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Self-sabotage is like an unconscious, initially “harmless” force that—sometimes unknowingly—hinders health and success. What if I told you it works exactly like pathological arrhythmias?
Part 1: Loss of Productive Rhythm
To explain what I mean, let's first define arrhythmias.
In general, arrhythmias refer to an abnormal heartbeat that is too fast, too slow or irregular (including when our heartbeat naturally speeds up when we workout, for example). However “pathological” arrhythmias specifically indicate arrhythmias that prevent the heart from pumping enough blood throughout the body. These include when the heart beats too fast (tachyarrhythmias), too slow (bradyarrhythmias) or with an irregular pattern.
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type of pathological arrhythmia. AFib occurs when there is fast and irregular beating in the heart’s upper chambers (the atria), which prevents blood from flowing properly into the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles).
Although arrhythmias like AFib can be life-threatening, they are sometimes undetected.
This is both because an unusual heartbeat isn’t necessarily always concerning – as aforementioned – and because about one-third of AFib cases are initially asymptomatic.
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Now, what exactly is self-sabotage?
Although self-sabotage may sound like some sort of intentional action, it is almost always unintentional. It is a paradoxical situation where we want success but unconsciously interfere with our goals due to destructive thought patterns. Perfectionism and procrastination, specifically, are the two main behaviors of self-sabotage. Perfectionism leads to eventual failure or burnout that prevents actual achievement, and procrastination stems from a fear of failure that leads to a delay in performing the exact tasks needed to reach your goals. Both gravitate towards the “familiar” without propelling you into the necessary, “unknown” space.
Self-sabotage is a common action that most often simply endure, sometimes unknowingly. However, unaddressed, self-sabotage – although a technically “functional” state – creates severe instability in achievement and overall well-being: you may be doing your work, but with little efficiency, and therefore, less impact or “push” towards the “end of the path.”
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So, how does self-sabotage mirror pathological arrhythmia? Like arrhythmia, self-sabotage is almost “secretively” damaging; both can be disguised as neutral rather than destructive because, in some cases, they do not trigger any sense of abnormality. Additionally, both are “tolerable” and therefore “acceptable,” especially if they are not noticed as life-threatening conditions.
But, most pertinently, although self-sabotage and arrhythmia might begin as simple and manageable, they are both insidiously damaging mentally and physically – respectively – until, suddenly, there is a complete collapse of functionality…
To be continued :)
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