Self Sabotage
To sabotage is to impair, deliberately destroy, prevent, cripple, obstruct and/or damage something. So why would anyone self-sabotage. Who would deliberately cripple themselves? Self-sabotage is often a subconscious behavior performed outside of our full awareness. When you decide that you want to make a change or set a goal for something in your life the subconscious mind gets into gear to ‘protect’ you from the potential of failing and being disappointed. The mere possibility of failing is so painful our brain encourages us to avoid the danger. To cope we procrastinate and get ‘busy’ with other non-goal-oriented activities. Distractions suddenly become priorities leaving your goals neglected.
Comparison is often at the helm of this behavior. If you often compare yourself to others you likely believe that you are not good enough or don’t measure up to some standard. Comparison is never a fair practice. It’s always, always an apples to oranges thing. There are no two people, ideas, processes or results that are exactly the same And wont ever be.
What Can Help:
1st start by changing your language. Speak differently. Ask, What if I Am good enough! What if I do know enough, at least to get started. What if I can’t fail? Spend some time nurturing these questions.
Think of when you have been able to achieve something, ie obtaining your degree, finishing a race, or painting the living room. Were there perfect conditions that existed? NO. You did it, when you did it because you knew you could. But it started with starting.
Find others who are doing the some of the things you want to do. Glean from them but try not to compare.
Break up to-dos into bite size increments, ie if the goal is to exercise begin by stretching.
Address any fear asking, is this really that scary, what’s the worst that could happen?