Do You Self-Sabotage? Stop Before It’s Too late!

Have you ever found yourself working towards something important to you only to end up failing or putting it off? I know I have, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Maybe you have felt so stressed or anxious when trying to achieve something or work something out that negative thoughts start to creep in, where you begin to overthink everything, and you begin to doubt yourself every step of the way. You start to get frustrated, discouraged, and upset with yourself that you sink further into a trap that you end up sabotaging yourself from doing what you need to. But what exactly does it mean to self-sabotage? Is it something that you can even possibly do to yourself?

 


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What is self-sabotage?

The word sabotage means to “deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct (something). When you add the word self to sabotage (self-sabotage), the meaning remains the same, but you are doing it towards yourself.

Self-sabotage is a behavior that can deteriorate your self-confidence and well-being, and it can trickle down and affect your relationship with others. Self-sabotage sounds like a complicated term, but it isn’t. Simply put, it means that a person is chronically doing something that undermines their goals, dreams, and values. You engage in behaviors or develop thought patterns that hold you back from getting things you want.

When you self-sabotage, you create problems (subconsciously or consciously) that interfere with your long-standing goals. Sometimes you may not recognize your actions and thought processes as self-sabotaging behavior, but in the long run, the behavior tends to hamper, hurt, or even destroy who you are.


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What causes us to self-sabotage?

Everyone engages in self-sabotaging behaviors from time to time. We get so deep in our negative thoughts and start to engage in self-sabotaging behaviors without even realizing it right then and there. Many people (including myself) aren’t always aware that they are sabotaging themselves because it may not have gotten to the point where it is creating problems in their daily lives.

Even though self-sabotaging behaviors may not be recognized initially, once you see it for what it is and know what it means to self-sabotage, understanding why the behaviors occur is key to rising above to move forward and grow.

So why do we self-sabotage, and how do we know that we are sabotaging ourselves? There are many reasons why a person acts in a way that proves damaging to their well-being. On top of that, it can be hard to pick up on self-sabotaging behaviors because the consequences usually do not follow the behavior immediately, thus making it hard to connect the two. One approach is to examine whether your actions are lining up with your long-term goals. If not, then the behavior may be self-defeating.

Here’s Why

Self-sabotaging behaviors always start with a negative thought. We pause and start to think and doubt that we are not good enough, that it won’t work out in the long run, and it’s too much to handle. This leads us into a frustration cycle that starts to lower our self-confidence, and we become stuck. Here are five reasons why we self-sabotage:

1. We fear losing control

If it’s one thing I hate more than anything, it is losing control. No one likes to feel like they are losing control. We do better when we feel as though we can control things around us. So if we fear that a negative outcome will take place, we end up telling ourselves this ahead of time to have a sense of control even though it is not the outcome we wanted to happen.

2. Our self-worth is not strong enough

When we do not believe in ourselves wholeheartedly, we cannot achieve what we want, and that this is something I have been learning more about recently. We start to say negative things and, as a result, will start to act accordingly to what we are telling ourselves. If your self-worth is not strong enough, it leads to behaviors that can damage your potential of who you are meant to be.

3. We are afraid of failing

For a long time, we have been told that failing shows we are not good enough at something. We set so many goals in place, but the fear of not succeeding stops us in our track as a safety net, and we end up protecting ourselves from failing by not pushing ourselves to try first.

It is easier to give ourselves reasons why we would fail instead of giving it our all. The idea of failing is too painful, and we at times escape it by making excuses.

4. We fear being hurt and rejected

Some people may cheat, pick fights, exert control, point blame, or become needy/clingy as a way to push a person away. But what’s interesting about this is that these behaviors are unconscious ways that our brain fears rejection if we get too close to someone.

Many of these patterns stem from childhood and how your caregiver treated you. You may have been neglected, rejected, or received inconsistent love, and when you feel yourself getting too close, your brain goes into a child-like phase in your adult relationships. You unconsciously fear going through that pain again.

5. We fear success

Huh? That doesn’t’ sound. We fear success? Yup! You read it correctly!

We all want to achieve some level of success in our lives. But when we have to work hard for something, it can become a stressor. This happens if we are experiencing burnout or if we are in need of boosting our self-confidence. We start worrying that we are not qualified or prepared enough to take on the tasks, and as a result, we start to engage in behaviors that limit our success.

Examples of self-sabotaging behaviors

Before diving into some examples, I want to reiterate that we all engage in self-sabotaging behaviors whether we recognize them right away or not. As you read through these (they are categorized), you may relate to many of them, but don’t be discouraged because we all will relate and that it is entirely OKAY!

Work

  • You take on more than you can handle, even when you need a break.
  • You procrastinate on things that need to get done.
  • You do not feel challenged or motivated at work, so you binge watch Netflix instead of completing daily task assignments.

 

Relationship

  • You quickly blame others for the situation you are in. You do not take time out to look inward and see what you can work on within yourself.
  • You give the silent treatment instead of trying to communicate.
  • Instead of listening to what a friend/partner/spouse is saying, you quickly shut down or turn on your self-defense. 
  • You justify your actions without even trying to understand why a person feels the way they do about your actions.
  • You always think that your relationship would end and cause you pain, so you do not show your vulnerable side. 

 

Self-confidence

  • You continuously compare yourself to others. 
  • You feel unworthy of great things. 
  • You feel uncomfortable stepping out of your comfort zone and may start to accept settling for less. 

 

Mental health

  • You give yourself to others despite feeling drained and not feeling your best. 
  • You say yes when you should say no, and you end up taking on more than you can handle.
  • You don’t prioritize working on your mental health.

How we self-sabotage

Self-sabotage sets us up for failure in a different number of ways. It reinforces negative behaviors and limits our potential for growth and success. It stunts our growth and negatively impacts our relationship with others. Such failures and disappointments create feelings of guilt and frustration, which often lead to low self-esteem. Here’s how we can self-sabotage ourselves without even realizing it:

  • Having a lack of awareness
  • Not setting smart and realistic goals
  • Not trying to step outside of our comfort zone
  • Engaging in negative self-talk or thought patterns
  • Procrastination
  • Creating an atmosphere of self-doubt and shame

Rising above self-sabotaging behaviors

Self-sabotaging behaviors erode your being and disarrange your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Fortunately, you can rise above and escape such actions to become a more fulfilled, happy, and confident YOU:

Recognize your behaviors and why you are having them

In order to do anything, you need to take a moment to recognize what your self-sabotaging behavior is. Think about things you want to accomplish in your life, or think of what you want out of your relationship. Do things seem to be aligning? If not, then is it because of fear, or are you unmotivated? These are tough questions to ask, but it is essential to tackle these challenging situations to better understand the motive behind the behavior.

Understand that your thoughts influence your emotions

You think it, you feel it. Self-sabotaging behaviors stem from negative thoughts that are usually irrational and just merely emotions. Notice the thoughts that creep into your mind, and be mindful not to engage in negative self-talk. It is a recipe for disaster. Ask yourself what the reason behind these thoughts and beliefs is. Are they rational, and are they factual? Learn how to combat your negative thoughts here.

Become aware that your emotions influence your behaviors

Self-sabotaging behaviors come from feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem (worthlessness). Take a step back to think about what is causing you to feel this range of negative emotions, then learn to manage and regulate your emotions so that you don’t engage in behaviors that will have a negative consequence. Know what your triggers are, and don’t ignore them!

Challenge your behaviors, emotions, and thoughts

As you become more aware of the underlying reasons and feelings behind your self-sabotaging behaviors, you can challenge them. Challenge your thinking with journaling, positive affirmations, and setting smart goals. By doing these things, your beliefs, thoughts, actions, and skills will start to align.

Embark on a self-discovery journey

If you don’t know who you are, what you want, and your values, it will become increasingly difficult to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors. It is important to embark on a self-discovery journey because you will learn to recognize the power that you have to help minimize behaviors that will limit your success. Self-discovery takes work, but it is a beautiful and humbling experience where you learn more about yourself. Learn how to start your self-discovery journey today by clicking here.

Work on building your self-esteem

When you genuinely feel comfortable in your skin, it shows through your actions. If you are confident in yourself, you feel good and have this sense of pride where you would be less likely to engage in self-sabotaging behaviors.

Learn more about how self-esteem impacts your mental health here. Plus work on building your self-esteem with this journal guide.

When you lack confidence, it creates room for you to engage in behaviors that can negatively affect so many things around you:

  • Your values
  • How you assert yourself and make decisions
  • How you treat yourself
  • Your self-worth
  • Your ability to move past mistakes and grow

 

Positive self-esteem can significantly improve your way of life and help you to build and maintain a healthy relationship with yourself foremost and with others.

 


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Rebekah Charles

Rebekah Charles

36 Responses

    1. Epifania thanks so much for your feedback. I couldn’t agree with you more, we all do it without knowing that we are. But on E we understand what it is, we will be able to work on getting better.

  1. Great post! And this came at the right time because as I’m starting to embark on some big changes in my life, I’m finding myself falling back into my sabotaging ways. I think that part of self-sabotaging for most is having to step out of that comfort zone. These are very helpful points. I’ll be sure to take a lot of these into consideration in the upcoming weeks as I start to embrace some of these changes. Thank you for sharing!!1

  2. I definitely identify with the section of this post about being afraid of being rejected or hurt. I frequently don’t maintain relationships with people I care about because I’m afraid of looking clingy be or being annoying. This is such a great reminder to fight against those kinds of thoughts

    1. Ian you have given yourself the best advice. When those thoughts come up, shift them into positive ones. Trust me, the friends that matter will stick around for you. Thanks so much for the feedback!

    1. Me to Amanda me too! Sigh. My negative thoughts often gets the best of me, and when that starts I usually just end up in a rut. I’m trying to get better and have made some improvements.

  3. My life seems to be one long list of self-sabotaging behaviours. My self-esteem is so bad that I rarely even bother trying to avoid failing. I have so my ideas but barely any follow through. No matter what I do though, my self-esteem never gets any better

    1. Thanks so much for the honest feedback. Self-esteem sounds so simple but is has a profound affect on how we live our lives. It’s something that requires patience and work. Taking little baby steps to achieve those ideas you have may help. I’m rooting for you!

  4. Great post Rebekah! Self-sabotaging is something I did a lot in my life. Thankfully I learned how to recognize and change the behaviour. Your thoughts and negative self-talk really do have a profound impact. For me, learning to control my thoughts was one of the biggest breakthroughs. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Tiffany, as always, I truly appreciate your feedback! Self sabotage is one of those things that creeps up on you because we don’t see the behavior as such until we understand what self Sabotage is truly about. Once we understand it for what it is and know what it looks like, then positive change can begin.

  5. Great post! I’ve definitely self-sabotaged myself in the past but I’ve seen a lot of people in my life who do so in the past and currently and it has affected my relationships with them. I’ve always been a fairly confident person which has been nice but there of course has been times where I’ve doubt myself. Thank you for sharing xx

    http://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com

    1. Thanks so much for your feedback Lynn. Self-sabotaging behaviors are creepy because it creeps up on you before you even realize it for what it is. But we practice we can get better.

  6. This is a great informative post. I know I self sabotaged and I have been trying to find way to stop it. I have learned a lot from this post. Thank you for sharing.

    goalofhappiness.com

    1. Thanks so much for your feedback Charlotte. We all engage in self-sabotaging behaviors one way or the other. It is not something that goes away over night, but with practice we get a little better each day.

  7. Another amazing post! This one was definitely speaking to me because I often self-sabotage. Reading this, I realized I do it in more ways than I even knew. It’s definitely a process to get out of those habits, and it’s not an easy one for sure. The hardest part is changing habits that you don’t even realize you’re doing. Love your informative posts!

    1. Thanks so much for your feedback deandra. I always look forward to your feedback. But yes you’re absolutely right, we all engage in self-sabotaging behaviors and most of the time we don’t even know that we are doing it. I’m happy this post was helpful to you.

  8. Amazng post! I’ve definitely self sabotaged myself years back because of fear of rejection and just not feeling like I’m worth it. Through out the years, I’ve gotten better but I’ve developed really bad procrastination since this pandemic started but I’ve been trying my best to push myself to get tasks done. Your posts are always so informative, great job!

    1. Anissa Thanks so much for your feedback. I to self sabotage but I’m trying to get better at it. It’s not always easy because when we get scared we retreat to our comfort zone where we feel safe. Procrastination is a killer lol. But with practice, it will get better.

  9. This is a fantastic article! This is something we should talk about more often. I love the blog structure too (how you explained the possible reasons, effects, what it looks like in different aspects in your life). Aside from the reasons you listed, I believe we self-sabotage when we become aware that it’s not going as planned anymore then we intentionally destroy everything we’re working on a.k.a self-sabotage. Amazing, thanks for sharing!

    http://www.lifebeginsattwenty.com

    1. Monique I couldn’t agree with you more! When things are not going as plan, we panic and ‘run away’ to protect ourselves, but ends up being damaging to us. Thanks so much for the feedback. It is truly appreciated.

  10. This post hit the nail the on the head! Absolutely loved it, I definitely needed to hear this. Reading this has made me realise how I do it in more ways than one, in all aspects of my life. Thank you for sharing.

    1. Thanks so much for your feedback Abbi. Yes thanks the thing about self-sabotage, we all do it without even realizing that we are. It really creeps up on you. I’m happy you found this post helpful.

  11. Thank you for this! I struggle with self-sabotage, for many of the reasons you listed above. Self-doubt is probably the worst one – it creeps up in my thoughts and before I know it, I’m procrastinating again! You’ve given me lots to think on here and some useful tips on how to overcome self-sabotage.

    1. Kate thanks so much for your feedback. Trust me when u say you are not the only one. Wheb u get overwhelmed and anxious about something I am working on, I end up procrastinating, but I didn’t know right away that is was a self sabotaging behavior. I learned overtime what it was. I’m happy you found the tips helpful as well.

  12. Hi Rebekah.

    An excellent post, as always. I think many of us struggle with things like this because we rarely take the time to analyse our own thoughts and actions. If we did, we might more readily spot the potential problem areas.

    A quick question: Is ‘Stepping out of your comfort zone’ always a good thing? What if you are perfectly comfortable as you are and not being held back in any way? Is there a benefit to doing new things just for its own sake?

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Hello & Welcome!

HEY! I’m Rebekah, but everyone calls me Bekah or Becky.

I work for adults who suffer from Mental Illnesses and/or have Intellectual Disabilities. I provide Behavioral Therapeutic Services, among other services to this population.

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