A lot of times, we have projects we want to execute, business ideas to implement, and goals to achieve. We may want to start a business, take up a new vocation, learn a language, travel somewhere or learn a new skill. Sometimes, we never start or finish a project either due to unforeseen circumstances, or in a lot of cases, self sabotage. The fear of starting, procrastination or outright laziness are ways in which we sabotage what could have been a successful endeavour, or rob ourselves of the happiness and satisfaction that comes from achieving something we wanted.
If you always find yourself reluctant to start something, or giving up halfway, you may be sabotaging your own efforts and happiness. To be productive and break from the cycle of self sabotage, one needs to take proactive steps. You need to make conscious efforts to change yourself. Here are a few pointers on how you can identify self sabotage and nip it in the bud.
Self Awareness
Recognise if you are procrastinating, uninterested or you actually have legitimate obstacles preventing you from being productive. If you find that your problems stem from external factors, find a way of solving the issues so that you can forge ahead. If you however see that your productivity is hindered by your own self, then you know you have to deal with your personal issues first. Being self-aware ensures that you are not lying to yourself as to why you are unproductive.
Take Little Steps
Trying to do a lot of things at once can be overwhelming. So is starting something new. Even when you are already working on a project, handling too much at once can have a negative impact on your productivity. Your attention and focus are divided and you are not able to give 100% to each task.
Breaking your tasks into little steps is a very good way to get rid of self sabotage. When you pick a simple task, it is easier to not talk yourself out of it. Look at it as the mountain being a little easier to climb. If you want to learn a new language for example, rather than playing tapes of conversations and full sentences, start by learning simple, everyday words. Listening to full conversations when you are a beginner will scare you into thinking you can’t understand the language, and you may stop trying.
Accountability
Holding yourself accountable is a good way to check yourself. Don’t go easy on yourself every time because that will amount to self sabotage. Challenge yourself to see a project through and don’t give any excuses for failure. The more you challenge yourself, the easier it becomes to stop sabotaging your own progress. You simply don’t give yourself the room for excuses.
Find A Mentor Or Support System
For those times when you encounter a dip in your productivity levels, or when you find yourself giving lame excuses. A good support system or mentor will be there to help you up and keep you going. This will also keep you accountable because you now have people that are watching out for you.
Getting rid of self sabotage is a continuous but rewarding process. The more you challenge yourself and stop procrastinating, the easier it becomes to surmount obstacles, increase your productivity, and achieve anything you set out to achieve.
About the author: Amina Salau is a writer and editor running The Illuminated Pen. You can find her online at www.theilluminatedpen.com and on Twitter (@_Aminah)
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This article was first published on 24th November 2014
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A lot of times, we have projects we want to execute, business ideas to implement, and goals to achieve. We may want to start a business, take up a new vocation, learn a language, travel somewhere or learn a new skill. Sometimes, we never start or finish a project either due to unforeseen circumstances, or in a lot of cases, self sabotage. The fear of starting, procrastination or outright laziness are ways in which we sabotage what could have been a successful endeavour, or rob ourselves of the happiness and satisfaction that comes from achieving something we wanted.
If you always find yourself reluctant to start something, or giving up halfway, you may be sabotaging your own efforts and happiness. To be productive and break from the cycle of self sabotage, one needs to take proactive steps. You need to make conscious efforts to change yourself. Here are a few pointers on how you can identify self sabotage and nip it in the bud.
Self Awareness
Recognise if you are procrastinating, uninterested or you actually have legitimate obstacles preventing you from being productive. If you find that your problems stem from external factors, find a way of solving the issues so that you can forge ahead. If you however see that your productivity is hindered by your own self, then you know you have to deal with your personal issues first. Being self-aware ensures that you are not lying to yourself as to why you are unproductive.
Take Little Steps
Trying to do a lot of things at once can be overwhelming. So is starting something new. Even when you are already working on a project, handling too much at once can have a negative impact on your productivity. Your attention and focus are divided and you are not able to give 100% to each task.
Breaking your tasks into little steps is a very good way to get rid of self sabotage. When you pick a simple task, it is easier to not talk yourself out of it. Look at it as the mountain being a little easier to climb. If you want to learn a new language for example, rather than playing tapes of conversations and full sentences, start by learning simple, everyday words. Listening to full conversations when you are a beginner will scare you into thinking you can’t understand the language, and you may stop trying.
Accountability
Holding yourself accountable is a good way to check yourself. Don’t go easy on yourself every time because that will amount to self sabotage. Challenge yourself to see a project through and don’t give any excuses for failure. The more you challenge yourself, the easier it becomes to stop sabotaging your own progress. You simply don’t give yourself the room for excuses.
Find A Mentor Or Support System
For those times when you encounter a dip in your productivity levels, or when you find yourself giving lame excuses. A good support system or mentor will be there to help you up and keep you going. This will also keep you accountable because you now have people that are watching out for you.
Getting rid of self sabotage is a continuous but rewarding process. The more you challenge yourself and stop procrastinating, the easier it becomes to surmount obstacles, increase your productivity, and achieve anything you set out to achieve.
About the author: Amina Salau is a writer and editor running The Illuminated Pen. You can find her online at www.theilluminatedpen.com and on Twitter (@_Aminah)
