Learn from observing others who are similar to you
Watch people like you succeed at the behavior — their success provides evidence that you can too.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Watch people like you succeed at the behavior — their success provides evidence that you can too.
- Why it works: Vicarious learning (observational learning) is the second most powerful self-efficacy source. Watching a similar other succeed raises the observer’s belief that they, too, can succeed — "If they can do it, I can." Crucially, the model must be similar, not just successful; watching an elite performer builds admiration, not efficacy. The credibility of the efficacy information depends on perceived similarity.
- Evidence: Backed by observational / correlational evidence.
- Avoid: Using elite or dissimilar models for inspiration and finding instead that the gap feels discouraging — efficacy-building models must be similar enough that their success is interpretable as evidence about your own capability.
Why it works
Vicarious learning (observational learning) is the second most powerful self-efficacy source. Watching a similar other succeed raises the observer’s belief that they, too, can succeed — "If they can do it, I can." Crucially, the model must be similar, not just successful; watching an elite performer builds admiration, not efficacy. The credibility of the efficacy information depends on perceived similarity.
How to do it
- 1Find one or two people who have successfully changed in the way you want to change and who are similar to you in relevant ways (starting point, constraints, context).
- 2Study their process, not just their outcome — ask or read about how they dealt with the same obstacles you face.
- 3Use their trajectory as evidence: "They started where I am and got there — this is possible."
- 4Actively seek out communities where your desired behavior is normal among people like you.
What the evidence says
ObservationalVicarious sources of self-efficacy are supported across Bandura’s foundational research and applied in modeling-based interventions. Similarity of the model to the observer is a moderating factor.
Honest caveat: The similarity-matching requirement is important and often violated in motivational content; aspirational success stories from dissimilar others may reduce rather than raise efficacy in some people.
- — Bandura (1977), Psychological Review — on sources of self-efficacy including vicarious experience
Common mistake
Using elite or dissimilar models for inspiration and finding instead that the gap feels discouraging — efficacy-building models must be similar enough that their success is interpretable as evidence about your own capability.
IX Coach surfaces real examples of people with similar starting conditions who have made the change you are attempting, framing their process as efficacy evidence rather than aspirational contrast.
Practice this with IX Coach →