Mastery Experiences: Building Confidence Towards Success Think of a time when you’ve tried something for the first time or done something you’re not that good at yet. It could be riding a bike, giving a presentation or performing a new job duty. You probably didn’t feel that confident the first time around. You’ve likely found things you’re good at and have confidence in completing, as well. Every time you work on a skill and succeed, that’s called a mastery experience. How to Build Confidence When you try something new, there is opportunity to learn. You likely have lower self-efficacy, or confidence in completing the task successfully. Once you experience that success through a mastery experience, your confidence grows. In order to build confidence you have to challenge yourself. This can be uncomfortable or nerve wracking, especially in a work setting. Mastery Experiences as a Warfighter You are presented with multiple opportunities to develop skills and knowledge through training and real-life experience in the military. Mastery is essential for performing job duties and mission success. There are multiple avenues to pursue improving your skillsets. Here are a few to consider when thinking of building mastery experiences: Image caption could go here. Physical MasteryDeveloping physical fitness in order to stay operationally ready and complete job duties, prevent injuries and work through physical challenges. Image caption could go here. Psychological and Cognitive MasteryDeveloping resilience, mental toughness, stress management and critical thinking skills needed for challenging situations and difficult decisions. Image caption could go here. Stategic Thinking MasteryDeveloping skills around analyzing unique and complex situations, anticipating challenges and aligning strategies with short- and long-term objective. Image caption could go here. Technical and Tactical MasteryDeveloping proficiency in weapons and equipment use and operational procedures, including understanding tactical concepts and strategies. Image caption could go here. Leadership and Ethics MasteryDeveloping key leadership qualities such as communication, decision-making and motivation while prioritizing ethical principles and values. Image caption could go here. Operational Art MasteryDeveloping ability that bridges the gap between strategic goals and tactical actions including planning, execution and assessment. Importance of Mastery Experiences Though confidence in your ability to perform tasks is important, capability is also paramount. Mastery experiences combine confidence and capability. Both are needed to keep you and the military as a whole mission ready. Improved job performance – complete job duties more effectively, efficiently and contribute to mission success. Increased personal and force readiness – improve ability to respond to complex threats and challenges. Enhanced personal growth – improve existing skills and build new ones that benefit you personally and professionally. Increase in transferable skills – gain skills that amplify your capabilities beyond military service. If you’re looking to improve your skillset and increase mastery experiences, ask your command leadership about available opportunities. It can be helpful to identify time-based goals and steps to achieve them so you can narrow down the opportunities to seek out. As you challenge yourself to improve, make sure to celebrate your successes and identify areas of growth if things don’t go as planned. This helps you as you move forward and home in on those mastery experiences. Additional ResourcesArmed Forces Wellness Centers Military OneSource - “MilLife Learning Courses to Grow With Throughout the Year”Military OneSource - “Morale, Warfare, and Recreation”Warfighter Wellness - “Sleep, Stress & Resiliency”ReferencesArmy Ready and Resilient - “Four Strategies to Boost Your Confidence.”Kekalainen, T. et al - “Exercise self-efficacy remains unaltered during military service”U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - “Positive Outcomes of Military Service”U. S. Marine Corps - “Tactical Fundamentals B2B2269 Student Handout”
