What if there were a Clinical Prediction Rule (CPR) for self-efficacy? And what if the items of that CPR were also the same things required to grow a strong sense of self-efficacy? While there is no such animal, there is something close to it.

I’ve always been a “doer” and I like to get stuff done. The problem and challenge I continue to have is getting the right stuff done.And while I like the natural high that comes from getting a lot done, that rush is negated when I realize that what I’ve built is a sand castle of sorts….or the wrong castle.The kind of thing that makes you briefly feel good, looks good, but at the end of the day doesn’t really matter to you or your stakeholders.

That’s where cultivating a strong sense of self-efficacy can change all that. Simply put, self-efficacy is believing that you have the “stuff” it takes to accomplish the goals in front of you. To be sure, it takes more that just self-efficacy to achieve what matters most (like your goals and a plan), but self-efficacy is where it starts.

Why Self-efficacy Matters

According to Marty Seligman, accomplishment (the “A” in his PERMA acronym) is an important part of flourishing. And those accomplishments need to be outstanding and meaningful because they are, in part, how people define themselves and find their own meaning in life.As it turns out, Bandura found that people with strong self-efficacy are more likely to set the kind of hard goals that lead to meaningful, high-level achievements.

I can hear the question already “what if my self-efficacy is low or deficient?”

The truth is that question may not really matter much. The reality is that if you want to do more, it turns out you have to “be” more.So, if you don’t want to do more or achieve more in life than you already have, read no further. If you do, then you may want to read on.

A Four Factor CPR for Self-efficacy

Bandura also found that there are four ways to build self-efficacy:

• Maximize healthy stress responses – Stress is required for growth, and how you handle it determines whether you turn it into distress or eustress.
• Connect with successful role models – The adage “success leaves clues” applies here. Find someone who is doing or who has accomplished what you want and get as close as you can. Propinquity has it’s advantages, .even when it’s virtual.
• Have someone who believes in you – Yes, who you surround yourself with matters so be intentional about the people in your inner circle, .especially with your “top 5.”
• Start small and go Big – accomplish smaller things that can serve as the building blocks for doing something really big later. This one may be the most powerful of the four for many reasons, in part because it incorporates the elements of goals setting.

While other things contribute to our self-efficacy (and that of our patients), these four have the biggest impact.

Consider how these four factors show up in your own life right now. Are they where you want them to be?

Cultivating self-efficacy is essential for achievement that leads to flourishing versus just spinning your wheels. The good news is that self-efficacy isn’t something we’re born with; it’s something to be built.

What’s your next best step to cultivate the self-efficacy you need in order to achieve what matters most?