Whether you refer to it as self-defeating behavior or standing in your own way, self-sabotage can interfere with the best-laid plans and goals. Self-sabotage is any action that gets in the way of your intent.  The truth is, we all sabotage ourselves. Some wait until they’re close to success, while others sabotage themselves before they even take the first step. The causes are the same regardless of when it occurs.

The world is tough enough without taking on the role of the greatest obstacle you face in life. You’re also the toughest opponent to beat.

Hardly anyone addresses this issue in their own life. You’ll have a huge advantage over everyone you know if you are able to shift this behavior. Nothing can stop you, if you can get out of your own way.

Avoid self-sabotage and enjoy more success with these strategies:

1. Think about your goals. Does this make you feel uncomfortable? This is the best predictor of your ability to follow through on a goal. If you can think about achieving your goal and only have positive feelings, you won’t sabotage yourself. But, if you get that queasy feeling, you know that you have some work to do.
2. Visualize positive outcomes. Imagine everything turning out well. It’s only when you start predicting the worst that you’ll have issues. This doesn’t mean to ignore the potential pitfalls, but it’s important to avoid overwhelming yourself with worries.
3. Handle the worst. Consider the possible issues that may come up in the future and determine how you will handle them. This is a one-time exercise. Doing this every day will sabotage your efforts.
4. Avoid making decisions when you’re stressed. Quitting just before attaining your goals usually happens when you’re emotionally distressed. Decisions made in this mental state often focus on releasing that emotional stress, instead of considering the future ramifications. Avoid big decisions until you’ve had a chance to calm down.
5. Avoid starting “tomorrow.” There’s always another tomorrow. It’s a moving target that’s always conveniently out of reach. Once you’ve set a goal, start doing something today. How many times have you “tomorrow-ed” yourself? The same thing can be said about starting on Monday or the first of the month.
6. Keep your mental chatter positive. Some experts say that we have up to 50,000 thoughts each day. Most of them aren’t particularly supportive or encouraging. You can change that!
7. Notice how you sabotage yourself. Do you suddenly quit? Do you procrastinate? What do you do to sabotage yourself? Knowing your tendencies will help you to recognize when your efforts are going off the rails. If you can see it coming, you can do something about it.
8. Stop fearing failure. You’ve failed at other things. How bad was it really? Probably not that bad. Learn from your undesired outcomes and try again. That’s 90% of success in life.
9. Build your self-esteem. Some people self-sabotage because they believe they don’t deserve it. Like yourself, want the best for yourself and be your own cheerleader. Then you’ll do the best for yourself.

Believe that you’re worthy of success and you’re halfway there. Failure is a part of life. It’s even a necessary part of life. You become more knowledgeable and capable with each failure. Be self-aware and notice how your behaviors are getting in the way of your intent.  Deal with it right away when it happens.

Self-sabotage is a common behavior. Part of your brain perceives it as a way of protecting yourself. Take a stand against self-sabotage and put an end to it once and for all.