Many people are worried that either the Universe or other people are out to get them. Interestingly, the greatest enemy you’ll ever face is staring back at you in the mirror. It knows all your tricks and how to push your buttons. You sabotage yourself in ways you’ve never imagined.
Consider these ways you might be keeping yourself from the successful life you deserve:
1. Your standards are too low. You get what you tolerate. You, of all people, should consider your life to be a sacred thing. Yet, you’re willing to get into relationships with others that aren’t worthy of you. You’re willing to stay at a job you don’t like. You tolerate friends that are anything but.
• Treat yourself like someone you care deeply for.
2. You’re too concerned with the opinions of others. Be brave enough to do your thing without concern for what others will think.
3. You lack assertiveness. You can be “nice” and still be assertive. Be willing to let others know what you think, want, and need. You’ll be more likely to achieve what you want and garner respect from others.
4. You spend money you don’t have. Consumer debt is incredibly toxic to your life and sense of well-being. If you can’t pay cash for it, it’s better to wait.
5. You think too much about the short-term and too little about the long-term. Potato chips now versus a bikini next summer. A vanilla latte every day versus a family vacation next year. People that struggle are too influenced by their emotions in the present instead of thinking long-term.
• You often have to give up something today to get something better in the future.
6. You believe that tomorrow will be different. It’s easy to feel motivated for a moment and swear to yourself that things will be different, starting tomorrow.
• You’re going to stick to your diet, go to the gym every day, start saving 10% of your paycheck, and meditate for 30 minutes each day. But, how many times have you thought that? Has it ever been true?
• Unless you change, the actions you take are likely to stay the same. The older you are, the more likely this is to be true. Start small and build from there.
7. You listen to your heart when you should listen to your head, and vice-versa. There’s a time for each. Figuring out which is best is a personal journey. When it comes to dealing with day-to-day decisions, your intellect is usually the best choice. Far-reaching decisions are often best left to the heart.
• For example, choosing a career or a spouse might be best left to the heart. Deciding whether to spend $100 at a yard sale versus paying your electric bill on time should be made with your head.
8. You fail to commit. Without commitment, you’re just wishing, hoping, and wasting your time. Once you commit to something, it’s as good as done. It’s only a question of how long it will take. If you’re willing to change your mind, you eventually will.
9. You give fear too much power in your decision-making process. We are inclined to avoid fear in the short-term rather than override that fear with intellect. Unless your life or finances are in danger, fear should be left out of the picture.
Self-sabotage is frustrating, and often challenging to notice. We all sabotage ourselves in a variety of ways. The biggest obstacle to your success is yourself. Notice how you get in your own way and begin changing those habits. Mastering yourself is the biggest step to mastering life.
