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How to Stop Self-Sabotage
Breaking Free from Limiting Beliefs
The Support and Kindness Podcast - Episode 21
Hello, and welcome back to The Support and Kindness Podcast. I’m your host, Greg Shaw - and in Episode 21: “How to Stop Self-Sabotage and Break Free from Limiting Beliefs,” I’m joined by our co-hosts Rich, Jay, Derek, and Sarah.
If this is your first time listening, this is a safe space. We talk about real life - everyday experiences, challenges, and meaningful moments that shape who we are and how we relate to others. And today’s topic is one that hits home for a lot of people… often without us realizing it:
Self-sabotage.
Greg frames it plainly:
“Self-sabotage is a psychological and behavioral pattern that we can overcome.”
“It is a common but disruptive human experience.”
“The tricky thing about self-sabotage is it’s often unconscious.”
Before getting into the “how,” Greg also offers a clear disclaimer that keeps the podcast grounded:
“This podcast is for educational and supportive purposes, not a substitute for medical advice, and we aren't diagnosing anybody.”
“If anxiety affects your daily life, seek help from a qualified professional, you are worth it.”
What self-sabotage really looks like (in real life)
Greg opens with examples almost everyone recognizes:
Procrastinating a meaningful project until the last minute
Picking a fight right when things are going well
Dropping a healthy habit right when it starts working
And then the heart of the definition:
“At core, self-sabotage occurs when [we] actively or passively take steps that prevent us from reaching our goals.”
The painful irony is that self-sabotage often feels like “relief” in the moment - because it reduces pressure, discomfort, uncertainty, or the fear of being seen trying. But over time, it creates patterns that keep us stuck.
The psychological roots: why we do it
The episode ties self-sabotage to a few major drivers:
1) Fear (failure, rejection, and even success)
Greg names the obvious one:
“One of the primary drivers of self-sabotage is fear… fear of failure, fear of rejection…”
But then highlights the one people don’t always expect:
“Fear of success… That might seem counterintuitive, but remarkably it’s quite common.”
Why? Because success often brings change: visibility, expectations, responsibility, and the risk of feeling like an imposter.
2) Unworthiness and low self-esteem
Greg puts language to a belief many people carry silently:
“If deep down we don't believe that we deserve good things, we might unconsciously act in ways that confirm this belief.”
3) Learned patterns from past experiences
If early life taught you that “good things get taken away,” or that success leads to punishment, disappointment, or conflict, the brain can learn to avoid success - not because you’re weak, but because part of you is trying to stay safe.
Greg describes this as something that can change:
“These early experiences form powerful neural pathways that can be difficult, but not impossible to rewire.”
Common signs of self-sabotage (the “tell”)
Greg walks through recognizable patterns:
Procrastination (delaying despite consequences)
Perfectionism (standards so high you can’t start or finish)
Self-criticism / negative self-talk (“You’re not good enough.”)
Relationship sabotage (pushing people away when things stabilize)
Destructive coping (emotional eating, excessive drinking, self-medicating)
Unrealistic goals (setting yourself up to fail)
Evidence-based strategies to break the cycle
Greg’s practical toolkit is clear and repeatable:
Build awareness
“Keep a journal to track patterns of behavior, looking for triggers and themes.”
Challenge the thought
“When you catch yourself thinking, ‘I’ll probably fail anyway,’ ask: ‘Is this true? Is this helpful?’”
Practice self-compassion
“Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a good friend.”
Make goals smaller and real
Break “the whole mountain” into the first step you can do in 5–15 minutes.
Create accountability
Share your goals with someone safe: a coach, trusted friend, therapist, peer support group.
Replace coping with coping that helps
Movement, breathwork, meditation, community, talking it out - not numbing.
Work with a professional (when needed)
“Consider working with a therapist or a counselor to address the root cause.”
The Roundtable: real voices, real strategies
Greg transitions into a peer conversation:
“Let’s bring in the team, because we don’t have to do this alone.”
Rich on procrastination: “make it smaller than your fear”
Rich speaks from lived experience:
“As someone who suffers horribly from procrastination…”
“Breaking larger tasks down into small, manageable tasks… helps get away from the anxiety and overwhelming feeling.”
“I put off everything because the whole project is too big.”
Rich’s takeaways
If you feel frozen, your task is probably too big (or too undefined).
Shrink the task until it becomes one clear action (ex: “write the first email”).
Momentum is a medicine: action reduces anxiety more reliably than overthinking.
Jay on perfectionism: step away, ask for help, come back clean
Jay echoes the “break it down” approach, and adds two powerful tools: distance and support.
“Stepping away from the task at hand can help.”
“Even taking on a different task and coming back to it the following day can help.”
“Reaching out to other people… asking them for help on where to begin… can help quite a bit.”
Jay’s takeaways
“Good enough” often appears after rest, not during mental strain.
Switching tasks isn’t always avoidance - sometimes it's a strategic reset.
If you don’t know the next step, borrow someone else’s clarity.
Derek on relationship patterns: create reminders that outsmart your overthinking
Derek describes the mental spiral many people know well - overanalyzing, overthinking, assuming, delaying connection.
“I always overanalyze and overthink everything extensively.”
“It takes two to tango.”
“Setting alarms on my phone… weekly or biweekly or monthly interactions with people.”
He also offers a surprisingly effective method: “leave breadcrumbs for your future self.”
“Post-it notes in random, weird places… an item that reminds you of that person instantly.”
“Open a text message and just write a character or two… then when you're scrolling… you're like, ‘oh yes, that's right.’”
And then he shares a deeper, more vulnerable insight tied to accountability and recovery:
“This is internal and I have to… work on this… I need to seek out external help.”
Derek’s takeaways
Don’t rely on motivation - rely on systems.
Make reconnection automatic: alarms, notes, objects, drafts.
If shame is part of the pattern, support has to be bigger than willpower.
Sarah on self-compassion: talk to yourself like you’d talk to someone you love
Sarah offers one of the most emotionally direct lines in the episode:
“Nobody is crueler to me than me ever.”
“If we talked to ourselves… the way we talked to ourselves sometimes… no one would wanna be around us.”
“We should be the ones to be the kindest to ourselves.”
Then she shares a real-world self-sabotage loop many listeners will relate to - chronic lateness as a stress cycle:
“I will sabotage myself… I’ll set all alarms… and somehow I will still leave late.”
“Stresses me the hell out… makes my life a living nightmare… but for some reason every time I do it…”
Sarah’s takeaways
Self-compassion isn’t “soft” - it’s a corrective force.
If your inner voice is harsh, your nervous system stays threatened, and change gets harder.
Replacing inner cruelty with kindness isn’t indulgence - it’s stability.
Greg’s closing: progress, not perfection
Greg wraps the episode with perspective:
“Overcoming self-sabotage is a journey, not a destination.”
“Progress, not perfection.”
“Did you notice yourself starting to self-sabotage and choose a different path? That's a big win.”
And he invites listeners into connection:
“Connect with the Support and kindness podcast… Have you recognized patterns of self-sabotage in your life? What strategies have helped you overcome them?”
Lightning Round: “What’s on your heart this week?”
The lightning round shifts from insight to humanity - what people are carrying right now.
Rich
“Look out for your neighbors… support your fellow man.”
Jay
“I actually hadn't thought about how addiction and self-sabotage are basically the same thing.”
“I’m happy to be past the most dramatic stage of self-sabotage…”
Derek
“Begin. Slowly begin.”
“No more coulda, shoulda, woulda.”
“Let’s flip the record over. Put a new album on…”
Sarah
“The world is on fire. Watch out for your neighbors. Build a community…”
This segment reinforces one of the episode’s quiet themes: self-sabotage shrinks when support grows.
Practical “Start Today” action list (simple, doable, real)
Listener-friendly version of what the episode teaches:
Name the pattern. (“I’m procrastinating because I feel overwhelmed.”)
Shrink the task to a 10-minute first step (Rich).
Step away on purpose, then return (Jay).
Use reminders that interrupt spirals (Derek).
Replace inner cruelty with a kinder script (Sarah).
Tell someone safe what you’re working on (accountability).
Celebrate the smallest win (Greg’s “progress, not perfection”).
Closing reflection: self-kindness is still kindness
This episode isn’t about shaming yourself into changing. It’s about noticing what’s happening, understanding why it’s happening, and giving yourself better options.
Because the real win isn’t perfection.
The real win is the moment you catch the pattern - and choose something kinder, steadier, and more honest.
“Be patient with yourself… progress, not perfection.”
“Be kind to yourself - you’re doing better than you think.”
Listen to the Podcast
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Resources
Core overviews on self-sabotage
Self-Sabotage (Psychology Today - Basics) (Psychology Today)
The Psychology of Self-Sabotage: How Psychotherapy Fosters Positive Change (James Tobin, PhD) (jamestobinphd.com)
Why We Self-Sabotage and How to Stop (Suzanne Mason) (suzannemason.com)
Knowing Better, Doing Worse: the science behind self-sabotaging behaviour (UNSW Sydney) (UNSW Sites)
Fear, perfectionism, and procrastination
The 3 Ps of Self-Sabotage: Perfectionism, Paralysis, and Procrastination (Veritas Newspaper) (Veritas)
Perfectionism: The Road to Self-Sabotage (Muse Magazine) (MUSE Magazine)
Overcoming Perfectionism and Procrastination… and How to Embrace Imperfection (Grounded Therapist) (The Grounded Therapist)
What happens in the brain when we procrastinate (National Geographic) (National Geographic)
The brain / neuroscience angle
- Why we get in our own way (the neuroscience of self-sabotage) - Contemplation Station (Substack) (contemplationstation.substack.com)
Relationships and self-sabotage
Understanding Self-Sabotaging Relationships (Therapy Group DC) (Therapy Group of DC)
How Insecurity Fuels Self-Sabotage in Relationships (Foundations Counseling) (Foundations Psychological Services)
When You Find The One: How To Not Self-Sabotage Your Relationship (Natasha Adamo) (Natasha Adamo)
Low self-esteem, worthiness, and inner critic
- Personal Workbook for Breaking the Chain of Low Self-Esteem (Scribd) (Scribd)
Workbooks, worksheets, and practical tools
- 5 Self-Sabotaging Worksheets (PositivePsychology.com) (PositivePsychology.com)
Articles with step-by-step strategies
Overcoming Self-Sabotage: Strategies for Personal Growth (Therapy Now SF) (Therapy Now)
The Perfectionist’s Guide to Stopping Procrastination (Sam Laura Brown) (Sam Laura Brown)
Impulsivity and Self-Sabotaging Behavior: A Case Study (Texila Journal) (texilajournal.com)
Videos / talks
- How to Overcome Self-Sabotage (Jen Gottlieb - TEDx)
Breaking the Cycle of Self-Sabotage (Tanya Chernova - TEDx)
Self-Sabotage - Stop Getting In Your Own Way (Renee Tiwari - TEDx)
Transform Self-Sabotage Into Your Super Power (Elizabeth De Moraes - TEDxFrisco)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_3\_iymw3Lh0&utm\_source=chatgpt.com
#podcast #kindness #mentalhealth #selfhelp #healing #community #procrastination #perfectionism #relationships #selfcompassion
Edited with the help of ChatGPT. Images were created using Nano Banana. I hold a commercial license for each.
Comments
2 commentsSending you some Ecency curation votes
Thank you :)