Self-Efficacy: Tips for Maintaining New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions, Self-Efficacy, Behavioral Health, Mental Health & Wellness

Now that the ball has dropped, it's time to start that new gym membership, throw out that box of cigarettes, and remove unhealthy snacks from the pantry. Or maybe you want to get a raise at work! Organizing a new routine to get more rest at night for an early morning and task-filled day might help. Whatever the goal may be, the majority of us will set some kind of resolution for this year, but most of us will probably go back to our bad habits by February.

It's ok, though (well not really). We all do it! No one is perfect. But there are, however ways that we can get better at improving our habits for a better lifestyle and a happier, healthier new year.

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines self-efficacy as, "an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments...[and] reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behavior, and social environment." [1] In simpler terms, self-efficacy is believing that you are capable of achieving your goals.

My theory is that most people don't remain consistent with their resolutions because forming new habits can be frightening for someone who's not used to change. Personally, it had been a challenge for me to keep a consistent work-out routine when I wouldn't see results as fast as I wanted. I was so afraid of starting a new goal and not finishing...or even worse: working really hard with no gains. Knowing what you'd like for your end goal to be but not necessarily how to execute it as planned can be terrifying. So what then? How do we overcome this fear of failing to see our resolutions through?

Surprisingly enough, I don't know everything, but I'm thinking we should start with eliminating fear by believing that you can do a thing - and the hard part is out of the way! How to do it? Well, I can't pull the answer out of a hat...but I don't have to! There's a social cognitive psychologist who's already done the work for me.

Albert Bandura developed the concept of self-efficacy and placed it at the center of his social cognitive theory, which emphasizes the role of observational learning and social experiences in the development of personality. [2] According to Bandura, people's beliefs about their efficacy can be developed by four main sources of influence, which include: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences provided by social models, social persuasion, and modification of physioloigical influences. [3]

From these sources, I've developed four tips to build high self-efficacy in order to achieve your goals for the new year.

Tip #1 - Clap for Yourself!

A win is a win! Big or small, you should applaud every step that you make closer to your goal. Self-mastery is merely a wall of small achievements, layered brick by brick.

Going back to that one time I took a fitness class and didn't lose 10lbs in two months, I almost gave up completely. However, I had to be realistic and practical. After adding some positive self-talk to the equation and taking time to reflect on how far I had come - that I stayed consistent and was the strongest I had ever been in my life - it motivated me to keep going.

When maintaining your goals for this year, be gentle with yourself! This will set precedent for how the course of your journey will go. Acknowledging that you're doing your best regardless of the results fosters positive self-perspective which is key for building self-efficacy.

Tip #2 - Find a Model

And no - I don't mean one from the cover of Vogue.

Who's someone you really look up to? When it's all said and done, who's success story closely aligns with what you'd like yours to look like?

I have to admit, this kind of sounds like we're back in kindergarten drawing a picture of 'who we want to be like when we grow up.' But if you give this one a chance, you'll realize that having a role model is extremely beneficial...even better if you can have them as a mentor.

Partnering up with someone who's already fit, coordinating lunch meetings with a senior level co-worker, or following an influencer's social media page are all great ways to observe others' behaviors and make them your own.

Following someone else's roadmap cuts losses, saves a lot of time and gives you a birds eye view of what your journey may look like.

Self-mastery is merely a wall of small achievements, layered brick by brick.

Tip #3 - Surround Yourself with People Who 'Get It'

Improving for the better is not an easy feat. One must be intrinsically motivated to do the work that will yield results. Similar to having a peer-mentor, being around people who want you to succeed can help with forming the habits you want. Speaking from experience, it's a great feeling to have someone in your corner to affirm all of the great things about yourself in times of uncertainty. Because let's face it: life-changing goals are hard work!

Reach back out to that old friend that everyone called crazy for changing industries at the peak of their career. How are they doing, now? I'm pretty sure that if they had the self-confidence to simply start a goal, they've seen success in some form or fashion. Maybe they can give you some insight on what worked for them to help you with customizing your own game plan.

Tip #4 - Minimize Stress

It's important to reduce as many stressors in your life as possible. What are some things in your life that drain you? A negative mood can impact motivation and keep you from accomplishing things in a timely manner. A healthy diet and consistent exercise is one way to improve mood.

If there are stressors in your life that are not as easy to remove, a good way to minimize stress would be to speak with a trusted health professional that can assist with modifying responses to these stressors.

You Got This!

Stick to your new year's resolutions by following these four tips to build high self-efficacy for success. Let me know what you think! Leave a comment or send a message, and don't forget to subscribe!