Top o’ the Mornin’ to Ya!
TLDR: I explore how our unconscious beliefs can sabotage our success as leaders. When our conscious goals don’t align with our unconscious self-worth, we create patterns of self-sabotage. By identifying the misalignment between our conscious and unconscious beliefs, Christian men can break free from the cycle of self-sabotage and create lasting transformation in their leadership journey.
What?
I’ve experienced self-sabotage throughout my leadership journey. Just when everything seemed perfect – when everything was good and awesome – I would find ways to undermine my own success. It would crumble and break down, forcing me to start over and rebuild from scratch. While I eventually became more whole and congruent in my life, I still catch myself engaging in smaller forms of self-sabotage today.
On a lighter note, I shared my love for cracking ice with white frost on it (complete with sound effects!) – a brief moment of childlike joy and distraction that reminded me of the human side of leadership.
Why?
I’m sharing this because self-sabotage occurs when there’s a misalignment between our conscious desires and our unconscious beliefs. When our unconscious mind believes “I’m not worthy” or “I don’t deserve success,” it will quietly undermine our conscious efforts to move forward.
This misalignment shows up in everyone’s life. Our unconscious mind is designed to keep us safe and protect us – but sometimes that protection comes at the cost of the very progress our conscious mind is trying to achieve. When we make changes at the conscious level without addressing the unconscious, our unconscious will quietly reprogram those changes to maintain what it perceives as “safety.”
Lesson
Self-sabotage happens when something’s not in alignment within ourselves – between our thinking, our worth, and our value system. The unconscious and conscious parts of ourselves are disconnected, creating internal conflict.
As Paul says in the Bible, “I know the things I should do, but I don’t do the things I should do.” This is essentially the root of self-sabotage. The feelings of unworthiness that drive self-sabotage come from the dark side – from Satan and the evil thoughts of the world.
When we can identify the misalignment and get to the root cause of our self-sabotage, the truth will set us free. We can then make lasting changes by ensuring both our conscious and unconscious minds are working together toward the same goals.
Apply
Take time to reflect on recent examples of self-sabotage in your life. Look for patterns where you’ve held yourself back or slowed your growth, impact, and abundance through either action or inaction.
Find someone – a coach, peer, mentor, or mastermind group – who can help you dig into the root causes of your self-sabotage. Examine where you have misalignment in your self-concept and beliefs.
Ask yourself: What part of me is not congruent? What unconscious belief about my worth might be undermining my conscious goals? What truth needs to replace the lie I’ve been believing?
You be blessed.
Overcoming the Silent Saboteur: How Christian Men Can Break Free from Self-Sabotage
