If you've ever felt like you can't seem to stop getting in your own way, you're not alone.
Getting in your own way is a defense mechanism and it's a human experience we all deal with subconsciously. And I am no exception... For years, I have made excuses and have procrastinated. It took me almost a year to start my business all because I felt unprepared, not good enough, like it was a silly idea and frankly I was scared of the unknown. I am sure you know the feeling... I also used to think to myself "Well if I don't do it, then I don't put anything at risk." I am here to remind you of the truth and that is that if you don't put anything at risk, you risk everything. When you self-sabotage, you are limiting yourself from being the person that you want to become and from making your dreams a reality.
So, how do you stop getting in your own way?
Be okay with being uncomfortable. Facing your fears really helps you grow because if you constantly do things that are safe and familiar to you then you'll continue to see the same results in your life. As appose to when you step out of your comfort zone and face your fears, you'll be able to go places you've never been to before. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Don't fear failure, embrace it. As John C. Maxwell once said, "The more you fail, the more you learn. The more you learn, the better you get." So embrace failure because even if you fail, there is always a lesson to be learned from it. Failing builds tenacity which in turn builds resilience, these are two key traits to success. Tenacity involves individuals making a commitment to stay focused on their goals and work through difficulties without giving up even when faced with challenges and obstacles. When you power through the difficulties time after time without fear of adversity that is when you enter a state of resilience.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. You are not incompetent, everyone needs help sometimes and you don't have to do it all by yourself. Being able to find people that can help us, helps us to facilitate further development and performance for ourselves. Everyone has a different outlook of life and when we listen to their perspective, we're able to gain new insights and ideas. Having people around us who can help also protects us from burn out and from being overwhelmed. Although we are capable of realizing it ourselves sometimes in order for us to take time to rest and recover, we need to hear it from someone else who cares about us. We get too carried away with the projects at hand that we forget to take it easy on ourselves.
Don't compare yourself to others. Remind yourself that no one else in the world is you so use that as a tool. Look within and reflect on yourself. What do you bring to the table? It may take some time, but sooner rather than later you will realize that you bring more value than you give yourself credit for. And if you find yourself comparing yourself to others, use it as fuel for inspiration instead of self-deprecation.
Stop getting in your own way. It's easier said than done but I dare you to challenge yourself. I hope this helps and I wish you good-luck!