Success in your career or relationships is not a straightforward matter of skill and opportunity. As any high-performer will tell you, the most significant factor in consistent success is internal: the state of your mind.
The Cirque du Soleil can help us understand the link between mindset and performance.
Self-efficacy and self-esteem
Your self-efficacy (your belief in your ability to succeed in specific situations) and your self-esteem (your overall sense of self-worth) are the psychological anchors that determine your ability to navigate challenges and achieve meaningful outcomes.
Inspiration from the big top: mastering risk and resilience
In the world of elite acrobats and high-wire artists, the margin for error is nonexistent. A New York Times article, “What the Circus Can Teach Us About Sports Injuries,” offers a framework for understanding how to manage risk and recover from inevitable setbacks.
Often, gymnasts, divers, and swimmers train for positions in a Cirque du Soleil troupe. Those athletes need physical prowess to sustain high-level performance, but they rely on profound psychological fortitude. The takeaway lesson is that elite performance is anchored by your confidence in your ability to cope.
Cultivate confidence to step onto the wire
Self-efficacy: fuel for work and relationships
Self-efficacy is a specific, focused belief: I believe I can do this task. It is the mental muscle that allows you to take on challenging projects at work, initiate a difficult conversation with a partner, or ask for a promotion.
- In Your Career: High self-efficacy means you approach new opportunities with confidence and enthusiasm. You believe your skills are adequate (or can become adequate through learning). You are motivated to put in the effort required. Low self-efficacy leads to procrastination, avoidance, and ultimately, stagnation.
- In Your Relationships: Efficacious partners are better communicators. They are confident that they can successfully resolve conflicts, and they approach disagreements openly rather than withdrawing or escalating the situation.
Self-esteem: safety net for resilience
While self-efficacy is about doing, self-esteem is about being.
In high-risk environments, such as the circus, a demanding career, or a relationship, things are likely to go wrong. Self-esteem acts as a safety net, allowing you to absorb failure without being destroyed by it.
- In Your Career: When a project fails or you receive negative feedback, high self-esteem reminds you that the failure of a task does not equate to the failure of your self. You are worthy, even when you make mistakes, allowing you to quickly pivot, learn, and try again.
- In Your Relationships: A strong sense of self-esteem prevents you from needing constant external validation from your partner. You are better able to give to your partner without becoming depleted because your worth is internally sourced.
Applying lessons from Cirque du Soleil in everyday life
World-class acrobats need the mental tools to support their performance. And, the rest of us need self-efficacy to navigate high-stakes life situations and self-esteem to manage the inevitable bumps and falls along the way.
Dr. Ethan Bregman is a licensed psychologist specializing in performance, resilience, and cognitive behavioral therapy. He helps clients cultivate the psychological skills necessary to thrive in high-pressure professional and personal environments.