Assuming identity and self-efficacy

Have you ever asked yourself why you can’t reach a goal you’ve set in past, which involves your self development?

If the answer is “yes”, I will offer you today two plausible answers, which once understood they can make your way of reaching your goals much more easier. One of this can be assuming your identity as a potentiating factor of pro change action and the other is self-efficacy.

Let’s take in consideration a fictiv example.

Policeman, doctor or singer, are just some of the professions you may have dreamed for when you were a kid/adolescent, as the most of us. What stopped you from achieving them? Not assuming the identity of a policeman, doctor or singer. By assuming identity I mean acquisitioning a base of knowledge on a specific domain in which you want to be active and the adoption of as much as possible representative behaviours.

More specific, it’s the same as creating an intellectual and behavioral prototype. What knows a singer? Musical notes, music history, etc. What kind of behavior does a singer has? It takes canto lessons, he practices regular. Assuming the identity of the singer involves identifying the self with the prototype, which can be achieved by taking on the intellectual profile and activities.

Do you still want to achieve a profession? It’s simple, realize a prototype by answering at two questions: “What he/she does?”, “ What he/she knows?” and act, respectively think per se. Answer constantly at this question during your evolution.

Self-efficacy plays an essential role in assuming identity. You know exactly what it means to be a singer, but do you think you can become one? Self-efficacy is a subjective self-assessment of your personal potential, more specifically of your beliefs about the energy, intellectual, material resources you need to cope with a particular situation. If you think you will not be able to learn the musical notes, which means low self-esteem, this will happen because you get involved in behaviors that are in line with your beliefs.

What I want you to understand about self-efficacy is that no matter if you have all the resources to learn the notes, if you do not think you can, you will not succeed, because in this case subjectivity beats objectivity.

If you are experiencing low self-esteem, try to re-evaluate your resources and what you need to achieve the set goal.

-Do not forget, the barriers are not in our minds, we ourselves are barriers. Learn not to stay in your way.
-Andreea Gatea
This is my first article, so I’m excited about your opinion! Do not hesitate to leave a comment.