Self-esteem is talked about quite frequently relative to our youth. By definition, it refers to one’s “confidence and satisfaction in oneself” (Merriam-Webster). A synonym is “self-regard”.
Self-efficacy is a term we use in motivational psychology to discuss one’s belief in his/her ability to achieve a goal. It was coined in the 1970’s by Albert Bandura and has been studied in a variety of situations over the recent decades. The term comes up often in my Exercise Motivation and Adherence course.
I was discussing youth sports with my students this week, and the consideration of self-esteem v. self-efficacy came up. Personally, I believe the we focus too much on self-esteem in our schools (and homes) and not enough on self-efficacy. The two are, nonetheless, related. It is possible to have one without the other—but that is not ideal. In raising our children and teaching and coaching youths, we want to build both a sense of self-worth and self-efficacy. It occurred to me in my Monday lecture, however, that there is an additional piece.
The “self” in self-efficacy and self-esteem suggest that these apply only to the individual. We had recently watched The Marinovich Project, and comments in a couple other video clips I had included in my lecture struck a chord. Self-efficacy and self-esteem are insufficient, if one lacks a sense of purpose beyond self. One needs a Spiritual identity—a sense of purpose. This is why family and team (as well as any group or tribal identity) are important for self-development. One must have a healthy Spiritual dimension (a sense of something greater than oneself), as well as self-confidence and self-regard.
A sense of purpose is critical to our young. Purpose should also be multi-dimensional—otherwise, separation from one’s identity, e.g., as an athlete, leaves one lost and purposeless.
I am a big proponent of team sports. Some kids, however, might be just as well served by participation in activities such as band. Indeed, music may better demonstrate the Spiritual dimension of self than sports. True orchestras have “seats” or leads, but the sound must be in harmony. One musician, alone, cannot “carry” an orchestra. In sport, it is possible to have a “superstar”, but, in reality, that one athlete can rarely carry the team alone—football, for example, cannot be played with one player. Teaching this is an important dimension of youth sports—and childhood, in general.
I teach Exercise Motivation & Adherence with a “dynamic systems” approach—meaning that we focus on the interactions between the individual, the task, and the environment. Self-efficacy and self-esteem fit within this approach—and the Spiritual connection cannot be ignored. Self-confidence is task- and environment-specific. Self-confidence, which is perhaps at the intersection of self-efficacy and self-esteem, is affected by our past and present, our experiences, and our relationships. I believe that for a child (and subsequently an adult) to be self-confident and successful, he or she must be allowed to fail repeatedly and to explore his or her limitations freely. Coaching, teaching, and parenting are about helping the child navigate through life. Team, community, family, etc. are to help us find a sense of purpose greater than our individual talents and giftedness.
I am a fan of Joe Ehrmann’s “Building Men for Others” (and parallel “Building Women for Others”). Sports is a great opportunity to build the self-esteem and self-efficacy of a young person, as well as to reveal the role of the purpose of self. Failing to teach a child “why” he or she should feel good about himself of herself or to teach the child “why” he or she should be self-confident fails the child. There is good reason why I emphasize to my children (and myself) to “be your best today; be better tomorrow”.
Carpe momento!