Reasons Why we Practice Self-Sabotage and How to Stop

We do things to stop our own success

Why do so many want to do the right thing, set their minds on doing the right thing, promise to do the right thing, only to fall back into repeated cycles of the “same ole” – negative outcomes?

The number one reason is self-sabotage.

Many people possess a talent for being their own worst enemy and sabotaging their success by shooting themselves in the proverbial foot.

Why?

The answer is intention combined with rehearsed mental scripts.

What does the term or concept “intention” really mean?

An intention is what you set your mind on and expect it to happen in your life.

You get clear in your mind what you want and then engage in activities which will bring it to fruition.

For example, if it is your intention to travel to a warm, sunny destination in the winter you first get the idea then begin to act on it – visit a travel agent, Google potential destinations on the Internet, or anything related to travel.

You engage in these activities because you “intend” on going. Underlying that intention is desire. This desire basically asserts, “I want to travel this winter.”

So the intention is simple and positive.

Keep one thing in mind, intentions do not always have to be positive or produce positive outcomes. If it is your nature to self-destruct and engage in detrimental activities (purposely abusing alcohol/drugs, being abusive on purpose to others, etc.) then you know in advance the outcomes will not be positive.

Some people engage in negative intentions just for the purpose of producing self-sabotaging outcomes. That is their nature. Why is that their nature?

The answer is rehearsed mental scripts!

Even when you set out with the best of “intentions” you might find yourself self-destructing somewhere along the way. For those who start out with destructive intentions that self-sabotage, they may assert that even though they choose to be destructive, deep down they really do not want to be this way.

The rehearsed mental scripts that have become embedded in their unconscious often times rule and are simply on auto-pilot. As long as they remain unchallenged they will continue to exist.

Cognitive scripts are the by-products of experiences. Furthermore, these experiences are perceived in a negative light, and judgement is passed by the one experiencing them.

Individuals who master the art of self-sabotage do so because they perceive themselves as a large part of the bad experience or the cause of the negative experience. They affix  a worth on themselves based on that experience. This worth they establish usually falls in the domain of feelings/beliefs of themselves as, “bad“, “worthless“, and “not worthy“.

Over a period of time they perpetuate their own self-fulfilling prophecies of failure and they come what they believe they are or what will happen.

So, when you assert, “Bad things always happen to me!” or “I’m always getting the short end of the stick!” you are likely to bring more experiences as such because you have set a second intention to over-ride the first positive intention.

For example, going back to the winter vacation the individual asserts they want to get away and plan for it. Suddenly they feel themselves getting apprehensive about going or cancelling their trip. When you ask them why, they say things like, “I don’t deserve to go!“, or “What if something bad happens while I am away?” Their negative scripts kick in and whatever good intention was set gets cancelled out.

The mind likes to revert back to what is safe and makes sense – even when it is destructive! A case in point is smoking. Many people experience withdrawal symptoms when quitting cigarettes but this is mostly the habit and the mind attempting to revert you back to being a smoker rather than any addiction.

The key to ridding yourself of self-sabotaging behaviors is to rid yourself of the mental scripts which over-ride your best intentions. You need to get the mind clear and put it in a positive place. Hypnosis can help with replacing old bad scripts running through your mind with new powerful positive ones that support where you want to go in your future. It’s a great tool for getting into the mind and changing self-defeating cognitive scripts. You are only what you think you are and get what you believe you deserve!

If you want to discuss working directly with us changing your scripts to see if we can help and advise you on a next step, then check out our Special Hypnosis Services Programs.

Alternatively, if you prefer a self-hypnosis product to start on a different path of self-sabotaging today then check out this MP3 download session here >>>.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES RELATED TO SELF-SABOTAGE:

Why is it So Darn Hard to Cope with Stress? Ways to Reduce It >>>

The Eight Habits of Highly Confident People >>>

Introduction to Mindfulness – Part I >>>

Library of Self-Hypnosis Downloads Products.

Peter Andrew Sacco Ph.D.
Staff Writer
Free At Last Hypnosis