{"id":2009,"date":"2023-06-16T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/?p=2009"},"modified":"2023-05-16T08:34:56","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T15:34:56","slug":"guide-to-stopping-self-sabotage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/16\/guide-to-stopping-self-sabotage\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Stopping Self Sabotage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">A Marketer\u2019s Guide to Stopping Self Sabotage<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>As an online marketer, you\u2019ve probably encountered obstacles that have prevented you from doing the things you want to do in an effort to see success. Some obstacles, though, are ones that you create yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may not realize that\u2019s what\u2019s happening. Self-sabotage can be found in things like negative self-talk, imposter syndrome, or habits that cause you to doubt yourself and prevent you from achieving your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you can pinpoint the various ways you\u2019re serving as your own worst enemy, you\u2019ll clear the path to success and have an easier time achieving your goals. There\u2019s no shame in realizing that you\u2019ve caused some damage in your journey \u2013 just celebrate the fact that you\u2019re willing to be honest about it and make some corrective measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ending Your Addiction to Distractions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Distractions can be addicting. That\u2019s because the habits you use to distract yourself create stimulation in the brain. These habits usually have a reward associated that causes dopamine to be released when you engage in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, the more you do them, the more you crave these distractions. Common distractions include cell phone use, surfing the Internet, checking social media sites and email, chatting with friends, family or coworkers during working hours, and numerous snack breaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These distractions are doing more than breaking your concentration. They\u2019re stealing your productivity, which doesn\u2019t move you closer to your goal. Most people spend over 50% of their time checking or engaging with their smart phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you know that\u2019s one of your struggles, there are ways that you can end your addiction. Start with your biggest distraction. If it\u2019s your cell phone, one thing you can do is to turn off the notifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That way, when you get a new text message, you won\u2019t know. Remove gaming apps from your phone and social media apps if that\u2019s been an issue for you. Not only will you notice you\u2019re more productive without these, but you\u2019ll have more time and be less stressed mentally because you\u2019re getting a break from the constant flow of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turn off social media notifications and email notifications on your laptop, too. Far too many marketers think that a notification means they need to address that right now. So then that \u201cfive minutes\u201d to check turns into half an hour or longer of wasted time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Set a schedule for returning non-emergency messages on both your phone and laptop. Then stay out of your email program until the time you\u2019ve allotted for it. Use software to block sites, social media or otherwise, that distract you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-2-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"guide to stopping self sabotage\" class=\"wp-image-2010 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-2-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"guide to stopping self sabotage\" class=\"wp-image-2010 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many programs you can install that will block those pages for you for a set number of hours. If you need six hours of solid working time, you can set the program to not let you on until that time is done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Set boundaries. You\u2019ve probably heard that you need to set boundaries to keep the distraction of friends and family from taking your working hours. But you also need to set boundaries with yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without self-discipline, you will engage in self-defeating behaviors. Create your schedule and make sure that everyone know you\u2019re working during these times \u2013 and don\u2019t allow yourself to interrupt your working hours, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask yourself, \u201cAm I busy or am I productive?\u201d If the answer is that you\u2019re just staying busy, then you know that a distraction is claiming your time. Your actions need to be pushing you forward toward achieving your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stop Hesitating to Avoid Disappointment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many marketers will hesitate to do something or to jump on an opportunity because they\u2019re not sure about the outcome. So they wait because they think doing so will help them avoid being disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But hesitating doesn\u2019t mean you won\u2019t be disappointed. You can be just as disappointed after you\u2019ve hesitated to take the opportunity or start that project. Doing this is a big way of self-sabotaging your goals and your future success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re hesitant about something, you need to do a quick self-check to make sure you\u2019re not trying to avoid disappointment. Ask yourself, \u201cDoes this bring me closer to my goal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the answer is yes, then push the hesitancy aside and go for it. If the answer is no, then discard whatever you were on the fence about and keep going. Another way to avoid hesitating is to train yourself to start immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Procrastination is just hesitancy all polished up. When you put off doing something, it could be because the thought and planning of doing that project makes you feel a lot more secure than actually getting started does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But marketers who never leave the starting line are stuck. They see others achieving their goals and having their efforts pay off financially and wonder why the same thing isn\u2019t happening for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hesitation is caused by your mindset. Instead of thinking about everything that could go right, you wait because you think about everything that could go wrong. Or, you don\u2019t believe that you have the necessary knowledge, skills, or people in place to accomplish your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just remember that no one ever won a race or reached his or her goals by hesitating. When you have an opportunity or an idea, then go for it. When it\u2019s time to begin a project or make a change in your business, just go for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find that you\u2019re hesitating to things and that\u2019s your biggest issue when trying to avoid disappointment, then have something that you can come back to later. This prevents the problem of hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An example of this is if you\u2019re writing an eBook, don\u2019t end the day by finishing a chapter. Break in the middle. That way, you have a place to begin already in place. Look at the goals in your life that you have accomplished because you just made a move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone has accomplished something. Hesitating is no guarantee that you won\u2019t have to deal with disappointment because you can end up disappointed down the road once time passes and you realize you missed out on something by not making a move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-1-1024x594.jpg\" alt=\"guide to stopping self sabotage\" class=\"wp-image-2012 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"594\" src=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-1-1024x594.jpg\" alt=\"guide to stopping self sabotage\" class=\"wp-image-2012 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-1-1024x594.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-1-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-1-768x446.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quit Overthinking Every Step of the Way<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By overthinking, you\u2019re wasting time. You\u2019re carefully checking every single option you have over and over again and then choosing the direction that you think is best. The problem is that when you think about the same situation or project over and over again, it can lead to hesitancy or even quitting because it prevents you from making a decision in a timely manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An example of this is if you have a business blog, but you have no idea what to blog about. So you sit for days trying to think about what kind of content you could post that will best appeal to your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or, it could be that you\u2019ve been in business awhile and it seems like there\u2019s nothing new under the sun. So you fall into the habit of overthinking what you should do &#8211; or which direction you should take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t feel like you have any valuable and original content that you can deliver. It feels like you\u2019re saying or doing the same thing over and over again. What you don\u2019t realize is that valuable content is still valuable whether a month or a year has passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can waste so much time overthinking that it starts to hamper your business and you won\u2019t accomplish your goals by either your own self-imposed deadline or at all. Some ways that marketers overthink is they read everything they can get their hands on about the business, but take no action steps to put the advice into practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or, you set up meetings and go to conferences because you\u2019ve been overthinking what success is all about. You\u2019re trying to make sure you know everything before you start a business or before you take on a new project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That type of overthinking is for people who are busy, but not productive. At some point, running a business calls for you to take a step forward. You might fear failure. So that\u2019s why you constantly overthink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not making a decision or not doing anything is already a form of failure. Stop listening to your brain giving you worst case scenarios and go for it. You need action steps because action steps multiply and turn into accomplished goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you sit around overthinking, you miss chances that can level up your business. You don\u2019t have to know everything. It\u2019s not even possible because there are always variables that are completely outside of your control and no amount of thinking is going to change that, so you might as well make your move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Set a deadline for your goal and outline the action steps that you need to take to get there. Understand that sometimes, you\u2019re going to make a good choice, but other times, you\u2019re going to mess up. That\u2019s simply human nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Put a Halt to Perfectionism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Perfectionism is a detriment to any business. If you have this issue, it means that you\u2019re trying to do something without it having any possible mistakes. People who struggle with this issue often feel an inner battle that who they are or the work they do will somehow not be enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They believe that the outcome of their work, if it\u2019s not perfect, is a reflection that they\u2019re flawed. This belief can cause an entrepreneur to set such high standards that they\u2019re difficult to meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll rarely be pleased with the outcome of a project and if someone else is completing part of the task, you\u2019ll always find fault in their work. No one, including yourself, will ever reach your measurement because it\u2019s impossible achieve perfection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you allow perfectionism to go on, you create a lot of stress for yourself. You can end up working longer hours on a single project than is necessary because even though that project may have been complete days ago, you don\u2019t feel that it\u2019s good enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re trying to fix an inward problem you have by projecting externally with the work that you do. You\u2019ll end up burning out if you don\u2019t change that behavior. Deep down, perfectionism is rooted in fear and that fear can keep you stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One key sign that this might be a problem that\u2019s sabotaging your business is if you turn down opportunities because you\u2019re afraid of failing. You\u2019re afraid that you can\u2019t control the outcome, so you don\u2019t take the chance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another sign is that you can\u2019t stand change. You like things done the \u201cright\u201d way, which you associate with \u201cyour\u201d way. No one else can do it as well as you can. There might be several directions you can go with a project and all of them would be suitable &#8211; but you get stuck on just the one way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something that\u2019s also a sign of perfectionism is the amount of time you invest in a project. You spend so much time going over something that\u2019s done to make sure absolutely nothing is missed that you\u2019re struggling to get everything launched or completed on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-3-1-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"guide to stopping self sabotage\" class=\"wp-image-2013 lazyload\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-3-1-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"guide to stopping self sabotage\" class=\"wp-image-2013 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-3-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-3-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-3-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/mindset-3-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem with a perfectionist is that the person has trouble letting go of something. It could be an idea, a project or a business plan. But at the same time, a perfectionist also has trouble even beginning a project because they keep trying to make sure everything is in place and all is perfect before taking that first action step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can overcome this issue and stop self-sabotaging by just getting the work done &#8211; flaws and all. Tell yourself that if you finish, you can take the time to polish the project afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If part of the issue is that you get stuck on doing things your way because you\u2019re afraid of mistakes that might happen and ruin the project, then learn to welcome the mistakes as growing pains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also overcome perfectionism by not trying to have your finger in every piece of the pie. Let other people help and learn to be okay with the concept of done is better than perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Give Yourself a Fresh Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It can happen to anyone. You start your business and you\u2019re excited about it, but then you end up doing the same thing all the time and you get the exact same results. You discover that the ideas you\u2019re using aren\u2019t really new, they don\u2019t stand out and you\u2019re not seeing the kind of conversions that you\u2019d like to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s when you know it\u2019s time to give yourself a fresh start. Far too many marketers fail to realize that you\u2019re not chained to any one decision that you make for the rest of your business life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you give yourself a fresh start, it can work to change the way that you think about and act on your business ideas. But, it can also impact your business growth. A fresh start can bring in more traffic and turn your audience into buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It allows you to set new or different goals for yourself. It\u2019s not giving up &#8211; it\u2019s growing in a new direction. When you\u2019re in an online business and you know you\u2019ve been indulging in some self-sabotaging actions, a fresh start can pull you out of that rut and set you on a better path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some marketers have gone in directions that may not have been the best for their business. But as time passed, their mindset told them that it was too late to change, that too much time had passed or that the business was known for one thing or a particular project they\u2019re no longer passionate about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It could be that you have a failure or two attached to your business and now you\u2019re really struggling with believing in yourself and your business idea. A fresh start can be the catalyst to help you stop self-sabotaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can discover a new way of doing things and a new way of running your business. For example, you might have purchased dozens of products in the excitement of running an online empire, but you later discovered they weren\u2019t helpful or you weren\u2019t interested in that direction after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let go of products you\u2019re never going to use and start over with ones that you will use. Stop taking courses that haven\u2019t been useful and you know you\u2019re not going to complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes people don\u2019t want to let go because all they can focus on his how much money they\u2019ve spent. Instead, focus on how much time you\u2019ll gain by ending something that\u2019s not profitable to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A fresh start could mean something like using a new software for your business because the old one just isn\u2019t working for you anymore. It could also be something like learning a new social media technique to get more traffic if the old way isn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A fresh start could be creating a new product or introducing a new service for your customers. Or it could be changing your goals. It might even mean switching niches if you have something else in mind that energized you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be willing to make mistakes as an entrepreneur, but be committed to moving forward. That\u2019s the key to breaking self-sabotaging habits and transforming a business into one that will last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s easy to be angry when you come to the realization that you\u2019ve been standing in your own way this entire time. But don\u2019t dwell on it. Instead, do what needs to be done to take corrective measures and set yourself up for long-term success!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Marketer\u2019s Guide to Stopping Self Sabotage As an online marketer, you\u2019ve probably encountered obstacles that have prevented you from doing the things you want to do in an effort to see success. Some obstacles, though, are ones that you create yourself. You may not realize that\u2019s what\u2019s happening. Self-sabotage can be found in things &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/16\/guide-to-stopping-self-sabotage\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Guide to Stopping Self Sabotage<\/span>Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2012,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","slim_seo":{"title":"Guide to Stopping Self Sabotage Stephen Brown's Blog","description":"A Marketer\u2019s Guide to Stopping Self Sabotage. As an online marketer, you\u2019ve probably encountered obstacles that have prevented you from doing the things you"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[1210,1211,1212],"class_list":["post-2009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing-mindset","tag-guide-to-stopping-self-sabotage","tag-marketers-guide-to-stopping-self-sabotage","tag-stopping-self-sabotage"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2009"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2014,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2009\/revisions\/2014"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stephenbrownsblog.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}