Check-in on your level of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is your belief about your ability to accomplish a goal or achievement.
Answer YES, NO, Maybe to the following from Dr. Piers Steel:
I can always manage to solve difficult problems if I try hard enough.
If someone opposes me, I can find the means and ways to get what I want.
It is easy for me to stick to my aims and accomplish my goals.
I am confident that I can deal efficiently with unexpected events
Thanks to my resourcefulness, I know how to handle unforeseen situations.
I can solve most problems if I invest the necessary effort.
I can remain calm when facing difficulties because I can rely on my coping abilities.
When I am confronted with a problem, I can usually find several solutions.
If I am in trouble, I can usually think of a solution.
10. I can usually handle whatever comes my way.
How many times could you honestly answer yes?
Are you spending too much time proving yourself to others, and not enough proving yourself to yourself?
And are you now asking, how do I prove myself to myself?
I love concrete actions so here are a few to improve your self-efficacy and prove that yes, you can, it IS not only possible, but it is coming true.
FIND MASTERY EXPERIENCES. We build confidence by putting in the time, learning the skills and knowledge, getting in the game, and working to turn our efforts from difficult to smooth, flowing, and on auto-pilot. We do this through repetition, self-monitoring, coaching, teachers, correction, improvement, and integration.
PHYSIOLOGICAL STATES. We build belief in ourselves by getting in an elevated state where we feel that it is true, and have positive, exhilarated, elevated feelings about achieving what we desire as if it is true, now. We visualize the end result and all the days and steps along the way while staying open to the J curve. The J curve is the belief that at some point, the repetitive showing up and giving our best, working to improve, and overcoming obstacles will swoop us up at some point on an expedited wave to success.
SOCIAL PERSUASION. Does your environment affect you? Yes, it certainly does. Your environment is not only your home and town but the people in your life. Your self-efficacy can increase if people around you support and reinforce to you that the daily effort is worth it!
SOCIAL MODELING. Luckily, it isn’t the end of things if the people around you don’t believe. Coaches can shift your mindset. You can observe role models succeeding in different social circles, towns, or even countries and use them to fuel your motivation. When you see that they have achieved it, you increase your belief that you can do the same. You can even work backward to see what steps your models took to achieve their success.
Take steps to increase your self-efficacy, prove yourself to yourself, and get into action today. You deserve to make your life a masterpiece. -Heather Lenz
Hope Perlman, 2017. Self-Efficacy and Success. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/unmapped-country/201710/self-efficacy-and-success
Piers Steel Ph.D. 2014. Self-Efficacy and Success: Is There Any Relationship? https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-procrastination-equation/201411/self-efficacy-and-success-is-there-any-relationship
Banik, A., Schwarzer, R., Knoll, N., Czekierda, K., & Luszczynska, A. (2018). Self-efficacy and quality of life among people with cardiovascular diseases: A meta-analysis. Rehabilitation Psychology, 63(2), 295-312. doi:10.1037/rep0000199
Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston, Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35-37). Windsor, UK: NFER-NELSON.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Self-Efficacy: An essential motive to learn. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 82-91.
Robert H. Woody Ph.D. 2018. To Thine Own Self-Efficacy Be True. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/live-in-concert/201807/thine-own-self-efficacy-be-true