Self sabotage is about an attempt to become better but that attempt is quickly nullified by behavior counter productive to the goal. For example, a person may want to get in shape so they join a fitness club where bagels and pizza are served, something common today among many big box fitness clubs. You could even say the business models of these discount fitness clubs are based around the psychology of the saboteur. Heading down to a fitness club and eating junk once per month (served by the big box club) is how many people put one step forward and then take one step back. The vast majority of members of these big box discount fitness clubs pay their monthly dues and don’t attend, which is all part of the cycle of staying the same for the chronic saboteur. Oddly enough, these fitness clubs themselves base their revenue models on their members paying and not attending…. literally profiting off the self sabotage cycle.

The saboteur is always busy but it’s a sort of “busy” that never produces any results. Like a rocking chair, lots of action but you don’t get anywhere. Hard at the gym but then harder on the wine. Hard with the salads but harder with the cookies at night. Good all day with the diet, dessert before bed. Loses 10 lbs and then celebrates at Dairy Queen with a big sugar/chemical laced blizzard. The saboteur looks busy but they’re only busy at staying the same, because there’s an invisible force that makes them afraid to be their very best.