Are My Beliefs For Me?

Or Against Me?

Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash

Several years ago, if something went wrong with my computer, I’d say, “Honey, can you fix this? I’m stuck.” And like magic, Dan did. Today, when something goes wrong, I say to myself, “Now, what?” Then, I get anxious, research the topic on the web, try a few things, and give up—there is little faith in my ability to figure things out.

Previously, we discussed fear and anxiety, and I mentioned exploring the role that beliefs play. Two articles I read recently further spurred my thinking!

The first article, How to Reprogram Your Mind for Success to Become a Powerful Force in This World, says

What we believe determines how we think and act. Many of us have sh*tty beliefs and don’t realize it. I’ve written my beliefs down every year for ten years. At the start, they were limiting and full of victimhood. Slowly, they became more empowering.

But most people don’t change their beliefs. Ever. And even if they do once, they won’t change them regularly.

The second article, Preparing for Change #5, asks an important question

Creating something is very difficult if you don’t think you can. So, while our brain knows we need to believe, how do we do that when there is a lot of doubt?

Believing in oneself is a powerful catalyst for success. It allows people to overcome obstacles, take risks, and turn dreams into reality. However, developing self-belief is a lifelong journey and a worthy effort.

The psychologist and Stanford professor Albert Bandura defined it as self-efficacy.

People’s belief in their ability to complete tasks and achieve their goals - having faith in their capabilities. Judging themselves to be capable of success increases their chances of success. Conversely, judging themselves as not capable of success reduces that chance.

I’m not talking about narcissism, bragging, or boasting but a realistic, optimistic evaluation and sense of trust in myself - and the strong, positive belief that I have the capacity and skills to achieve my goals.

While there are numerous options, The articles 11 Ways to Improve Self-Efficacy and Building Strong Self-Beliefs - 16 Tips and Activities were helpful.

1. Step Out of My Comfort Zone

People are often encouraged to leave the emotional space they operate in peacefully, using a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk.

2. Set SMART Goals

Setting reasonable goals and tackling them one at a time can be helpful, as can breaking down large goals into smaller, more manageable ones.

3. Focus On The Bigger Picture

One of the most significant qualities of people with high self-belief is the power to look beyond short-term losses and not break their self-trust.

4. Reframe Obstacles

Obstacles are a natural part of moving beyond that comfort zone and tackling challenges. Therefore, thinking about them in ways that don’t risk undermining self-belief is essential.

I want to turn self-doubt into self-efficacy - the belief in my capacity to act in ways necessary to reach my goals. I’m building that trust as I figure things out for myself. However, the work continues.

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