Believe in Yourself
Have negative thoughts and behaviors have been running your life since you can remember? Do you tend to think that you are incapable of following your dreams and completing your goals?
This concept has been looked at through the lens of positive psychology’s as self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the belief that one has that they can complete their goals and tasks.
Low self-efficacy can fill us with so much negativity that we learn negative coping mechanisms to continue this conditioning. This low self-efficacy causes us to believe we don’t have a place in this world. Our abilities will never reach our goals due to our own lack of belief in ourselves.
How low self-efficacy manifests:
Avoiding tasks that feel challenging
Belief that capabilities do not exceed difficult tasks and goals
Tend to focus on personal feelings and only negative outcomes
Low confidence in personal abilities
Where does low self-efficacy stem from?
Self-efficacy stems from social cognitive theory. This theory states that humans can actively shape their lives rather than being bystanders of environmental forces around them. We have the ability to create our own outcomes through self-efficacy.
Psychologist Albert Bandura sourced four ways that self-efficacy can be created.
Mastery of experiences
Trying new experiences can form a sense of confidence when trying things outside of our comfort zones. Bandura claims “they provide the most authentic evidence of whether one can muster whatever it takes to succeed.”
Social Models
Watching others complete the tasks we wish to, allows for better understanding of how it can be done, giving us confidence in ourselves to also complete that task or goal. Those videos you see about women doing it themselves by watching YouTube videos, that is the epitome of self-efficacy through social models.
Social Persuasion
Finding someone who believes in you, can almost guarantee you’ll begin conditioning to that new belief for yourself. Kind of like fake it until you make it, but really until you believe it.
Physical and emotional responses
The physical responses can tell you what stress levels you have or if you’re experiencing anxiety. Being able to detect these feelings through your body, will allow you to take a break and be able to connect emotional and cognitive processes.
How to benefit from our self-efficacy for self-improvement
Much research has looked at how self-efficacy can be implicated for a successful life in coping, minimizing depression, and lowering anxiety. There are ways to measure self-efficacy and many positive psychologists will tap into this to analyze individuals dealing with schizophrenia to enhance their chances of success.
We can use this to our advantage to improve our goal completion, become physically healthier, and aim towards higher optimism and hope by:
Build off the successes of smaller goals to complete larger goals
Use models previously made to learn how to overcome difficulties
Allow yourself to imagine what life will be like at the end of your goals (vision boards help with this!)
Use verbal persuasion either through a trustworthy psychotherapist or daily affirmations
Learn techniques to lower your arousal around specific triggers
Learn to meditate, breathework, relaxation
Although these skills are easier said than done, our desire for a better life is always the push we need to become better versions of ourselves.
Self-efficacy can be developed to help us adapt to external situations rather than being pessimistic about how they may turn out.
We live and learn how to better cope with our situations and how to free ourselves of our own anxiety. Whether you need external help, from a psychologist or family member, your abilities are there, you just need to be able to learn how to get them to come through.
How to Begin Your Self-Efficacy Journey
Self-efficacy, as stated before, is just the belief in your own capabilities to complete tasks or goals. The best way to grow your self-efficacy is through the following:
Journaling & Self-Study
Here’s the thing, I wholeheartedly believe that journaling is the way to go. There are different types of journals to keep track of this. Reflective journaling is the best way to find out what you’re missing or need more of. That way you can tailor your affirmations to your exact needs. Self-efficacy can be taught, but only through self-study.
Pick up a journal and get to writing!!
Remember if you don’t evaluate your experiences after they happened, how do you know if you’re growing or learning you are capable of following through with your goals?
Affirmations
If there is any way to really grow your own personal beliefs of your ego or self, it’s through verbalizing your desires. Affirming that you are enough. Whether that’s creative, smart, brave, or strong enough, telling yourself that YOU CAN DO IT is the absolute best way to begin your self-efficacy journey.
Wake up everyday and tell yourself what you want to hear from others. Self-love may one of the most important things pertaining to self-efficacy.
Follow Your Intuition
Making your own decisions is hard. You’ll have no one to blame but yourself when things turn upside down. However, we grow from our experiences. Following your intuition is a great way to grow your self-efficacy as you learn that your brain and heart will always guide you in the direction you want to go.
As my best friend told me once, “you’ll always make the right decision for yourself in the moment.”
Expand your comfort zone
How will you know if you are capable of more if you don’t expand your comfort zone? Have you always wanted to try rock climbing? Try a free course near you. Always wanted to try yoga? Find one that is meant to be silly. Like with GOATS! What about trying a new hobby like painting? Find a painting and sip near you. The thing is you CAN do it. It’s just going to be awkward at first. You’re not the only person trying these things for the first time, how else did goat yoga become a thing?
How do you know you can’t do it unless you try? As many self-help coaches will say, practice is how you evolve. If you wait until the day you know how to do something, you’ll be waiting forever. The only way to become confident in your abilities is through practice.
Set SMART Goals
SMART Goals have been around awhile, and as you dive into really anything goal related, you’ll hear this term.
SMART is an anagram for:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound
If you begin all your goals or tasks with these in mind, your ability to complete them will skyrocket. Not only that but your innate belief that you couldn’t do it in the first place, will be squandered by your new sense of self-efficacy!
Looking towards the future while keeping the big picture in mind, will grow your self-efficacy through the smaller tasks until you get there.
Believe in YourSELF
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Believe in YourSELF 〰️
30 Journal Prompts To Help Believe in Yourself Again
Do I believe in myself?
What do I believe I can do?
What traits do I have that can help me become successful?
What weaknesses could I improve?
What motivates me?
What are my goals?
How do my values cause me to act in situations where my goals are involved?
What activities do I enjoy doing?
What small things can I do every day towards my goals?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how is my daily performance?
What is my purpose in life?
What level of commitment do I have to my goals?
What setbacks have I had?
How does my body, mind, and soul react to setbacks?
Am I optimistic and hopeful?
Do I avoid challenging tasks?
Do I avoid being outside my comfort zone?
What negative feelings & thoughts do I have about my capabilities to complete my goals?
Am I confident in my actions?
Do I follow my intuition?
What do those around me say I do well?
Ask those closest to you if you do not know!
How is my mind’s health?
How is my body’s health?
Do I feel I can handle problems if I’m willing to work hard?
Do I perform well under pressure?
Do I tend to look forward or get overwhelmed and stuck?
Do I stay calm during the storm?
How do I celebrate my successes?
What positive affirmations do I tell myself?
What behaviors of others have I observed that could serve me?
