Self-efficacy: A Recipe for Positive Progress
You won’t find the ingredients in a cookbook, but the theory will set you free!
Self-efficacy!
There, I’ve said it… well written it.
It’s a big hyphenated word that is bantered around by educators. Well… Bandura-ed around.
See what I did there? I made a theorist’s joke.
But I digress.
Just what the f#*% is self-efficacy, anyway?
Self-efficacy is one’s belief that one can do the thing that one wants to do.
Let me break it down with a little story.
Jesse wants to bake a cake. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.
Jesse finds a recipe, gathers the ingredients, measures and mixes and bakes. And voila!
Jesse has baked a cake.
Did they put a lot of effort into that whole process? Was there anything at stake? At risk? Not really. Because Jesse knew they could bake a cake. They’ve made cakes before. They’ve watched lots of chefs on TV and YouTubes. (There are SO many shows for this. I could provide links to some of my favorites, but I’ll save that for later… maybe?)
But what if Jesse had no prior knowledge of cake baking?
What if they didn’t have a tried and trusted recipe?
What if they had never seen anyone bake a cake before? And what if they didn’t even know what ‘cake’ is? Maybe we’ll call it ‘farunkandall’ instead.
Even if Jesse was given ALL the ingredients, they still would flounder unless they were willing to try, experiment, and fail UNTIL they succeeded.
Suddenly, self-efficacy is out the window.
Jesse no longer believes in their ability to do the task.
The ‘one’ mentioned above is now lost, alone, and bewildered.
Often, when we take on a new interest, we first must believe in our ability to do the job.
Here’s another story to illustrate my point:
Alex wants to be a cartoonist. They draw and draw, working on expressions, shape, color, composition, and story.
They show their friends. And their friends make faces.
“You’re no Charles Schultz,” one says.
“Don’t quit your day job,” another friend says.
So Alex gives up because Alex listens to their friends more than they listen to their own heart.
Now let’s get real.
What if it’s YOU who desire to make a cake? Or draw cartoons?
OR launch a new career or start a business or go back to school?
There are lots of career counselors, venture capitalists, and school counselors that will set you up on a payment plan to follow their programs.
But really, YOUR success depends on YOU.
Some of us grew up in families where self-efficacy was part of the DNA. A supportive mom or dad or older sibling served as a cheerleader. Whatever the hair-brained plan, they stood on the side-lines shouting, “Ra Ra. You’ve got this.”
Outside support helps.
But what happens when that goes away? A parent dies. A sibling goes off to school or starts their own family. Or they turn their attention to another sibling? Or another interest?
Self-efficacy comes from within.
There is no substitute.
Ted Lasso, in the popular TV show by the same name, wrote and taped to the locker room wall — BELIEVE!
Believe in your ability to complete the task.
Believe in yourself.
Believe.
Do you want to get inspired? Do you need a little help? And support? Until you’re ready to believe in yourself? Consider hiring a coach. Even three or four sessions can set you on a path to success. More information at www.doyourart.org
