Self-Sabotage Isn’t What You Think: Why It Happens and How to Change It

Why do we procrastinate, overthink, avoid, or hold back just when things matter most? Your social media feed at 2 am calls this self-sabotage, but is it?

In this episode of the Scenic Route, we unpack fresh psychology research that flips the story of self-sabotage on its head. You’ll discover three hidden patterns that shape how we repeat harmful choices:

• Sensitives: quick learners who adapt after mistakes
• Unawares: people who miss the cause-and-effect until it’s explained
• Compulsives: those who know better but can’t break the cycle

You’ll hear why common advice like “just use willpower” or “learn from your mistakes” fails so many of us, and what actually works instead.

Because here’s the twist: you’re not broken, lazy, or your own worst enemy. What looks like sabotage is often safety in disguise. And once you see that, everything changes.

Paper mentioned:
Zeng, L., Park, H. R. P., McNally, G. P., Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel, P., et al. (2025). Causal inference and cognitive-behavioral integration deficits drive stable variation in human punishment sensitivity. Communications Psychology, 3, Article 103.

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