Self-esteem has gotten a bad rap lately, especially since some studies implied that American middle-class children often had excellent self-esteem, but it wasn’t translating into any sort of accomplishment. The days when everybody gets a ribbon may be over. Self-efficacy is now the new catch phrase.

According to Wikipedia, ”Self-efficacy is the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain goals. It is a belief that one has the capabilities to execute the courses of actions required to manage prospective situations.” It is not just feeling good about yourself. Many goal setting theorists believe that self-efficacy is the cornerstone of success.

Therefore, it is not only important that we have self-efficacy, but it is crucial for those of us in  educational fields that we provide experiences to build the skill in our students as well. How can we build self-efficacy? Caroline Adams Miller and Michael Frisch in the book, Creating Your  Best Life, suggest four ways we can enhance our self-efficacy:

• Have role models.
  • Read biographies of people who have succeeded in your field of choice.
  • Look for people in your daily life who can serve as role models. If you want to be a better student, make friends with the good students in your classes.
• You need a cheerleader. But not someone who will praise you whether you succeed at your goal or not, or allows you to make excuse after excuse. A good cheerleader gives you realistic feedback  and then provides guidance for improvement.
• Learn to manage stress. Don’t let pain or bad moods get in the way of success.
• Have a series of winning experiences. One of the best ways to do this is to break large goals down into smaller steps. Achieving each small goal allows us to believe in ourselves and gives us the skills to take on bigger tasks.