Are You Mentally Tough & Resourceful?

Hi everyone, This week I have decided I want to get more out of my day, become more efficient and feel more energised. Thinking about how I want things to change is only the first step, now I must take action to make it happen. If I believe I am resourceful enough, and I am mentally tough and have the ability to stick things out, will this be enough to achieve my goals? Will this be the difference between success or failure? Let me introduce the concept of self-efficacy, the ability for someone to have optimistic beliefs. Perceived self-efficacy is more than optimism, it is our belief in our ability to deal with challenging encounters. It is the capacity to organize and execute the necessary course of action to manage situations as they occur. Our self-perceptions of self-efficacy can affect us in many ways; thought patterns, actions and physical and emotional states of arousal. People with low self-efficacy experience anxiety, hopelessness and anger. They find it harder to bounce back after adversity. Those with high self-efficacy experience fulfillment and feelings of calmness, accompanied by decisiveness and certainty. They are resilient to stress and are self-motivating. So how does my perception of my own self-efficacy affect me? Well, this is the second day I have hit the gym at 7am (trust me, I was grumpy and quiet), but the result has been better productivity and more energy. Am I mentally tough? Sometimes, and it depends on the situation, but generally YES! This week why don’t you think about something you want to change, and observe your thoughts about your ability to make it happen? Next week we will look at ways you can build greater self-efficacy, so you can make positive changes to your health, your life and levels of happiness. See you at the gym! James PS – please hit the link and join my Facebook Page, for more tips, research and special offers