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Change Your Mindset

The 7 Hidden Signs You’re Self-Sabotaging Your Progress

Self-sabotaging behaviors affect our personal and professional success

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Image Credit: Unsplash

I’m about to confess here: I hate goal trackers.

Do I really want to be reminded that I didn’t achieve any -or not even 80%- of the monthly goals I’ve set? And why would I want to see my indecisiveness reflected in a planner, journal, or vision board when my goals change as fast as my clothes because I’m either unable or unwilling to finish what I start?

ADHD is a challenging condition. No matter the times I decide to trick it, I end up being played by it. However, despite my psychological state, my mood, laziness, and silliness sometimes make me unable to take action. Even when everything works in my favor, and I know I have to start, continue, or finish now, I don’t.

It took me nearly three years to finish my website and four years since the moment I decided to start writing every day to actually write every day. Whenever I stopped for whatever reason, I unconsciously punished myself by deciding to start over or work on something completely new.

It wasn’t a long time ago that I learned about the concept of self-sabotaging. And then, I figured, that was precisely what I was doing. But it was so crafty; I didn’t even realize it. I had to dig deep to uncover the signs and shift my mindset.

So, if you’re also wondering why you never make progress despite your commitment and willingness to achieve whatever it is that you want, you might be unconsciously sabotaging your own success.

Here are the 7 signs you’re self-sabotaging your progress:

1. You are setting self-fulfilling prophecies. 

“I want to start my own business, but I’m not disciplined enough.”

“I want to have a family, but no one can love me.”

“I want to start working out, but I don’t have time.”

By acknowledging the habits that stand as obstacles to the outcomes we want to deliver, we‘re setting ourselves up for failure. The way that works is simple: we expect a negative behavior from ourselves that affects the result of our desire, and then we lead that expectation to become a reality.

How to overcome it:

Use the law of attraction to manifest positivity towards your desired outcome. My favorite technique is manifestation scripting, where I envision and write down my future self as I‘ve already achieved the desired progress.

Ensure the self-fulfilling prophecies are working for you and not against you. Believe you are worthy of whatever it is that you want to achieve and accumulate positive energy ad high-vibration thoughts around your success.

2. You are procrastinating.

“I’ll finish tomorrow.”

“I’ll do it later.”

“I’ll start on the 23rd of March.”

“I’ll do it when I have some free time.”

Postponing action is the enemy of making things happen. The more you delay, the more time works against you and your goal.

How to overcome it:

Avoid being paralyzed into inactivity by creating smaller, more straightforward goals and fulfilling them. Commit to one small action a day. Start and keep going gradually, but make sure you start.

Small goals can still be ambitious cause when you have a clear vision of where you are going, the rest falls into place.

3. You are overthinking it.

“What if…”

“And if that, how will I…”

“And what can we….”

“And how can I….”

Overloading your mind with hypothetical scenarios only drives action further away.

How to overcome it:

Nothing wrong with visualizing or daydreaming, but ensure like self-fulfilling prophecies, it works for you and not against you. When you are trapped in a cycle of weighing decisions and expecting outcomes, to a certain degree that you reach an “analysis-paralysis” state, make sure you take a break in thinking and clear your mind with a relaxing activity, like mindfulness or meditation.

“Our beliefs are like unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what’s possible and impossible and what we can and cannot do. They shape every action, every thought, and every feeling that we experience. As a result, changing our belief systems is central to making any real and lasting change in our lives.” – Tony Robbins

4. You embrace negative self-talk.

“You know you aren’t good enough to achieve this.”

“Oh, c’mon, you ‘re not that beautiful; he won’t even notice you.”

“You aren’t that smart to succeed.”

Negative self-talk usually stems from our inability to love and accept ourselves exactly as we are. Criticizing and judging ourselves for our imperfections creates a negative self-image that only alienates our confidence from everything we do.

How to overcome it:

It sounds cliche, but the key is to start embracing and prioritizing self-care and self-love. It’s impossible not to get trapped in negativity once in a while, but we can work on implementing a habit that replaces a negative self-thought with a positive one.

5. You fuel an unconscious desire to validate your limiting beliefs.

Limiting beliefs are tough to break. Coming from our childhood experiences or even from our parent’s opinions, we carry those perceptions of ourselves throughout our lives without even questioning their roots or reputation. It must be that way because that’s the only thing we have heard, known, and experienced. And then we are trapped in a vicious cycle of reproducing them through repeating negative statements and bad habits.

“I will never be good at singing.”

“I can’t stretch.”

“I can’t quit drinking.”

“I can’t stop scrolling social media.”

We don’t actually do anything that causes us to think otherwise. We implement and validate those negative statements, and then we affirm ourselves with an “I told you so.”

How to overcome it:

Identifying our limiting beliefs is the first step towards eliminating them. Usually, our limiting beliefs are the reasons that we are being held back from thriving. By knowing our negative impressions about ourselves and taking necessary actions to kill them, we can become different, better people and unlock an abundant and thriving mindset.

6. You are overdoing it.

Working passionately and actively towards your goal is healthy. Overindulging and immersing in a long series of to-do lists only to find yourself expecting a specific outcome or beating a challenge is obsessive.

I used to take wellness challenges so literally that I punished myself with negative self-talk or by starting from scratch if I missed my veggies or my 8 hours of sleep one day. Like everything in life, balance is vital. Allowing yourself to take a step back, relax and forget about the outcomes for a second is healthy.

How to overcome it:

Combine productivity and hard work with breaks and playtime. Allowing ourselves to get one day away from whatever it is that we‘re working towards and indulge in recharging activities, such as spending quality time with friends or doing something pleasurable, will give us space to introspect and rest.

7. You are protecting yourself too much.

Failure can’t hurt us if we don’t take any risks that expose us to it in the first place. But, limiting our identity to the person who is afraid to take risks means that we are afraid to live. To experience success or progress, we must actively work towards making our vision a reality, which means we must make decisions. We can’t experience the thrill of succeeding without dealing with the hurt of failure.

How to overcome it:

Allow yourself to feel comfortable with failing or losing. Everything is part of the process – a journey with ups and downs that teaches us things. Every pitfall makes us wiser.

Final thoughts:

Self-sabotaging behaviors affect our personal and professional success; everyone deserves to know the tips, tricks, and mechanisms to stop it. Mindset hacking is essential to achieve growth and thrive inside and out. It’s incredible what every one of us can accomplish when we can reprogram our subconscious minds to work with us instead of against us.

Maria is a Greek girl passionate about self-improvement and everything related to digital marketing. She has been moving around the world for the last five years and shares her thoughts on personal growth, relationships, and manifestation at: https://triggeryourtrip.com. You can find her coaching guide here: https://triggeryourtrip.com/spiritual-guide/.

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Change Your Mindset

The Art of Convincing: 10 Persuasion Techniques That Really Work

The knack for persuading others can act as a catalyst for change, open doors, forge alliances, and effect positive change

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how to be more persuasive

Persuasion is not as complicated as it may sound. In fact, it is something that we have been practicing since childhood. Do you remember convincing your parents to let you skip school, asking your teacher not to assign homework, or persuading your boss to give you a day off? Well, these are just small examples of what persuasion looks like. (more…)

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Personal Development

5 Key Reasons Why Perfectionist’s Procrastinate

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Procrastination Perfectionist Patterns

Hey there! I’m Joel Brown, a procrastination mindset specialist. In my world, it’s all about guiding my students through repatterning exercises to break free from the shackles that prevent them from scaling new heights in life.

Now, you might hear ‘perfectionist’ and think, “Ah, they’re destined for success!” But here’s the real deal: perfectionism is far from a superpower. It’s a sneaky villain in disguise, sapping emotional and physical strength, disrupting sleep, and fueling an endless cycle of rumination—all in the pursuit of getting everything ‘just right.’ This relentless chase is what we call the ‘Obsessive Idealist‘ procrastination type.

If you don’t know which out of. the 6 procrastination types you are then you can take this quick 3 minute procrastination type quiz on my Mindstrong Academy website.

Through my fourteen years of coaching, I’ve identified six procrastination types, but my journey started with a personal revelation—I am an Obsessive Idealist. I’ve been there, constantly toggling between creation and procrastination.

And today, I invite you to explore this path with me. If you’re nodding along, thinking, “That sounds like me; I’m a perfectionist too,” then stick around.

I’m about to shed some light on why you might be stuck in this cycle.

 

Here’s a perfectionist procrastination type video here of what I’m breaking down in this article for you:

The Obsessive Idealist: Unpacking the Perfectionist’s Paradox

First things first, make sure to take the procrastination quiz: mindstrongacademy.com/quiz to see where you stand. Now, let’s dive into the world of the Obsessive Idealist. Often labeled as high achievers or perfectionists, the core of their procrastination lies in the mind’s protective pause. It’s a shield against perceived threats, pitfalls of perfectionism, and the constant battle between the now and the future in our minds.

Here’s the paradox: what seems like a strength for high achievers can become a crippling hindrance. Obsessive Idealists are in a constant struggle to avoid failure, aiming for 100% perfection. But let’s face the truth—no one is perfect. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, athlete, or any individual striving for excellence, embracing imperfections and learning from failures are crucial steps.

 

The Traps of Being an Obsessive Idealist Procrastination Type

Analysis Paralysis: Overthinking every detail to the point of inaction is a common pitfall. It’s like trying to get everything perfect, but in reality, it backfires, stalling your progress.

The Unrealistic Standards Syndrome: Setting impossibly high goals is like chasing a mirage. It’s not just about being competitive; it can lead to unfair self-criticism and unrealistic expectations of others.

The Time Trap: Believing there’s never enough time to complete a task perfectly leads to constant postponement. This selective focus on strengths, while avoiding areas of improvement, limits your true potential.

Avoidance of Criticism: Dodging feedback hinders growth. It’s essential to learn to accept constructive criticism without internalizing it as a reinforcement of the “I’m not good enough” narrative.

The All-or-Nothing Lie: Believing that you must operate at full throttle or not at all is a dangerous misconception. Embracing the middle ground, like delegating tasks and seeking mentorship, is key to balanced success.

Embracing Imperfection: The Path to True Progress

 

In the MindStrong Academy, where I teach conquering procrastination, we focus on managing these patterns effectively. Currently, we’re offering a 7-day free trial, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your mindset: MindStrongAcademy.com The Academy is more than just a course; it’s a community where you’ll find support, accountability, and tailored resources like a 31-day planner and visualization audios to realign your focus.

 

In conclusion, recognizing and managing your tendencies as an Obsessive Idealist is crucial. By addressing the deep-rooted “I’m not good enough” narrative and embracing imperfection, you can shift from a state of constant stress to one of harmonized power.

Remember, movement doesn’t always equate to progress. It’s about finding balance, embracing downtime, and allowing yourself the space to grow and learn.

I encourage you to take the quiz, join the MindStrong Academy, and start your journey towards a more balanced, successful life.

Let’s break free from the chains of perfectionism together!

 

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Change Your Mindset

Unlocking Success: Subconscious Reprogramming, Mindset, and Transformative Strategies for Improved Wellbeing and Business Performance

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brittany victoria

What if I told you that the negative thoughts or self-limiting beliefs that you may have, are not actually yours?

In this article, I will discuss subconscious programming and how it can be reprogrammed in a way that allows you to reach your greatest potential. I will also provide tips on how you can integrate this information as a leader within the workplace.

The subconscious mind is shaped before we begin forming our own conscious thoughts, and these conscious thoughts are influenced by the subconscious mind. This means that even the thoughts that you’re consciously having, are merely an extension of that pre-existing conditioning. 

When something becomes deeply ingrained within your mind through repetition, and there are other supporting thoughts that reinforce it, you will identify this information as your truth. These repeated thoughts become beliefs, and your actions will align to support and validate these beliefs.

The Importance of Observing Your Thoughts

If you continuously tell yourself that you aren’t capable or good enough, how likely are you to put in the effort to challenge this narrative? If you’ve always been a procrastinator and tell yourself that you always will be, you’re going to continue procrastinating. If you run into an obstacle and don’t believe you can overcome it, you’re not going to look for solutions or try your best to resolve it.

It’s extremely important for you to become an observer of your thoughts and understand the impacts of how those thoughts can impact your life, relationships, and overall outlook on life.

Here are some questions to help guide you:

– What are your recurring negative thoughts, and how are they impacting your performance and relationships? 


– How have these thoughts held you back from achieving your goals and living the life that you’ve always dreamed of? 


– What have these thoughts already cost you and what else will they cost you if they don’t change?

Societal conditioning, influenced by a lower level of collective consciousness, has made the experience of debilitating thoughts highly prevalent. It’s not your fault that you have them, but it is your responsibility to change them and choose better ones.

The Subconscious Must Be Reprogrammed 

Reprogramming the subconscious involves positive affirmations, visualization, and consistent repetition to replace negative beliefs with positive ones. You have to become aware of the thoughts that make you feel bad and do not serve your best interest.

What are the growth-oriented thoughts that would you rather have instead? Any time that a debilitating thought crosses your mind, always correct it with new thought that uplifts, encourages and empowers you. Be consistent, be patient and understand that your logical mind will not make this process easy for you at first.

Being Delusional vs. Consciously Creating a Better Reality for Yourself 

By definition, the term delusional means “holding false beliefs or judgments about external reality that are held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary”. When you have held onto debilitating beliefs for so long and your previous actions have served as evidence to confirm their truth, it is inevitable that your logical mind will deem your new thoughts as delusional. This is where embracing change tends to become most challenging, as it involves confronting this resistance with unwavering commitment. 

 

What you have to understand is that your former beliefs and former actions do not dictate your future, unless they remain the same. As the old beliefs become obsolete and new beliefs take their place, there will also be new aligned actions that produce different results, and this will serve as evidence to support your new truth. That being said, the most delusional thing that anyone can do is elect to keep an unfavorable mindset that was programmed for them by external factors and willingly relinquish their own personal power as a result of it.

Success is Fundamentally Rooted in the Mindset

How we show up for ourselves and others, communicate with employees, and perform in business are deeply connected to our mindset and everything that has shaped it. Let’s delve into these interconnected aspects and explore five transformative tips that will catalyze positive change in the workplace. 

 

A growth-oriented mindset encourages resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace challenges. On the other hand, a fixed mindset hinders progress and limits potential.

Tip 1: Embrace a Growth Mindset

  • Establish the belief that abilities can be developed.
  • View challenges as opportunities for learning and improvement.
  • Cultivate a positive attitude toward continuous growth and development.

Unpacking Trauma and Navigating the Impact

Unresolved trauma can cast a long shadow over our personal and professional lives. It shapes our reactions, influences decision-making, and impacts our interactions with others. Acknowledging and addressing trauma is essential for creating a healthier, more productive work environment.

 

Tip 2: Prioritize Trauma-Informed Leadership

  • Cultivate empathy and understanding for individual experiences.
  • Provide a safe space for open communication about trauma.
  • Implement support systems and resources for employees dealing with trauma.

 

Elevate Relationships and Sales Performance

To enhance relationships, communication, and sales performance, a holistic approach that intertwines mindset and trauma-informed practices is key.

 

Tip 3: Implement Empathy-Driven Communication

  • Train teams in active listening and empathetic communication.
  • Create an environment where open dialogue is encouraged.
  • Recognize and validate diverse perspectives, creating a culture of inclusivity.

Tip 4: Invest in Professional Development

  • Offer continuous learning opportunities for employees.
  • Develop leadership skills to enhance communication and relationship-building.
  • Prioritize sales training programs that align with evolving market dynamics.

Tip 5: Maintain a Positive Work Culture

  • Create a workplace where employees feel valued and appreciated.
  • Implement recognition programs to celebrate achievements.
  • Encourage a balance between professional and personal well-being.

By embracing a growth mindset, acknowledging and addressing trauma, and implementing empathetic, integrated strategies, individuals and organizations can create a transformative ripple effect. In this interconnected web of personal and professional growth, how we show up truly matters, influencing the outcomes we achieve and the impact we leave on those around us.

 

Enjoy the Journey 

As you embark on the empowering journey of subconscious reprogramming, remember that change takes time, and self-compassion is your greatest ally. Surround yourself with positive influences, whether it be supportive friends, inspirational books, or mindfulness practices. Seek guidance from mentors who have walked a similar path and found success in reshaping their mindset. Embrace the discomfort that may arise during this process, for it signifies the shedding of old layers to make way for the new. Reflect on your progress regularly, celebrating even the smallest victories, and be patient with yourself as you navigate the intricacies of transformation. 

In the spirit of rewriting your narrative, I encourage you to take the first step today. Commit to a daily practice of positive affirmations, visualize your desired reality, and consistently challenge self-limiting beliefs. If you would like support along the way, consider joining like-minded communities, Facebook groups, and curate your social media to reflect these new changes you want to embody.

Remember, thoughts become actions, and actions reinforce beliefs. It’s never too late to embark on an empowering journey to reprogram your mind, and achieve the life you have always dreamed of!

For more tips and strategies on how to improve your mindset, follow me at @bigdivineenergy.

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Change Your Mindset

How to Let Go of Unconscious Patterns That No Longer Serve You

Spending more and more time going inward will free you to move forward.

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Image Credit: Midjourney

I was chatting with a friend of mine who was recently laid off. The experience has been overwhelming for him in a myriad of ways, including feeling inadequate and not good enough to get another job. (more…)

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