Meet Jenna, a VP of Operations who can scale a supply chain in her sleep but stalls every time she’s asked to present to the board.

She preps for weeks, rehearses every slide, then walks into the conference room and - boom - her inner critic grabs the mic. Voice trembles, data muddles, confidence evaporates.

She walks out thinking, “Why do I sabotage myself right when it matters most?” Sound familiar? You’ve got the skills, the seat at the table, and the P&L - but an invisible tripwire keeps yanking you back. Let’s cut that wire today.

Why Does This Happen?

Self-defeating behaviors surface in sneaky, predictable ways:

Perfection Paralysis – You rewrite the proposal ten times, miss the deadline, and watch a slower competitor win the deal.
Procrastination Disguise – You call it “strategic patience,” but deep down it’s fear of being judged.
Imposter Loop – You hit every KPI, yet still assume the promotion email was sent to the wrong address.
Conflict Dodging – You sugar-coat feedback, then wonder why performance never improves.
Micromanagement Addiction – You check every detail because trusting the team feels riskier than burning out.

If any part of you whispered “ouch,” congratulations - you’ve pinpointed the enemy.

The F.L.I.P. Framework™

I’ve distilled two decades of coaching into one four-step tool that turns self-defeat into self-domination:

Frame – Name the behavior in concrete terms. “I freeze during executive Q&A.” No fluff, no excuses.
Locate – Trace it back to the trigger. Maybe it’s a childhood teacher who mocked a wrong answer or a boss who ambushed you once in front of peers. Get specific.
Interrupt – Insert a pattern breaker: take a deep breath, recite a power phrase, or perform a physical reset, such as standing tall. This snaps the neural rut.
Practice – Rehearse the new response in low-stakes settings until it becomes muscle memory. Confidence isn’t built in the boardroom; it’s forged in daily reps.

Run the F.L.I.P. Framework for every sabotage scenario, and watch the old loops evaporate.

Take Action

Behavior Inventory (15 minutes) – List the top three moments you’ve tripped yourself up in the last month. Be ruthless.
Trigger Mapping (10 minutes each) – For every behavior, jot the exact thought, feeling, or circumstance that lit the fuse.
Pattern Breaker Selection – Choose one quick disruptor per trigger: a mantra (“I own this room”), a posture shift, or a deadline lock (“Hit send by 3 p.m. no matter what”).
Daily Reps – Schedule micro-drills: give a two-minute impromptu update to a teammate, or ship a draft at 80 percent complete to prove the world won’t end.
Accountability Buddy – Share your plan with a trusted colleague who can call you out when the old behavior creeps back. Visibility kills excuses.
Celebrate Micro-Wins – Every time you beat the pattern, log it: wins stack, confidence compounds.

Wrap Up

Your biggest competitor isn’t the market - it’s the silent assassin between your ears. Stop letting self-defeating behaviors write your story. Ready to F.L.I.P. the script and turn every weakness into a weapon?

Book a 20-minute strategy call with me and let’s craft the mindset that aligns with your ambitions. Success loves speed - grab your slot and let’s get to work.