Self-Efficacy

Resilience is something we can actively build. Think of it this way: if you’re shooting for the goal of running a 5k race but hate running, and you’ve decided you’ll never be capable of learning how to do it, your poor self-efficacy has taken the wheel. You will stop trying. But, if you go for that first run and everything in your body is screaming at you, and you respond by saying, “I know this feels terrible but I know I will succeed if I keep trying and train my body,” you’re approaching the challenge with high self-efficacy.

In many ways, this can be a bit of a “fake it ‘til you make it” scenario. If you’ve identified that your belief in yourself to accomplish a task is lacking, you can trick your brain into believing in yourself when you do it anyway. Ever heard the phrase “do it scared”? This can be a powerful mantra to carry into life with us—perhaps you already used this notion when you decided to quit drinking before you were really ready.

Today, consider how you might be able to cultivate more self-efficacy into your life. Like the mantra “do it scared”? Add it to your toolbox and do the thing anyway.