3 Strategies for Beating Self-Sabotaging Behaviors

Guest Article Featured on Entrepreneur Magazine

HIGHLY AMBITIOUS PEOPLE ARE OFTEN THEIR OWN WORST ENEMY. HERE ARE THREE STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING SELF-SABOTAGING BEHAVIORS.

Why do we fight ourselves so bitterly? It's a question I find myself pondering every single day. As humans, it seems as though we are hard-wired to serve as both hero and antagonist in our life stories, doing our very best to thwart our ambitions despite ourselves.

We know what is right and what is good for us, yet we fight against those things without fail. Whether it's getting up for that hour of exercise, committing to periods of uninterrupted focus or diligently working towards an established goal, we find ourselves struggling to take that next step.

Although self-destructive behaviors plague everyone to one extent or another, it's highly ambitious individuals who are most at risk.

I fall into this category, and I've learned that to live a life of consequence is to wage war against oneself. I have always been happiest when I'm busy, and because of this, I've always sought to take on extreme workloads. Experience has taught me that the more I have to do, the more I find myself capable of doing.

My primary professional focus is leading a large and rapidly growing mission-based lender. However, that's not all I do. I'm also leading and expanding a related nonprofit organization, teaching several university courses, writing another book, advising both a law firm and a family office, serving as a board member for several startups and, most importantly, raising a young family.

I've managed to keep all of these plates spinning and achieve the results I desire, but it isn't easy. I struggle against an insidious enemy intent on making life difficult and often frustrating.

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