3 Concrete Signs You’re In A Self-Sabotage Cycle
Self-sabotage is defined as intentional action or inaction that blocks someone from reaching their own goals, making necessary progress in their life, and ultimately nixing any chance at being successful in the ways they want and deserve to be.
The biggest thing to understand about self-sabotage is that it is a a coping mechanism, a means of trying to protect oneself from pain. That said, self-sabotaging behaviors usually end up causing more suffering in the end.
That said, it can be hard to spot self-sabotage when you’re in the thick of it. As such, here are three concrete signs you’re in a self-sabotage cycle.
1. You procrastinate.
You put everything off, even the most simple tasks, and end up shooting yourself in the foot as a result. And no matter how much you want to accomplish something, you really struggle to get yourself to start working towards it until it’s essentially too late to do it right (or at all).
2. You hold yourself to impossible standards.
Do you often set unattainable goals, find out that you are unable to reach said goals, and then berate yourself for being a “failure” afterward? This is classic self-sabotage. Because even though you are claiming you to want something, you have made sure you can’t achieve it by setting yourself up to fail. Impossible standards range from setting unrealistic deadlines or timelines for yourself to perfectionism.
3. Deep down, you’re afraid of being successful.
To be successful means more responsibility after all. If you are constantly sabotaging your chances of success, it may be coming from a place of fear and self-doubt. It may be because you don’t think you could handle the success if you were to reach it.
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If you think you’re in a self-sabotage cycle, remember that you can reach out for help. Work on reframing as well as your positive self-talk. You can overcome this.
If you want to start learning more about self-sabotage and how you can stop, check out Brianna Wiest’s bestseller ‘The Mountain Is You.’