7 Effective Ways to Sabotage Yourself

The finish line is near. The goal that you have been working toward for months, perhaps years, is finally  in sight.

And many of you are thinking: “What can I do to keep from winning?”

Well, here are some self-sabotage tactics that have worked well for others:

1. Open the door and let in your doubts. Perhaps you won’t like the change. Your friends may feel uncomfortable around you. You may have to move. You may fail in this new endeavor. Your current condition is not all that bad. Why turn into a ruthless achiever?

2. Be indiscreet. Make sarcastic remarks about top decision-makers. Have an office romance. Why be uptight? Unleash the real you.

3. Take on too much. Why conserve your energy? The more projects you shoulder, the more impressed others will be. People who say "no" never move ahead.

4. Take things personally. Review your grievances. Let it be known that you’ll be prepared to pay back some people once you’ve achieved success. Better yet, start retaliating now.

5. Let down your guard. Stop worrying. You’ve got it. Act as if you’ve got it.

6. Drop others on their head. So you couldn’t keep a few commitments! You can always apologize later. They won’t hold a grudge, and even if they are so small-minded, what can they do about it?

7. Neglect the details. You’re a Big Picture Person. Details only get in the way. After all, you don’t want to micro-manage.

Michael Wade writes Execupundit.com, an eclectic combination of management advice, observations, and links. A partner with the Phoenix firm of Sanders Wade Rodarte Consulting Inc., he has advised private and public-sector organizations for more than 30 years.