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Work/Life: Identifying and overcoming self-sabotage

Todd Werkhoven
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On this episode of Work/Life, host Greg Nibler sits down with Ciara Pressler, founder of Pregame, to talk about how we can often be our own biggest barrier to success. Pressler provides tips, tricks, and strategies to help you overcome self-sabotage so that you and your team can be more successful.

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“When you’re stuck in life or work, and can’t seem to move forward, sometimes it’s not everybody else’s fault – sometimes it’s your fault,” Pressler says. It’s easy to deflect and blame, but often we are our own impediments to success. While it’s difficult to be honest enough with yourself to know that it’s you that is holding you back, knowing how you can be your own barrier is an integral step for moving forward.

Pressler says there are a few ways to discover if you’re being your own worst enemy and sabotaging your own hard work. “The first step,” Pressler says, “is realizing your strength is often your greatest weakness.” For example, she points out, being a perfectionist could mean that you’re spending too much time on your projects and missing deadlines. You want the work to be perfect, but there is a point with a perfectionist that they have trouble letting their projects go, in fear that it isn’t 100% correct. “But … often being 90% correct is as good as most people’s 100%,” Pressler notes.

Being self-employed will also magnify your strengths and weaknesses. “Often, when we go to work for ourselves, we have an ideal about how things should be, or the types of clients you want to work with. But sometimes we’re so idealistic about our work and clients that we end up with no work and no clients,” Pressler said, with Nibler adding that it’s important not to put yourself in a box that limits your options.

To overcome these missteps, it’s important to have a plan and to be decisive and take action. “Sometimes I take so long trying to figure out the right decision that I don’t make the decision,” Pressler admits. She suggests an exercise to see how to figure out who is responsible for holding things up. “Write down why you’re upset with someone, and if you’re enabling that person,” she says. “Most things can be solved by clear communications, setting things up at the beginning, and being clear about what your part is. You’ll be more productive, and you’ll be happier at work.”

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Todd Werkhoven
Todd Werkhoven
Todd Werkhoven's work can be read at numerous publications and he co-authored a personal finance book called "Zombie…
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