3 Ways to Stop Self-Sabotaging Your Success

You dream big and have goals you want to accomplish, but you’re struggling to meet them. The question is, why? Is it that you are incapable of achieving these goals, or is the real truth that you are—gasp!— self-sabotaging your success?? It can be hard to face the brutal reality that the reason you aren’t further along in your career, haven’t started that business, or crossed that big dream off of your list is YOU. But good news: you can change that—and you can start today. Here’s how to put yourself in the right mindset and gain the confidence you need to stop self-sabotaging your success and start achieving it.

Prioritize What’s Important

If you really want to accomplish something and succeed at reaching a goal, you have to make that goal your number one priority. I know firsthand what happens to tasks when you don’t prioritize them. Case in point: it took me weeks longer than I anticipated to write this post because I kept putting it off. We often start other, smaller projects because they’re easy, even though they don’t bring us closer to success. It can be difficult to set your priorities and stick to them because we all have other things to do; however, your number one goal, the one you are working to achieve, should top the list. Here are some tips to help you prioritize what is really important:

1. Start with the goal and reverse engineer the steps in your to-do list to accomplish that goal.
2. Set realistic timelines to complete smaller tasks.
3. Set milestones that allow you to celebrate the success of making strides toward your accomplishments.
4. Before starting a new project or taking on other tasks, ask yourself, “Will this help me move forward in the process of reaching my goal?” If the answer is no, opt out.

Use Your Connections and Ask for Help

One of the biggest reasons we self-sabotage our success and hinder our own progress at working toward that big dream or project is that often we don’t know how to accomplish it—and that’s OK. We have great ideas for a business to start or products to invent; however, we don’t have the knowledge or skills to see them through, so we give up before we ask for help. The thing is, you probably know people with expertise in various areas who would be happy to offer advice. All you have to do is ask.

Visit LinkedIn, search people you know who work in the industry in which you need help, and reach out. It can be a daunting task, but more times than not, a simple request for advice or guidance will be graciously accepted. Even if you don’t know someone directly, you’d be surprised at how many potential connections exist within your circle. Be willing to put yourself out there and let your community or your tribe know that you need some help, and you may be surprised by how many are willing to assist you when you’re doing something positive in your life.

Remember You Are Not an Impostor

If you aren’t familiar with the dreaded imposter syndrome, it’s when you feel as though you are not important, smart, knowledgeable, or qualified enough to do something. Sometimes we can suffer from it and not even realize it. This type of self-doubt can be the biggest self-sabotaging tactic of them all. Trust in yourself! You are not impersonating anyone, and no one else should be in your place. You are worthy of your ideas and accomplishments, so have confidence in yourself. The simple act of believing in yourself and being determined to achieve your goals can create a snowball effect of positive energy and put you in the mental state to actually accomplish them.

Don’t let yourself become your biggest obstacle in your quest to achieve your dreams. Remember to prioritize, rely on your connections, and believe in yourself, and you’ll be well on your way to reaching your goals.

Stay fabulous,