Developing and improving as a person is a lifelong pursuit. Each stage of life brings different opportunities and challenges. You can meet these head-on by setting and achieving goals, overcoming adversity, and working persistently. And with purpose, you can find great fulfillment in life.
Despite your best efforts, you will experience some setbacks and failures. However, not all of these come from outside sources. Sometimes, you may hinder yourself with self-sabotage. These behaviors slow down your progress and hold you back. It’s important to recognize the signs that you are sabotaging yourself and then reverse the course.
Procrastination
Most people have experience with this topic to some degree or another. Perhaps you procrastinated in school by putting off homework or studying for a test. Procrastinating some tasks may seem mild and harmless, like delaying the start of your diet until next week or cleaning out the garage tomorrow instead of today. However, it’s not a good habit to get into.
Many people procrastinate because they are stressed or overwhelmed. Other people don’t know how to effectively manage their time. Unfortunately, procrastination can easily snowball, quickly becoming worse and worse. You can overcome it by setting realistic goals, not overscheduling, and planning carefully.
Blaming Others
It is true that some of life’s injustices and hardships come from other people’s actions. Some trials are a simple result of bad luck. However, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to blame other people for your shortcomings and mistakes. In fact, the more you blame others when something goes awry, the more you will look for excuses to find fault with others.
This can affect your mood, leaving you feeling suspicious, resentful, distrustful, and eventually even paranoid. Your relationships with those you love the most can suffer. If you notice that you are blaming others, stop. Acknowledge your role in the misfortune and move on.
Putting Yourself Down
Recognizing and admitting when you are at fault is healthy. On the other hand, going too far with this and blasting yourself is not productive. If you are struggling to achieve a goal or are finding a lack of success in any area of your life, don’t resign to beating yourself up or insulting yourself. Nothing can destroy your self-confidence and self-esteem faster.
Addiction
When people think of addiction, dependency on drugs and alcohol may first come to mind. But addiction can come in many forms. A person could become addicted to pornography and other sexual behaviors, gambling, video games, social media, or just about anything imaginable. When
people have an addiction, they have an insatiable appetite to satisfy the cravings to consume the thing to which they are addicted. Addiction drives their behaviors, making them a slave to it. Addiction can destroy relationships and warp their way of thinking and acting. When addictions become serious, professional intervention is necessary.
Giving Up
If you find yourself easily walking away from a commitment because it doesn’t go well, you’re heading to self-sabotage. Of course, sometimes it is wise to remove yourself from a situation, especially if it is dangerous or non-productive. But this doesn’t mean anytime something is demanding or difficult that you should abandon it. You can’t quit a job the moment it doesn’t go smoothly. You can walk away from a relationship as soon as it becomes challenging. If you notice that you have developed a pattern and habit of giving up too easily, it’s time to reevaluate your attitudes and behaviors.
These are a few signs you are developing some potentially destructive habits. Get help, if necessary, either from a professional, or loved one, or both. You can make the improvements you need to get your life back on the right track. At ActionCoach Lincoln, we can help. Contact us today at 402-587-6329.