Did you know you could be your own worst enemy when it comes to achieving success in your business? That’s right! We often get in our own way and sabotage our own success. But don’t panic because you can stop self-sabotaging right now if you’re ready.
Keep reading to discover 9 easy tactics you can use to help you change your frame of mind, grow your business, and be happier!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[01:07] Intro
[02:17] Why You’ve Not Made More Progress on Your Goals
[03:07] Disrupting Your Success Through Self-Sabotage
[05:06] How to Stop Self-Sabotaging
[17:23] Having the Right Mindset in Your Business Leads to Success
[19:06] Bloopers
[Theresa] When you set your business goals for the year, you didn’t do so to intentionally not achieve them. It sounds silly when you think about it, right? But yet, somehow you look back and realize that you’ve not made nearly as much progress as you intended.
I bring this up not to point out a flaw or make you feel bad. I just want you to know that you’re not alone. This problem is way too common.
[Meghan] It’s very common. You begin with the best of intentions. But, things happen along the way and derail you from making the type of progress that you really wanted.
As we always say, business and life are filled with Messy Moments. To grow and prosper, you need to learn from the messy moments and keep moving forward.
[Theresa] Yes. Life is a series of lessons for sure. Hiding under your bed won’t fix anything though.
If you want different results, you have to do things differently. That usually begins with being willing to look at your own shortcomings.
Why You’ve Not Made More Progress on Your Goals
[Meghan] Change always begins with you. It begins with:
- First accepting responsibility instead of laying blame.
- Then becoming aware of what’s really going on and why.
- Finally, taking different actions to achieve different results.
There could be many reasons why you haven’t achieved your goals. In fact, we’ve discussed some of these reasons on the podcast.
Do you want to refresh our memories, Theresa?
[Theresa] Yes. Challenges are just a normal part of life for sure. Some roadblocks to achieving your goals are that you:
- Experience chronic overwhelm.
- Procrastinate frequently.
- Don’t leverage your time well.
- Haven’t figured out to best plan your day.
- Don’t have a positive attitude.
Disrupting Your Success Through Self-Sabotage
[Meghan] While all of those reasons could contribute to your lack of progress, there is one more. That is the tendency to self-sabotage.
[Theresa] There are a ton of reasons why you self-sabotage. Self-sabotage is any action that gets in the way of your intent.
[Meghan] What about procrastination? Is it a form of self-sabotage?
[Theresa] Absolutely. You know that you need to get that sales copy done for your landing page. Instead, you choose to binge-watch the last three episodes of season one of Mad Men.
So, yes, it’s procrastination. But it’s also self-sabotage because the intent was to write your sales copy, but the act of watching TV got in the way of that.
Also, when you’re self-sabotaging there is usually some deeper mindset issue going on like imposter syndrome or issues with control.
[Meghan] Can you give us a couple of different examples?
[Theresa] Sure.
For example, when you struggle with imposter syndrome you feel, deep-down like you’re a fraud.
So, say your goal is to launch a membership program. But the talk going on in your head is self-defeating. You may be telling yourself:
- “Who do I think I am to launch a membership program, I don’t know anything.”
- “I can’t really help anyone with this membership.”
- “I don’t have a clue what I’m doing.”
- “Other people are doing this way better than I ever could.”
With those limiting beliefs replaying in your head, you may get in the way of your own success. You may procrastinate. Maybe you consciously or subconsciously miss your own deadlines.
If you have control issues, you may talk yourself out of launching altogether because a failure that you can see happening is better than getting an unexpected surprise.
[Meghan] It sounds like it’s a lot of psychology!
How to Stop Self-Sabotaging
[Theresa] It is. While it’s a good idea to get to the root of any problem, today I’d like to focus on some strategies you can use to stop self-sabotaging right away.
[Meghan] That sounds great.
[Theresa] As we work our way through these suggestions, take note of the tips that really resonate with you. Chances are those are the ones you most likely need to work on.
Don't get in the way of your own success! Discover simple strategies you can use to stop self-sabotaging so you can have more success.Click To Tweet1. Always Keep the People You Serve in Mind
[Theresa] The first tip to stop self-sabotaging is to always keep the people you are serving in mind. This is particularly helpful when you find yourself feeling discouraged or overwhelmed.
Think about who you help through your business. What are they struggling with? How do your products or services help them? And, what can you do TODAY to help them solve THEIR problems?
Think about who you help through your business. What can you do TODAY to help them solve THEIR problems?
Take the focus off of yourself and put it on the people who need you. And they do need you.
This could be just the motivation you need to re-energize yourself and change your frame of mind!
[Meghan] Shifting your focus to your customer takes the pressure off yourself. I can see how that helps.
2. Set Courageous Goals
[Theresa] The second tip to stop self-sabotage is to set courageous goals.
Setting goals is one thing. But do you set goals that actually require courage? Yogi Berra said, “If you don’t set goals you’ll never reach them.”
Well, if you don’t set BIG goals, you’ll never achieve those either!
What goals can you set today that requires risk, but are still attainable? Setting a loftier goal can be more exciting. It can stretch you in unforeseen ways and impact you more positively.
Bigger goals also require a bigger focus. And when you’re focused on something that’s more stimulating, there’s less time for limiting thoughts to pop up and undermine your progress.
[Meghan] That’s an interesting tip since setting bigger goals feels like it could lead to greater doubt or self-sabotage.
But it reminds me of something that I experience in my own life. And that’s if my schedule is packed, then I’m less likely to worry or get sidetracked. In other words, there’s no time for self-sabotage!
3. Focus on ONE Thing at a Time
[Theresa] Another tip to stop self-sabotaging is to focus on ONE thing at a time.
As a small business owner, it’s easy to get distracted. After all, there are so many things to take care of like email, social media, writing a blog post, taking out the dog, organizing your office, laundry. The list goes on and on!
We get it. There’s a lot to do!
But what you’ll find is that if you can focus on just one thing, you’ll get stuff done more quickly and the work you produce will be of higher quality.
However, in order to do this, you first need to let go of the belief that you have to be on top of Every. Single. Thing, at every single moment of the day!
Make a habit of deciding what ONE THING you’re going to do right now. Then focus 100% of your attention on that thing until you’re done!
[Meghan] You hear this message from us often. That’s because focusing on too many things at once overwhelms you. And overwhelm creates lots of opportunities for procrastination, self-sabotage, and stress.
So, stick with tackling one thing at a time.
4. Keep Your Vision in Mind
[Theresa] The fourth tip to stop self-sabotaging is to think about your big vision.
If you find your primary business mindset is, “How can I make more money?” or “How can I get more clients?”, you could definitely be sabotaging your success!
Obviously, you need to consider how to earn an income through your business. But, if this is the first or only thing on your mind, you’re doomed for failure.
Instead, keep your eye on WHY you do what you do. Be clear about this.
Focusing on your why will not only help you develop a successful mindset, it will naturally draw people to you and to your business!
[Meghan] This tip reminds me of the first one. Shifting your focus to who you serve and why you do what you do takes the emphasis off of you. And that alleviates pressure, which will reduce your chances of self-sabotage.
5. Be Thankful For What You’ve Already Accomplished
[Theresa] Another way to stop self-sabotaging is to be thankful for what you have and how far you’ve come.
While it’s good to focus on what you want to achieve in your business, always looking ahead can make you lose sight of how far you’ve come. This can cause impatience and discouragement because you just want to get there already.
When you’re in that headspace, you’ll always be approaching your work with a lack mindset which can lead to self-defeating practices.
While it’s good to focus on what you want to achieve in your business, always looking ahead can make you lose sight of how far you’ve come.
So, take some time right now to think about all you’ve accomplished in the past months or years.
Think about:
- Who you have helped
- Something you’ve created that you’re proud of
- The impact you have made through your work
- What is happening in your business and life, right now, that you’re thankful for
Make a point of thinking about these things rather than focusing on how far you still want to go. When you stay in a place of gratitude, it’s difficult to impede your own success.
[Meghan] Gratitude is one of those concepts I used to shrug off…until I tried it! And, I have to say, it’s a bit addictive!
Modifying your outlook and attitude is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. So, don’t underestimate this advice!
6. Help Others Succeed
[Theresa] The sixth tip to stop self-sabotaging is to help someone else.
Sometimes as a business owner, you get caught up in your own stuff. That’s completely understandable. You’re human!
But if you can shift your mindset from “How can I succeed” to “How can I help others succeed”, this will go a long way to keeping you motivated, excited, and behaving authentically in your business.
If you’re feeling stuck or hopeless at the moment, think about ONE person you can help today. It could be a friend, client, or colleague.
Instead of staying wrapped up in your own stuff, spend a few minutes thinking about how you can help them instead.
Sometimes, getting out of your own headspace is just what you need to stop self-defeating behavior.
[Meghan] I’m hearing a pattern, and that’s to shift the focus off yourself if you want to avoid getting in the way of your own success. And that’s a good general rule for life too!
7. Stop Expecting Perfection
[Theresa]] The seventh tip to stop self-sabotaging is to stop expecting perfection.
Somehow, you have this idea that it’s possible to balance your business and life seamlessly, without ever “dropping the ball.”
But guess what? It’s just not possible to succeed in business and life 100% of the time!
Rather than getting down on yourself every time you make a mistake or don’t “do it all” perfectly, remind yourself that perfection is not part of the deal.
You WON’T do it all perfectly, all the time, and that’s okay! As a matter of fact, you won’t do it all perfectly MOST of the time. And that’s perfectly fine.
Do your absolute best, and then remind yourself that no one – NO ONE – does everything perfectly.
[Meghan] Amen to that! Perfectionism is one of my biggest struggles. But, I’ve improved dramatically over the past few years. It takes work! Again, it’s that pressure we apply on ourselves for whatever reason.
Don’t allow perfection to block your progress! Done is better than perfect. Like the quote says, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!
8. Find Ways to Work Smarter
[Theresa] The eighth tip to stop self-sabotaging is to find ways to work smarter.
Many small business owners have the belief that growing a business requires more hours and more effort. However, if you’re like most business owners, you already work WAY too hard!
Instead, I’d encourage you to adopt a mindset of working smarter. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Do less by focusing on only what will really help you accomplish your goals.
- Use systems to automate parts of your business.
- Outsource day-to-day tasks so you can spend more time growing your business.
- Eliminate tasks that are a waste of time.
When you work smarter, you avoid the overwhelm that can lead to sabotaging your success.
[Meghan] I’ll add that working smarter takes a little effort and planning. You’ll need to step back to assess yourself and your business before you can change how you work.
So, give yourself some time to understand what it means to work smarter in your own business. Or, get some help! Theresa is an expert at helping small businesses identify areas of improvement and the next steps.
9. Turn Your Business and Brain “Off” for the Night!
[Theresa] Thanks for the shout out!
The final tip to stop self-sabotage is to turn off your business and your brain for the night.
If you want to build a business, have a life, and do it all while still maintaining your sanity, I strongly recommend taking time away from your computer, phone, and office each and every day!
I get it…when you love what you do, it’s easy to spend WAY too much time working.
The problem with this is that not only does your efficiency and productivity start to wane at a certain point, but you’re setting yourself up for burnout. Burnout definitely leads to self-sabotaging behavior.
If you want to build a business, have a life, and do it all while still maintaining your sanity, take time away from your computer, phone, and office each and every day!
To avoid this, try one of the following this week:
- Take your business email off your phone so you’re not tempted to check it at night.
- Turn off all email and social media notifications and check them only at set times.
- Have a set time each night when you’re officially “off work”. While this can be hard – especially if you work from home – having some downtime will actually make you more productive and energetic when you do work.
Having the Right Mindset in Your Business Leads to Success
[Meghan] Being a workaholic and not detaching from work leads to self-sabotage AND to eventual misery. So, great tips there to avoid burnout.
How you think about your work and your life has a huge impact on whether or not you succeed in business.
Awareness and change are important. Noticing negative or self-limiting thoughts and then replacing them with empowering ones is the KEY to stop self-sabotaging!
[Theresa] Absolutely true!
I’ll add that these nine tips are a lot to think about. What you can do right now is write down which of the tips resonated most with you.
Then, pick one to implement right away. Start with one change at a time! Focusing on one will keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
[Meghan] That’s the perfect message to end on!
So we’d like to know which of the 9 strategies you plan to start with. Let us know in the comments.
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