Self-sabotage is uniquely human behavior. Many of us sabotage ourselves when we decide we want something by doing everything we can to ensure we don’t get it. Sound familiar? Although self-sabotage is a subconscious behavior, we can get a handle on it.
There are many reasons that you might sabotage
yourself. It’s an extremely common behavior rooted in fear of the unknown.
If you’ve immersed yourself in mediocrity, the idea of greatness may be
frightening. Ask
yourself if you’re satisfied with your life.
Find
out why you may self-sabotage:
1.
Control. You might self-sabotage because you have a need to be in control of your
circumstances. The easiest and most certain way to stay in control is
to maintain the status quo.
·
If you put your all into
something, you run the risk of becoming vulnerable. Fear gets the best of you, and you self-sabotage.
2. Low
self-esteem. Do you feel unworthy of greatness?
·
For
whatever reason, you may have decided that happiness ought to be forever beyond
your reach. This is a self-limiting idea, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
3. Excitement. Perhaps you undermine your efforts because
you’re seeking excitement. You feel the need to remain in a constant state of
turmoil to distract yourself from painful memories or alleviate boredom.
If you see yourself in any of these
descriptions fear not: there are steps you can take to put yourself on the path
toward self-mastery.
Consider this process for defeating your
self-sabotage:
1. Observe
your behavior. First off, you must begin to observe yourself. You can effectively do this by
creating a self-sabotage journal. Make a journal entry every time you realize
that you’ve sabotaged yourself. Describe the setting, circumstances, and
end result. Avoid over-analyzing.
·
Most often, a person’s true intentions are
most evident in their actions rather than their words.
·
Strive to be an
impersonal observer in your journal. Eventually, you’ll gain a better
understanding of your motives in certain situations.
2. Envision
success. Keep in mind that
success is neither black nor white. Cultivate the habit of envisioning what
success means to you and remember how it feels to achieve it. If you do
this consistently, you may find that what you envision changes over time.
·
Begin to see success as
an integral part of your future, but realize there will still be challenges.
Just like everyone else, you’ll still have to pay taxes and have relationship
issues.
3.
Let go of the notion of perfection. As you visualize success, are you still thinking
that success equals perfection? If so, it’s time to realize that nobody is perfect.
·
This is what George
Bernard Shaw would refer to it as “doublethink.” Perfection and life are mutually
exclusive because perfection is unattainable. Your subconscious won’t allow you
to achieve success if you associate success with the impossible task of being
perfect.
·
Think of your
subconscious as a computer. It doesn’t know how to execute a command called “do
the impossible.”
·
If you associate success
with fear, your subconscious will fight you the entire way. Why? Because its
primary function is to protect you from perceived threats.
Give yourself permission to anticipate success with
excitement. Perhaps you’ve been sending your subconscious the message, “Don’t
give me success!” So, let’s put your self-sabotaging behaviors in the past!
Embrace the good life you deserve by picturing
yourself as successful, and then refuse to talk yourself out of going for it. The journey to your ideal life starts now!
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As always,
stay blessed and live your life Enthusiastically!!
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