At some point in our lives, we all feel a bit stuck, whether it’s in a relationship that doesn’t make us happy, at a job that doesn’t quite suit us or with a goal that always feels just out of reach. For whatever reason, we’re unable to make a change -- or find true fulfillment -- in some area of life. However, [b]YOU [/b]may actually be what’s making you feel stagnant by unknowingly engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors, e.g.
1. You don't think you're good enough: when you fear that your efforts won’t be good enough and the worry prevents you from really trying your hardest.

2. You Procrastinate: Another common form of self-sabotage is delaying action. Realize that done is often better than perfect, and give yourself permission to just finish a project with the knowledge that you can edit and hone it later.

3. You’re Stuck in a Negative Thought Loop: We often allow past events to dictate our reactions to current circumstances. Our inner voice internalizes all the negatives we experience, and that becomes our narrative. That rules our thoughts, and leads to a vicious cycle of our lives being a self-fulfilling prophecy. A friend betrays you, so you cut them off, then when you make a new friend you expect that they will also betray you, and when they do, it confirms your expectations and blinds you to all the good things they've done. Change your narrative if you want to change the outcome!

4. You Set Unrealistic Goals: In some cases, your ambitions may indeed be misguided -- or simply not possible for where you are in your life -- which sets you up for failure from the onset. We say we’re going to get up at 6:00 a.m. to workout, or we’re going to write for three hours every night. But some of these things are just never going to happen, and often we end up wasting energy on the guilt that follows. An easy way to end this pattern? Be more honest about what’s actually possible for you. Instead of planning an hour long workout, take baby steps. Climb the stairs at work or take a 5 minute stroll

5. You Blame Your Responsibilities: You don't take responsibility for your life. You blame your family, your spouse, your job, your pastor for all your problems! “I can’t do XYZ because I have to look after my husband/children/elderly parent.” Take charge of your destiny and stop passing the buck!

6. You Surround Yourself With Toxic People: From staying in a bad relationship to continually agreeing to have drinks with your frenemy, engaging with people who don’t add anything positive to your life prevents you from seeking out healthier bonds -- and just depletes you emotionally. If you feel bad about yourself after spending time with someone, cut them off.

7. Your Conditioned Thoughts Affect Your Behavior: Conditioned thoughts lead to conditioned actions, which keep us stuck in belief systems that may not actually apply to us. These habits can come from our upbringings -- or even one comment we heard long ago from a person of influence -- and affect us on a daily basis, from who we date to the types of jobs we apply for to even what we wear.

8. You’re More Concerned With Fitting in Than Feeling Good: Adult peer pressure can be a powerful thing, and it’s important to resist the urge to give in. Your life is your life, and your choices shouldn't be made based on your friends opinions.

9. You Expect the Worst to Protect Yourself: Expecting the worst can be a form of self-preservation that leads to self-sabotage, especially when it comes to your romantic relationships. This is more common among those who have suffered through bad relationships in the past. You’ll never be let down if you approach relationships like this, but you may also scare the right person away.

10. You Stop When You Start Seeing Results: Perhaps you are skilled at accomplishing your goals, but you lack the proper follow-through to keep them going. “When we see some improvement we begin to demand less of ourselves,” says Nic Velasquez of Unlimited Mastery, a platform that helps people learn new skills. “We feel like we deserve a break, so we start to slow down and change the very behavior that got us the results in the first place.” He explains that people are typically great at building momentum -- and then walking away from it. Coleman agrees, noting that the solution to this is all about willpower. “Stay on task and don’t allow the usual excuses to win out,” he says.

Culled from: http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1011579-10-signs-getting-own-way/#slide=1

Hmmn, true o. When you are your own stumbling block

trublvr:
At some point in our lives, we all feel a bit stuck, whether it’s in a relationship that doesn’t make us happy, at a job that doesn’t quite suit us or with a goal that always feels just out of reach. For whatever reason, we’re unable to make a change -- or find true fulfillment -- in some area of life. However, [b]YOU [/b]may actually be what’s making you feel stagnant by unknowingly engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors, e.g.
1. You don't think you're good enough: when you fear that your efforts won’t be good enough and the worry prevents you from really trying your hardest.

2. You Procrastinate: Another common form of self-sabotage is delaying action. Realize that done is often better than perfect, and give yourself permission to just finish a project with the knowledge that you can edit and hone it later.

3. You’re Stuck in a Negative Thought Loop: We often allow past events to dictate our reactions to current circumstances. Our inner voice internalizes all the negatives we experience, and that becomes our narrative. That rules our thoughts, and leads to a vicious cycle of our lives being a self-fulfilling prophecy. A friend betrays you, so you cut them off, then when you make a new friend you expect that they will also betray you, and when they do, it confirms your expectations and blinds you to all the good things they've done. Change your narrative if you want to change the outcome!

4. You Set Unrealistic Goals: In some cases, your ambitions may indeed be misguided -- or simply not possible for where you are in your life -- which sets you up for failure from the onset. We say we’re going to get up at 6:00 a.m. to workout, or we’re going to write for three hours every night. But some of these things are just never going to happen, and often we end up wasting energy on the guilt that follows. An easy way to end this pattern? Be more honest about what’s actually possible for you. Instead of planning an hour long workout, take baby steps. Climb the stairs at work or take a 5 minute stroll

5. You Blame Your Responsibilities: You don't take responsibility for your life. You blame your family, your spouse, your job, your pastor for all your problems! “I can’t do XYZ because I have to look after my husband/children/elderly parent.” Take charge of your destiny and stop passing the buck!

6. You Surround Yourself With Toxic People: From staying in a bad relationship to continually agreeing to have drinks with your frenemy, engaging with people who don’t add anything positive to your life prevents you from seeking out healthier bonds -- and just depletes you emotionally. If you feel bad about yourself after spending time with someone, cut them off.

7. Your Conditioned Thoughts Affect Your Behavior: Conditioned thoughts lead to conditioned actions, which keep us stuck in belief systems that may not actually apply to us. These habits can come from our upbringings -- or even one comment we heard long ago from a person of influence -- and affect us on a daily basis, from who we date to the types of jobs we apply for to even what we wear.

8. You’re More Concerned With Fitting in Than Feeling Good: Adult peer pressure can be a powerful thing, and it’s important to resist the urge to give in. Your life is your life, and your choices shouldn't be made based on your friends opinions.

9. You Expect the Worst to Protect Yourself: Expecting the worst can be a form of self-preservation that leads to self-sabotage, especially when it comes to your romantic relationships. This is more common among those who have suffered through bad relationships in the past. You’ll never be let down if you approach relationships like this, but you may also scare the right person away.

10. You Stop When You Start Seeing Results: Perhaps you are skilled at accomplishing your goals, but you lack the proper follow-through to keep them going. “When we see some improvement we begin to demand less of ourselves,” says Nic Velasquez of Unlimited Mastery, a platform that helps people learn new skills. “We feel like we deserve a break, so we start to slow down and change the very behavior that got us the results in the first place.” He explains that people are typically great at building momentum -- and then walking away from it. Coleman agrees, noting that the solution to this is all about willpower. “Stay on task and don’t allow the usual excuses to win out,” he says.

Culled from: http://www.livestrong.com/slideshow/1011579-10-signs-getting-own-way/#slide=1

Great post
I really wish good write ups like this start getting attention rather that most nonsense on nairaland getting to frontpage