Self-sabotage
Self-sabotage is a colloquial term for actions or omissions that make it difficult to achieve one's goals despite the declared desire to achieve them.
Definition
Self-sabotage is not a formal clinical diagnosis, but a useful description of repetitive self-handicapping behaviors. It may include procrastination, avoidance of decisions, perfectionism, withdrawing before the end, chaotic priorities, or behaviors that are contrary to one's goals. It often serves a protective function: it helps avoid fear of failure, evaluation, responsibility or identity change, but in the long term it undermines agency.
Key ideas
Missing key ideas.
Practice and life
Identify one repetitive pattern of self-sabotage and set a contract: specific action, deadline and person to whom you report the performance.
Common misunderstanding
It is a mistake to interpret self-sabotage as evidence of a "faulty personality." A common mistake is to fight the symptom without checking what emotion or consequence the behavior helps temporarily avoid.
Questions for self-reflection
No questions for self-reflection.
Sources
No sources.