Leveraging Past Success for Confident Self-Assessment

Our journey to success begins with an analysis of past experiences—if your actions have repeatedly yielded positive results, then the task is well within reach. Instead of immediately comparing yourself to others, it is important to listen to your own resources and ask yourself the key question: “What can I do on my own?” This approach helps you better understand your true strengths and avoid undue pressure. Whether through interactions with children or personal achievements, experience is a reliable indicator that you can handle challenges, even when difficulties occasionally arise. It is important not to swing to extremes: if an unexpected obstacle appears, try to understand its causes rather than reacting with a storm of emotions. Honest self-examination and a focus on your own capabilities not only contribute to solving specific problems but also help build enduring self-confidence for future accomplishments.

How can one determine that a given task is achievable, and how should one properly evaluate one’s own abilities?

To understand whether a task is within reach, you can rely on your past successful experiences with similar tasks. For example, if you have repeatedly observed positive outcomes from certain actions, this serves as an indicator that the task at hand falls within your abilities. As stated in one source:
"If you frequently make requests of your child, it can provide him with yet another real benefit: you will be able to determine whether a particular task is within his abilities. You know your child better than anyone else. If the child has happily complied with your requests many times, and suddenly he becomes stubborn and refuses, it is very harmful to get angry or punish him. Instead, try to find out what is wrong. Don’t want to? I certainly would. I would do everything in my power to figure out what is wrong because it might be extremely important." (source: link )

When evaluating your own abilities, it is crucial to ask yourself: "What can I do on my own?" This approach helps you focus on your internal resources rather than equating your success with external evaluations. An author states:
"Why is it so difficult for us to realistically assess our own abilities? [...] Engage in self-discipline. First and foremost, set yourself the goal of not paying attention to your partner’s behavior. If you suddenly notice that he is not acting as you would prefer, try to distract yourself with the question: 'What can I do on my own?' and concentrate on your own potential. The positive results of such an attitude will not take long to manifest." (source: link )

Thus, determining whether a task is achievable can be based on the confirmed experience of successfully completing similar tasks, and your abilities should be evaluated through an objective analysis of your own resources and by answering internal questions about what you can do independently, without excessive comparison to others. This method helps avoid the pitfalls of overestimating or underestimating your capabilities and fosters a practical and honest self-assessment.

Supporting citation(s):
"If you frequently make requests of your child, it can provide him with yet another real benefit: you will be able to determine whether a particular task is within his abilities. You know your child better than anyone else. If the child has happily complied with your requests many times, and suddenly he becomes stubborn and refuses, it is very harmful to get angry or punish him. Instead, try to find out what is wrong. Don’t want to? I certainly would. I would do everything in my power to figure out what is wrong because it might be extremely important." (source: link )

"Why is it so difficult for us to realistically assess our own abilities? [...] Engage in self-discipline. First and foremost, set yourself the goal of not paying attention to your partner’s behavior. If you suddenly notice that he is not acting as you would prefer, try to distract yourself with the question: 'What can I do on my own?' and concentrate on your own potential. The positive results of such an attitude will not take long to manifest." (source: link )