Reality-based belief in one’s abilities leads to confidence in being capable of trying new approaches, overcoming challenges and setbacks, and making effective changes to produce an improvement in specific areas of life.
Resilience
Self-Efficacy and Mastery
Self-efficacy is best summed up as an 'I can do this' mindset. It is the belief in our ability to meet challenges and complete a task successfully. This belief usually stems from past experiences of success. Mastery is being good at something and therefore helps to build self-efficacy.
Benefits of Self-Efficacy and Mastery
More About Self-Efficacy and Mastery
Self-efficacy is a self-sustaining trait
Regardless of your past or current environment, everyone can strengthen their self-efficacy.
- By working through challenges successfully, you build up positive experiences that support self-efficacy further.
Four main sources of influence
Research shows that self-efficacy is developed by four main sources of influence:
- Performance accomplishments: Persisting through challenges on the road to successful goal achievement, we come to believe that through sustained effort and perseverance we have the capability to be successful in achieving the goal. Mastery of challenging tasks conveys evidence of enhanced competence. However, sometimes a large goal requires breaking the process up into small, more achievable steps. Successful accomplishment of each step builds belief in one’s capabilities and motivates continuation through the subsequent steps.
- Social modelling: Seeing others who are similar to ourselves overcome challenges successfully can positively inspire us to believe “If that person can do it, so can Iâ€.
- Social persuasion: Positive feedback about our capabilities, and encouragement, from a trusted friend, colleague or mentor helps us to believe we can under take new challenges. The more believable the source of information, the more likely we are to feel that we can complete a task successfully.
- Emotional states: Fatigue, anxiety, stress and despondency can diminish our belief in our ability to succeed in goal achievement. Consequently, learning effective coping skills, getting enough sleep, looking after our physical health and building resilience can all contribute to a sustained sense of self-efficacy.
Impacts on:
- Medical
- Sleep
- Lifestyle
- Work
- Connections
- Optimism
Strategies to Improve Self-Efficacy and Mastery
1. Set aside time for reflection.
Acknowledge past successes. Think about challenges you have overcome from the past – what did you learn from this? How might these help you now?
2. Understand your strengths and skills.
Feedback from others is helpful in this. Consider getting a mentor (formal or informal).
Do the VIA Survey of character strengths. You will need to create a login but there is no cost and you don’t get spam from this site.
3. Think of an upcoming challenge.
Break it into smaller, more achievable steps. Successful accomplishment of one step leads to confidence to take on the next step.
4. Refer back to your Complete Wellbeing Report.
What areas of physical health (sleep, diet, physical activity etc) can you work on to boost your energy to guard against fatigue? What resilience builders need some more attention to help you manage stressors?
5. Practice self-compassion
If something has not gone well in the past, can you practice self-compassion? Be kind and compassionate to yourself as you would to a friend in a similar situation.
Resources
Harvard Business Review, 2018 "Give Yourself a Break: The Power of Self-Compassion"
Website Article
Harvard Business Review, 2020 "How to Build a Great Relationship with a Mentor"
Website Article
The Conversation, 2014 "Struggling with that New Year's resolution? How to hang in there"
Website Article
The Conversation, 2020 "Group exercise may be even better for you than solo workouts - here's why.""
Website Article
