This common habit can undermine motivation and hinder success—3 strategies to overcome it.

Unconsciously, you may be sabotaging your work success.

Workplace performance coach Henna Pryor states that nearly everyone experiences "self-handicapping bias," which involves under-preparing or underselling oneself during new opportunities.

"According to Pryor, self-handicapping protects our self-image and public perception by allowing us to stay with what we know and avoid potential failure."

Self-handicapping can manifest as procrastinating on preparing for a significant meeting, beginning a presentation with "I'm terrible at public speaking," or avoiding difficult projects altogether.

High-performing employees often self-handicap due to fear of failure, which can erode motivation over time if they become complacent and stop challenging themselves with new tasks.

""High performers face higher stakes when they take risks or try new things, as they have a track record of success to uphold," she explains."

With some practice, Pryor asserts that it is possible to put an end to self-handicapping.

Be aware of your habits and behavioral patterns

To overcome self-handicapping, it's crucial to recognize when, how, and why you engage in such behavior. According to Pryor, this awareness is akin to developing any kind of understanding.

To recognize self-handicapping behaviors, first educate yourself on the various types and reflect on your past successes or failures to identify patterns.

She suggests seeking feedback from family and friends, who may have observed self-sabotaging behaviors that you may have overlooked.

Focus on building confidence

If you have higher self-esteem and have worked on yourself, you're less likely to feel the need to self-handicap, even if you're truly messing up, according to Pryor.

Believing in your worthiness of new opportunities is crucial to getting ahead, even if you make mistakes.

Negative self-talk can sometimes help us stay motivated, according to Judy Ho, a neuropsychologist and professor at Pepperdine University, as shared in Make It in May.

"Though we believe self-criticism will motivate us, it ultimately leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Studies demonstrate that individuals who practice self-compassion are more resilient and able to recover faster from errors.

Another way to increase self-assurance is to act, even if it's a small step. If writing a whole report seems overwhelming, start with an outline, she advises. Accomplishing a minor objective can help prevent feeling stuck.

"Confidence doesn't just magically appear; it's a result of consistent, deliberate actions."

Prioritize process over outcome

According to Pryor, self-handicapping happens when you're scared of making errors. While mistakes are unavoidable, they don't usually harm your career as much as not taking risks.

Adapting to a different mindset can be challenging, especially for high performers who are accustomed to being praised or scolded based on their school performance. This can make workers feel that every outcome, no matter how small, could have a lasting impact on their career.

Prioritize the process, advises Pryor. While taking time to reflect and gather feedback, it's important to recognize that messiness, missteps, and imperfections are often necessary steps on the path to success.

"We have to become experts in being uncomfortable," Pryor says.

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