It's not me, it's...

The attribution theory

Before we start, think back to a recent performance. That could be a sporting event, work, academic or arts performance. Think about how it went, and what the reason for that outcome is. For example, you might have got a PB at parkrun, and attributed the cause to the solid block of training you have just done.

According to the attribution theory, we often view our performances as either a success or failure. The way we attribute the cause of our performances is thought to be a mechanism for protecting self esteem. So that means that if a performance doesn't go as well as we had hoped, it would be typical for the cause to be attributed externally. So if you didn't get the PB you wanted, you might have attributed to the course being busy and being held up by others. Or it might be that traffic held you up on the way so you were stressed and not prepared on time for the start. This protects self esteem by reinforcing the belief that you did nothing wrong, or there is nothing more you could have done that would have changed the outcome of the performance.

On the other hand, if the performance goes well or exceeds expectations, it is likely that the attribution will be internal. This could be that your training had paid off, you had good legs, or a good mindset that day. In other words, your performance was a result of your effort or skill, which helps to boost self esteem through feeling good about what we are capable of.

So, think back to the performance that came to mind at the start, and think about how you attributed the cause of that performance.

Of course protecting self esteem is important, but if we only ever attribute cause for 'failures' externally, how or why would we expect anything to be different in the future? Reflecting on performance and being aware of why the outcome was as it was can be really important in order to progress.

Don't be afraid to be honest with yourself. Was people holding you up the real reason for not achieving your PB, or was it a combination of that and the legs not feeling quite as fresh as you needed them to be? Even if performance was attributed internally, reflections can help understand where improvements can be made.

The intention isn't to become overly critical, but to help you become more aware of, and in tune with your body and feelings, to be able to be honest with yourself when things don't go to plan, and to have the confidence to make any changes that will hopefully contribute to a better outcome in the future.

So this short, but sweet email today is a brief introduction to you, and perhaps a call to action for you to consider how you view some of your own past performances. Are you honest with yourself? Can you remember occasions where you have been honest and seen your flaws within your performance? Can you retrospectively recall moments that, at the time, you overlooked your own doings?

Have a think, it’s healthy. And drop us a comment or an email if you wish to share any thoughts.

Thanks for reading!

Nicole