Is reciting "I am successful" just empty words? Not according to psychological theory. The bridge between "hoping" for success and actually achieving it is often built on Self-Efficacy.
What is Self-Efficacy?
Proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura, self-efficacy is an individual's belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. It's not just about self-esteem (liking yourself); it's about believing you can do it.
People with high self-efficacy:
- View challenging problems as tasks to be mastered.
- Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments.
- Commit stronger to their interests and activities.
Affirmations as Verbal Persuasion
Bandura identified four main sources of self-efficacy. One of them is Verbal Persuasion.
While this usually refers to encouragement from others (e.g., a coach saying "You can do this!"), self-affirmations act as internal verbal persuasion. When you affirm your abilities, you are essentially coaching yourself.
From Words to Action
The science suggests that affirmations work best when they bridge the gap between your current reality and your potential.
- Avoid: "I am a billionaire" (if you are currently struggling, your brain might reject this as a lie).
- Try: "I am capable of creating value and attracting wealth." (This targets your capacity, reinforcing self-efficacy).
The Feedback Loop
- Affirmation: You state, "I am a confident speaker."
- Belief: Your self-efficacy regarding speaking rises slightly.
- Action: Because you feel slightly more capable, you take a small risk (e.g., speaking up in a meeting).
- Result: You survive the experience, perhaps even succeed.
- Reinforcement: Your brain sees the proof, further strengthening the belief.
Affirmations are the spark that starts this engine. They shift your focus from "I can't" to "I can," opening the door for the actions that ultimately prove you right.
