Self-belief does not necessarily ensure success, but self-disbelief assuredly spawns failure.

To grant thought causal efficacy is not to invoke a disembodied mental state

The satisfactions people derive from what they do are determined to a large degree by their self-evaluative standards

Self-doubt creates the impetus for learning but hinders adept use of previously established skills

Coping with the demands of everyday life would be exceedingly trying if one could arrive at solutions to problems only by actually performing possible options and suffering the consequences.

Success and failure are largely self-defined in terms of personal standards. The higher the self-standards, the more likely will given attainments be viewed as failures, regardless of what others might think.

From the social cognitive perspective, it is mainly perceived inefficacy to cope with potentially aversive events that makes them fearsome. To the extent that people believe they can prevent, terminate, or lessen the severity of aversive events, they have little reason to be perturbed by them. But if they believe they are unable to manage threats safely, they have much cause for apprehension.