Self-Efficacy and “Yes, I Can” attitude

Henry Ford said it best! But few of us realize the veracity of his statement. Fortunately, there’s science, and a little bit of fiction to back it up – so read on!

“I Can! I Can!”

Do you remember the children’s story The Little Engine that Could? Defying impossible odds, the little engine did! But did we somehow miss the message of this tale? 50 years have past since the book was first published, and when trying to overcome hardship or pursue our dreams, many of us still think, “I can’t.” Sound familiar?

“Self-efficacy” – the scientific term for “I-can” is a psychological phenomenon that enhances goal achievement. Introduced by psychologist Albert Bandura in 1977, over thirty years later the scientific potency persists in academia and in business world. But even with science on our side, we still haven’t quite gotten it. Self-efficacy isn’t about a sense of self-worth; it’s about believing you are capable of producing a desired result – that you can achieve your goals.

The truth is – there’s so much more to “I can” attitude than children’s fiction, or a clichéd, feel-good maxim.

The Influence of Self-Efficacy

Everyone has something they’d like to change or improve; everyone has goals. Therefore, self-efficacy is of universal appeal and widespread need. Beyond that, it offers up some really great benefits.

For instance, people high in self-efficacy take better care of themselves, see tasks as something to be mastered, and they feel more empowered. They’re not controlled by circumstances. hey see setbacks as challenges to be overcome and can cope with hardship better than those with low self-efficacy. They learn from failure and channel it into success, like Thomas Jeferson, Walt Disney and J.K. Rowling. People higher in self-efficacy also have a greater sense of motivation and persistence.

Self efficacy – what does it influence?

• The choices you make
• The effort you put forth
• How long you persist when confronted with obstacles

How you feel

What does self-efficacy predict?

• Motivation (choice, effort, persistence)
• Learning
• Self-regulation
• Achievement

What does self-efficacy predict?

• Motivation (choice, effort, persistence)
• Learning
• Self-regulation
• Achievement

Enhancing “Yes, I can”

Here are some simple exercises that you can use to boost your sense of self-efficacy.

1.     Take One Step at A Time

Self-efficacy is developed, in part, through success – and even small achievements can pack a powerful punch. Build up slowly. Pick one small change you’d like to make and go for it. Then pick another small change. Then another. Reflect on each success before moving on to your next small goal. Like any other change, enhancing self-efficacy is best achieved one step at a time.

2.     Draw from Your Past

Reminiscing on past successes can help drum up a greater sense of self-efficacy. Reflect on times when you succeeded at accomplishing things you didn’t think you could do. Reflect on those moments. What did you accomplish? How did you accomplish it? How can these accomplishmentsbechanneledtohelpyouachievefuturegoals? Whatdotheseaccomplishments say about your ability to succeed?

3.     See to Believe

Visualization is a powerful tool. Not only is seeing believing, when it comes to self-efficacy, believing is seeing… results. Visualization not only primes your brain for success and enhances self-efficacy; it also helps you to see the smaller steps you need to take to reach your end goal. See a separate chapter on visualization in this book.

4.     Accept Self-Doubt…but Put it in its Place

Managing your self-doubt is just one more way to keep “I think I can’t” thoughts from derailing your success. When self-defeating thoughts pale up, accept them as part of the process and move on. These types of thoughts don’t necessarily reflect your true capabilities. The key is to not let them stop you from moving forward. See a separate chapter on limiting beliefs in this book.

5.     Get Happy

A good mood can also boost self-efficacy while a bad mood can undermine it. Write out all the things that uplit you (i.e. special songs, favorite quotes, etc.) and use them to your advantage as you navigate towards your goals.

6.     Solicit Social Support

Another great way to build self-efficacy beliefs is to elicit encouragement from friends and family and to stay away from those who discourage you. Quality social support is a key ingredient to self-efficacy, persistence and ultimately success. Find your best advocates and invite them to be part of your campaign for change.