Self-Sabotage
Unconscious behaviors and thought patterns that undermine your own success and goals.
Also known as: Self-defeating behavior, Self-handicapping
Category: Concepts
Tags: psychology, behaviors, self-awareness, personal-growth, habits
Explanation
Self-sabotage refers to behaviors or thought patterns that create problems in daily life and interfere with long-standing goals. Common forms include procrastination, negative self-talk, perfectionism, substance abuse, self-medication, comfort eating, and avoiding opportunities. Self-sabotage often stems from: fear of failure (if you don't try, you can't fail), fear of success (success brings new pressures), low self-worth (believing you don't deserve success), need for control (creating the outcome you expect), or secondary gains (the behavior serves some purpose). Addressing self-sabotage requires: recognizing patterns without judgment, understanding the underlying fear or belief, developing self-compassion, creating accountability, starting small to build confidence, and sometimes seeking professional help. For knowledge workers, self-sabotage might appear as missing deadlines, under-preparing for presentations, or consistently underperforming despite capability.
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