4 TIPS ON IMPROVING SELF-EFFICACY

Story by Katie Kissal, Kissal Communications, LLC

Self-efficacy is the belief one has about their abilities and capabilities, big and small. It is developed through childhood experiences and

Self-efficacy affects your beliefs, motivation, and aspiration in facing challenges and achieving goals. According to Dr. Lauren Fisher of Del Ray Psych & Wellness, you can improve self-efficacy at any age. We teamed up to share the following tips to help improve one’s self-efficacy:

1. IDENTIFY YOUR STRETCH ZONE

There are three zones of personal achievement: comfort, stretch, and panic. Highly-productive people work in the stretch zone—taking reasonable chances and being resilient and willing to persevere through setbacks.

2. SET SIMPLE GOALS

Set reasonable goals, approaching them one at a time. Satisfaction with their success will help motivate them to set more goals.

3. LOOK PAST SHORT-TERM LOSSES

Develop the ability to learn from an adverse event, make necessary changes, and move on.

4. REFRAME OBSTACLES

Reframing is a powerful tool for changing negative thoughts and attitudes into positive ones. For example: “I am not smart enough to take that class” can be adjusted to “I am looking forward to the challenge of this class and learning something new.”