Season 5 – epiBLOG 3:
Do we self-sabotage ourselves right when we’re on the brink of success?
For example, say you’re a graphic designer, and a potential client is wanting the very service that you offer, but somehow you don’t provide the client with the samples that you committed to showing her.
You’re a musician who has that rare and unlikely meeting with the perfect music producer for you, and you don’t show up for the meeting.
The studio executive asks for a digital copy of your script, and you don’t email it to him.
The publisher asks for a revision of your manuscript, and you never “get around” to writing it.
Today’s topic is on how to take consistent actions towards the goals you’re wanting to achieve in order to eliminate (or at least decrease) your self-sabotaging inclinations.
Let’s assume that you already have a dream of being, or continuing to be, an entrepreneurial artist who is making a living doing what you love. Within that dream, hopefully you’ve also set tangible and realistic goals.
Understand the difference between a dream and a goal. A dream could be wanting to be a full time writer. A goal within that dream could be wanting to have five consistent copywriting clients each month in a 12-month period beginning in the month of April 2018. Dreams are broad. Goals are specific, tangible, and measurable.
Dreams and goals should be written down. Your goals, dreams, along with your potential client list, should be around you at all times. You want to be able to review them on a daily basis in order to keep you focused on creating ideas that will support taking actions to achieve your goals.
When opportunities arise, you then measure/assess the “potential opportunity” alongside your goals. If they line up and there aren’t any red flags, maybe it is an opportunity for you to pursue.
Keeping all of this in mind, somehow we deal with underlying insecurities, fears, and doubts as we move forward in our artistic endeavors. Some of us deal with the fear of failure, or even the fear of success. Subconsciously we then create ways of defeating our intentions with actions that are counterproductive to the goals that we’re wanting to achieve. When this happens, it’s usually not something that we are readily aware of. As a matter-of-fact, our subconscious “goes to work” to support our insecurities, fears, and doubts by causing us to take those counterproductive actions. This is where the self-sabotaging actions take place that destroy the very success that we’re seeking to achieve.
Just recently, my fiancé Dana pointed out to me how it seems that I’m sabotaging my very own success. I’ve been a full time writer for nine months now. I have steady and consistent clients, and I’m attracting more each month. I put my clients’ needs first and I ask myself on a daily basis: “What can I do to serve and support my clients?” Those are my consistent intentions with my writing business. Anyway, Dana pointed out to me that I’m letting personal obstacles overwhelm me to the point of not being able to celebrate my victories as an entrepreneurial artist. Truth is, I enjoy what I do for a living. I enjoy providing a service to all of my clients and making them happy. If I get distracted by focusing on personal challenges and not my clients, I will sabotage the business that I’m building. In order to continuously attract more of the amazing clients that I’m attracting, I have to remain focused on my intentions of serving and supporting their needs.
Consider any counterproductive actions that you take that end up getting in the way of moving you forward. Are there any self-sabotaging actions that you take that you can eliminate?
Today’s LESSON is to focus on your goals and dreams and to address any underlying issues that you may have like insecurities, fears, or doubts.
FUN ASSIGNMENT: If you haven’t written down your goals for 2018 already, please be sure to do that. Break each of your goals into small milestones – either monthly or quarterly. You then want to break down the milestones into specific weekly and daily tasks that you need to execute in order to achieve the goals so that you’re actually living your dream. Write everything down in order to remain focused. When you do get distracted – because you are human, after all — you then have your written goals that you can use as a “measuring device” when a loved one, or even yourself, finds that you are taking self-sabotaging actions that are counterproductive to what you’re wanting.
Hey Nitara nice meeting you the other day at the networking event at the Dojo! You’re bloggs are very interesting to read and add a ton of value keep up the good work
Hello, Joedreamz! It was great meeting you the other day as well. I’m glad you like my blog posts! I hope they serve you well.