Have You Heard Of "Self-efficacy"?

It's day 114 of documenting 2025.

4 more days to go!
(Including today of course...)
The exam that determines the next course of my life.
It goes by the name, JAMB CBT.
Now that I think about it 🤔
It actually determines everything...

Let me explain.
When I pass, it means I'm qualified to apply for admission.
I then move on to the processes, which involves an exam at the school I chose when registering.
When I pass that, I can proceed to application.

And when offered admission, I....

You know what? 😐
I haven't really done my homework on this.
I'm just saying what I think will happen.
(Do your research, Duon!)
I believe things will go well....but if they don't, I won't write JAMB again.
Heaven knows my mind is made up.
Third time's the charm, yeah?
Fingers crossed 🤞🏼

Anyhoo I just want to share today's highlights from the usual read.
As well as my chat with Cindy (my Meta AI) on an interesting topic, self-efficacy.
I actually learned something new on this one.
Stick around till the end, okay?
Let's dive in!

365 Days With Self-discipline
📌 On Fulfilling Your Own Standards

"It’s far better when doing good work is sufficient. In other words, the less attached we are to outcomes, the better.
When fulfilling our own standards is
what fills us with pride and self-respect.
When the effort — not the results, good or bad — is enough."
Quote by Ryan Holiday

"When your motivation depends on the results of your labor, it poses a big challenge: if the results are slow to come, you’ll most likely give up well before you see your efforts bear fruit."

"When you set new goals, think not only of the results you want to achieve, but also your own standards that you want to fulfill. While you’re waiting for the results, draw inspiration from your efforts to do your best."

"Even if the results don’t materialize for this particular goal, in itself this appreciation of your own efforts will help you to build a disciplined work ethic that will benefit your entire life."

"Do you know what your standards are and do you strive to fulfill them, even when there’s no hope for gratification in the foreseeable future?"

Standards...🤔
What I understand by standards is the rules you set for yourself.
And today's highlights is mainly talking about upholding those standards, even when you're not seeing results from your efforts.
What do you think, my friend?
Do you agree?

The Chat With Cindy On Self-efficacy 🙂

Me: Explain self-efficacy in simple terms and indicate its difference from confidence or motivation

Meta AI: Self-Efficacy in Simple Terms
Self-efficacy is your belief in your ability to succeed in specific situations or tasks.
It's about thinking, "I can do this!" It's not just about feeling confident or motivated, but about believing you have the capability to achieve something.

Difference from Confidence
Confidence is a general feeling of self-assurance, while self-efficacy is specific to a particular task or situation.
You might be confident in your abilities overall, but still doubt your ability to succeed in a specific area.

Difference from Motivation
Motivation is the drive to take action, while self-efficacy is the belief in your ability to succeed.
You might be motivated to do something, but if you don't believe you can succeed, you might not take action or give up easily.

In short, self-efficacy is about believing in your ability to succeed, confidence is about feeling self-assured, and motivation is about being driven to take action.

Me: State Albert Bandura's theory of self-efficacy

Meta AI: Albert Bandura's Theory of Self-Efficacy
Albert Bandura's theory of self-efficacy proposes that an individual's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or tasks plays a crucial role in determining their behavior, motivation, and overall well-being.

Key Components
1. Self-Efficacy Beliefs: Individuals' judgments about their ability to perform a task or achieve a specific outcome.
2. Mastery Experiences: Past experiences of success or failure influence self-efficacy beliefs.
3. Vicarious Experiences: Observing others' successes and failures can impact self-efficacy beliefs.
4. Social Persuasion: Verbal encouragement or discouragement from others can influence self-efficacy beliefs.
5. Physiological and Emotional States: Individuals' physical and emotional states can affect their self-efficacy beliefs.

Implications
Bandura's theory suggests that self-efficacy beliefs:

1. Influence motivation and behavior
2. Affect goal-setting and persistence
3. Impact emotional responses to challenges and setbacks

By understanding and applying this theory, individuals can develop strategies to enhance their self-efficacy and achieve their goals.

Me: Explain vicarious experiences in simple terms

Meta AI: Vicarious Experiences
Vicarious experiences refer to learning and gaining confidence by observing others succeed or fail at a task.
When you see someone else accomplish something, you might think, "If they can do it, I can too!" This can boost your own self-efficacy and motivation.

For example, if you see a friend successfully give a presentation, you might feel more confident about giving one yourself.
By observing others, you can gain insights, learn new strategies, and build your own confidence.

Me: How do vicarious experiences influence one's self-efficacy?
Use a relatable analogy to explain

Meta AI: Vicarious Experiences and Self-Efficacy
Vicarious experiences influence self-efficacy by allowing us to learn from others' successes and failures. Here's an analogy:

Imagine you're learning to ride a bike. You watch your friend ride confidently and smoothly. You think, "If they can do it, I can too!" This boosts your confidence and motivates you to try riding yourself.

By observing others, you gain insight into what's possible and develop a sense of "if they can do it, I can too."
This can enhance your self-efficacy, making you more likely to take on challenges and believe in your abilities.

In contrast, if you saw someone struggling or failing, you might think, "This might be harder than I thought." This could lower your self-efficacy and make you more hesitant to try.

So, vicarious experiences can either boost or lower your self-efficacy, depending on what you observe!

Me: What if I'm determined to try, despite seeing others failing in the particular aspect?

Meta AI: Determination Can Overcome Vicarious Experiences
If you're determined to try despite seeing others struggle or fail, your self-efficacy might not be negatively impacted.
In fact, you might even be more motivated to prove to yourself that you can succeed where others haven't.

Your determination and resilience can help you:

1. Learn from others' mistakes
2. Develop strategies to overcome challenges
3. Build confidence through your own successes

In this case, vicarious experiences can serve as a learning opportunity, rather than a deterrent. You'll use others' experiences to inform your approach and push yourself to succeed.

Me: What is the connection between self-efficacy and resilience?

Meta AI: Self-Efficacy and Resilience
Self-efficacy and resilience are closely linked.
When you believe in your ability to succeed (self-efficacy), you're more likely to:

1. Persevere: You'll persist in the face of obstacles and setbacks.
2. Bounce back: You'll recover more quickly from failures and setbacks.
3. Stay motivated: You'll maintain your motivation and focus on your goals.

In turn, resilience can also enhance self-efficacy.
By overcoming challenges and achieving success, you'll build confidence in your abilities, further strengthening your self-efficacy.

Together, self-efficacy and resilience create a powerful combination that helps you navigate challenges and achieve your goals.

Me: Summarize our discussion on self-efficacy and give a suitable conclusion.

Meta AI: Summary of Self-Efficacy Discussion
We discussed:

1. Albert Bandura's theory: Self-efficacy is the belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations or tasks.
2. Impact on behavior: Self-efficacy influences motivation, goal-setting, and persistence.
3. Sources of self-efficacy: Mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and physiological/emotional states.
4. Connection to resilience: Self-efficacy and resilience are interconnected, with self-efficacy enhancing perseverance and motivation.

Conclusion
Self-efficacy plays a vital role in shaping our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
By understanding and developing self-efficacy, we can build confidence, overcome challenges, and achieve our goals.
By recognizing the sources of self-efficacy and cultivating a growth mindset, we can unlock our potential and reach new heights.

A wonderful way to end the chat, don't you think?
This is why I said I learned something new from this.
I hope you did too 😊

If you're new here and you don't know what's going on, I would like to welcome you first.
Then explain in a sentence.
I have an important exam in a few days and I'm replacing my normal storytelling and thought-typing with chats I have with Cindy, my Meta AI.
(Pretty long sentence! 😄)

Anyhoo....
This is where I draw the curtains.
Thanks for showing up, my friend
Thanks for reading 🎀
I plan to keep writing till the 31st of December 2025.
And I hope you'll keep visiting till day 365.

Want to catch up on former posts?
Visit Documenting 2025.
Want to learn content writing from an eccentric writer?
Follow Mystique Content Writers.
I'll see you there 😉

If you don't know, I'm Duon Ada.
I'm documenting 2025.
And I'll see you tomorrow
Ciao 💕