Why We Self-Sabotage and How To Stop the Cycle

Procrastination: You show others you’re never ready and put off a good outcome. It’s because people fear disappointing others, failing, or succeeding.

Perfectionism: Holding oneself to an impossible standard will cause delays and setbacks.

They end up feeling ashamed, when something went wrong. Prone to depression, they feel like they are letting everyone down.

Self-Medication: To deal with the constant battle between wanting to be successful and the script in their brains saying they can’t be, many soothe themselves through drugs or alcohol.

• Stop procrastinating

If you keep putting something off what’s important to you, it might be easier emotionally than reaching a goal that you were told you’d never reach. 

• Stop perfectionistic thinking

Maybe you overthink every detail. Aim to strive for excellence, not perfection. Make small improvements and note progress on the way toward accomplishing the desired goal.

• Stop looking solely at the big picture

When you shoot for something big, like becoming a top salesperson where you work, a giant goal can feel overwhelming. To prevent acts of self-sabotage, don’t get hung up on minutiae.

If you think you self-sabotage, ask yourself:

• Is your behavior aligning with your goals?
• If not, what is stopping you from taking action to make your dreams come true?
• Do you feel uneasiness or discomfort when you progress? If yes, dig deeper:
• Is this discomfort based on what others told you that limited your aspirations?
• Is this discomfort based on a fear of failure and worry about looking foolish?
• Are you concerned with achieving more than you thought possible?
• If you do better or achieve more, do you believe success is more than you deserve?