4 Self-Defeating Habits to Avoid
Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
It’s something that many people tend to do-put themselves down without even knowing it. Read up on four common self-defeating behaviours that you may be unconsciously guilty of doing. And then find out what you can do about it.
Hold yourself in high esteem and avoid self-defeating behaviours.
1. Speaking in Jargon
If something is important enough for people to understand, it’s important enough to make it understandable. Using jargon with people who don’t understand it will make this difficult and rarely will they feel comfortable enough to tell you they don’t follow what you’re saying.
2. Talking At People or Over Them
Have you ever had someone talk at you or speak while you’re in the middle of saying something? No doubt, this usually creates a feeling of frustration or resentment on your part. When you employ this behaviour on others, this causes the same type of irritation on them. Put a stop to interrupting others when they speak as this habit does nothing but make others withhold their support for you or even avoid being around you.
3. Not Having Any Listening Skills
Similar to talking at or over others, you can also frustrate people by not listening to them. If you tune out what others are saying, people tend to stop trying to talk to you because they feel as if you don’t care about what’s important to them.
4. Being Afraid of Failure
For many people, the fear of making a mistake can become greater than the desire to do something right. This can be damaging to your self-confidence and often overshadows your ability to make decisions. By continuously playing it safe and not taking any risks, you may find that your personal and professional growth will eventually get stunted.
If you are getting in your own way with these or other self-defeating behaviors, it’s time to take action by becoming more self-aware. To help yourself recognize that you’re engaging in self-defeating habits, be sure to surround yourself with people you can trust, and who would not be reluctant to tell you when you’re putting yourself down. They’ll also be the ones to give you a nudge and confidence boost to be kinder to yourself.
