Self-efficacy

Alex Bandura’s famous Social Cognitive Theory says that things only get done if you believe you have some control during the situation. You have a problem, you want to fix it, and you believe you can. Bandura refers to this belief in your abilities as self-efficacy.

Self-efficacy is about believing in yourself. It’s important to believe in yourself, to think that you’re capable. Taking responsibility for your life means believing in yourself to some degree.

But if you want to really make a difference, you have to keep your self-efficacy in check. That belief better be grounded in reality. If it’s not, you’re going to get knocked off your high horse fairly quickly.

It’s about humility but believing in yourself. It’s about being courageous but not being stupid. At the end of the day, if you don’t believe in yourself, who will?