7 keys to developing self-efficacy and feeling competent

Just a few weeks ago we lost Albert Bandura (1925-2021), one of the most relevant social psychologists in history. With him we learned how to develop self-efficacy. He taught us that, In the face of an increasingly variable world, believing in ourselves is the only way to achieve stability and also, the ability to achieve the goals we set for ourselves.

It is not an easy task. Self-efficacy is one of the pillars that builds the human personality, since thanks to it, we have the opportunity to be who we really want to be. The legacy that he left us throughout his extensive work has allowed us to understand everything from the importance of learning to how the beliefs that we decide to reinforce at a given moment mediate our well-being.

Trust in ourselves, know that we are capable of achieving certain things and work in tune with our desires, values ​​and ability Des is what allows us to go far in life. Therefore, let’s discover a series of simple strategies to achieve this.

How to develop self-efficacy in 7 keys

Self-efficacy is defined as the confidence we have in our ability to implement certain actions and thus achieve an objective. (Bandura, 1977, 1986, 1997). It is important to note that it is not just about “believing we can”. It is not simple “self-confidence”.

This dimension is based on the assimilation and application of a series of skills; an awareness of success in a process on which our hope of being effective will rest. This, as we can imagine, is decisive in childhood and adolescence. Studies, such as those carried out at the Jaume I University, Castellón, remind us that average self-efficacy in academic achievement.

We know that when a student is confident in his or her ability and believes that he or she will achieve good results, he or she is more likely to achieve them. Bandura himself indicated that it is a priority to develop self-efficacy during childhood. This will impact our development and ability to achieve in adulthood. However, we always have time to apply appropriate changes.

Let’s therefore see a series of keys to put it into practice.

1. If you want to be competent in a field, learn and work in it

No one can be effective as a doctor if they have not studied medicine. It is obvious. Therefore, If you want to feel truly competent in any discipline, no matter how minor, you must practice and learn. This means, first of all, that you must recognize what you don’t know and then be open to change, to establish new perspectives and domains.

2. Developing self-efficacy is a constantly evolving process within us

Bandura said that every puzzle is completed piece by piece and in a thoughtful manner. The same thing happens with self-efficacy. It is a process of evolution in which the person must see how they achieve small advances and daily victories. There will be setbacks, of course, but that is what learning consists of, integrating errors to resolve them and thus improving our sense of competence.

3. Remember experiences of mastery and achievement

A key to developing self-efficacy is to remember all those times when we have been successful in implementing certain actions. The hope that we can settles looking back to connect with those times we were successful. This is important because we see it very often in children.

They often doubt themselves when it comes to carrying out certain tasks. However, as they accumulate experiences of mastery and success, they trust themselves much more until they are fully autonomous.

4. Regulate your emotions and control your thoughts

If you want to develop self-efficacy fully and effectively, you must manage your emotions. Dimensions such as fear or insecurity darken your expectations. If you fear failure and obsess over failure, you will most likely fail. Likewise, if your mind is not with you and only negative thoughts assault you, your competence will fall to the ground.

Therefore, it is essential that you learn to regulate everything that happens in your mind. Being self-effective is aligning skills with adequate emotional harmony.

5. Social modeling: look at those who are successful

What do successful people in your industry do? If you dream of mastering a discipline, it is always appropriate to look at those who have achieved excellence. Social modeling, that is, learning by observing and imitating experts, is also suitable.

6. To develop self-efficacy, embrace challenges

People who have managed to develop self-efficacy and who have reached the highest levels have taken on great challenges. Intentionally and courageously tackling difficult tasks is a way to challenge yourself. and above all, to show yourself that you can achieve more things than you think.

7. Accept feedback: both positive and negative

No one gets very far if they are not able to accept advice, if they are not good at leaving room for external feedback.. None of us are born experts, the expert is born with the humility of someone who assumes that he does not know everything. This implies, for example, accepting our mistakes and letting ourselves be guided by someone who knows more than us.

On the other hand, if it is decisive to accept mistakes, it is also important to accept positive reinforcements. Praise is another boost to strengthen self-efficacy and know that we are on the right track. No more no less. Therefore, Let’s work every day in this dimension to improve our lives, to be able to go far, wherever our expectations (and skills) take us.

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