Could I be sabotaging myself?

Question

My problem is that when things are going well, in my writing career, things seem to slow down after awhile. Is it me? It seems that after a while I cannot keep potential buyers interested in my work. I wonder if it is that subconciously I start doubting myself to get it back to what I'm used to, which is failure.
I've worked very hard at getting myself out there and I keep waiting for my ship to come in but so far, just a lot of unreliable and dishonest people have taken advantage of my work.
Any similar experiences or opinions?

Answer 1

Registered Nurse here; Well Dear, Could be your sabotaging yourself, no one is more equipped to evaluate this question, than you. Here's what I have seen over and over. I'm just going to make a comparison here regarding sabotaging oneself. Drug addicts come in, get clean, gain employment, have an apartment or home, begin regaining self-respect, and the next thing there on drugs again. I have had so many of these people tell me that they had spent the majority of there adult life doing the drugs and when changes came even though positive, they were unable to balance the success, for they were use to failure, that they knew how to deal with failure, but couldn't accept success. Please I'm not in anyway saying your on drugs. I was just trying to use my experience in working with people who can't accept success, or for some reason feel they don't deserve success. Perhaps, you are the only one standing in your way. Could it be your more comfortable with failure than success. But know, you are a worthwhile person, and you deserve success. Consider counseling, they can really help you gain insight as to the dynamics of what's going on with in you.
I appreciate the opportunity to address such a sensitive and heart felt question.

Answer 2

I can relate to what you say, very much. I feel like I push every good thing in my life, things I want and need like job and things I don't want to lose like my relationship with boyfriend and other friends, just push things just a little more, then a little more and so on. It's almost as if I want to see just what it will take until I go too far and break whatever it is that I value. Including myself. I am aware that my self esteem is incredibly low, again through my own doing, I recently have resign from a job I enjoyed a lot and had been at for almost 6 years due to illness, but during the time I worked there I was late all the time, I mean without fail I would not be there when I was supposed to be. Every single shift, I was warned repeatedly that it wasn't good enough and everyone else could do it so why could I? and I had no answer because I totally agreed with them, and I HATED being late and yet could not get there on time. I wish I had a solution to offer you but I don't, all I can offer is the fact that you're not alone with this problem by any means.
Happy to talk if would like to, feel free to message or email me

Answer 3

I am responding with my opinion. You must believe in the work you do. No matter what you produce for the public you will always have somebody take advantage of it. I am with the public a lot, just not with writing. Try find different ways of showing your writing. Speak to a librarian if there is anyone they know who could help. Find others with the same patsion for the work you do. It does help. From past experience I have learnt this. Dona S.

Answer 4

Yes. Things are going well, and you sabotage it by just telling yourself "it's not going to last, someone is going to betray me, no body's going to like my writing, I've been hurt before so I know I'll get hurt again, I'm such a failure...." You are a self-fulfilled prophecy. If you think you are a failure....you will BE a failure. Only you can change the way you think. Get some professional help and stop being a VICTIM.

Answer 5

Frankly, I think it's just life, honey. The ebb and flow of everyones life is from great to moderate, high to low. It's not just YOU! If it were the same everyday, we'd have nothing to look forward to, nothing to strive for, no goal in our lives. Consider these times opportunities to persue other directions and enjoy YOURSELF...you might be surprised! Godloveya!