Listen all y’all, it’s a sabotage!
When Success Feels Threatening
Picture this: A performer has planned for months, with a date looming on her calendar. Those whose opinions matter will be there, the event drenched in social currency and pressure. She frames it pleasantly as, “I love performing and connecting with people on stage.” Maybe that’s true, or maybe it’s what she’s supposed to say and feel.
After frustrating rehearsals and equipment that acts out like a stubborn child, she finally experiences that rush of everything coming together — that spark of excitement to step into the version of herself she desperately wants to be. And then… she gets sick. Predictably.
This establishes the narrative: “I always get sick before shows.” This first experience solidifies into a hard truth, one she will embrace and reinforce, though it clearly doesn’t serve her interests. This is just one example of how we sabotage ourselves when what we want draws near.
The Sophistication of Self-Sabotage
Why do we do it? And why with such ease?
As we get within reach of our goals or experience even a small wave of momentum, we predictably sabotage our progress. Yet we’re incredibly sophisticated and subtle in our ability to do so — we don’t even notice because we are the easiest people to fool. Our self-sabotage is so cunning that we even hide it within our perceived strengths.
Why? Don’t assume that everyone truly wants to elevate their status and achieve their stated goals. We don’t want to find ourselves as the dog who caught the car. We know ourselves as someone who is struggling uphill, who isn’t good enough, who doesn’t deserve success — and we may subconsciously want to keep it that way. At least we know how to operate within that familiar worldview. Would we even recognize ourselves if we had the creative life we pine for?
As artists, we craft narratives for ourselves and stand at the gates to defend them — both the damaging ones and the healthy ones.
How Your Community Reinforces Your Self-Image
How do people in your immediate circle of creative influence see you? Do they see you as a person of status? Do they see you on the rise or at the bottom? Think about that for a moment, uncomfortable as it may be. Now consider what you say or do — openly or privately — that supports that perception.
Narratives are just stories, self-authored and reinforced through our actions in our music community. They begin in the mind and are brought to life by the words from our mouths and the actions those words dictate.
It’s predictable that as you approach the completion of your new album, self-doubt and sabotage will come knocking. They’ve been waiting for this moment. So how do they manifest?
You might find yourself recutting vocals for the tenth time, suddenly becoming unsure about the mixes or the mix engineer, questioning marketing decisions, doubting the team you’ve assembled, falling out of love with material you’ve poured your heart into, inserting an unnecessary life event to stall (a breakup, a move, an outsized purchase), questioning the release schedule timing, or even losing or “forgetting” to back up your hard drive.
It’s both exhausting and boring, isn’t it? So why do we do these things to ourselves?
Sabotage Hiding in You Strengths
Truthfully, we often can’t help it — it’s a pattern deeply woven into our creative lives. Self-sabotage can feel like a protective mechanism, a familiar path when success feels too uncertain or exposed. Our minds can interpret the steadiness of creative progress as uncomfortable territory, and unconsciously seek the familiar rhythms of struggle and obstacle.
But here’s what’s truly sinister — this self-sabotage often comes packaged in what we consider our most noble artistic traits. That perfectionism that makes your work great? It’s also what keeps you endlessly tweaking that vocals instead of releasing the song. That deep emotional sensitivity that fuels your songwriting? It’s the same force that makes you question everything when you’re most vulnerable.
Think about how many times you’ve heard another artist say, “I just want it to be perfect” as they delay their release for the third time. That may not be artistic integrity speaking — it could be fear in disguise.
Another common form of sabotage is the endless pursuit of the “right moment,” as if there’s some magical alignment of circumstances that will make sharing your art completely safe. Newsflash: That moment doesn’t exist. It never has, and it never will. I recently connected with an artist sitting on a project since 2018, still waiting for the right time…
Facing the Real Fear: Success Itself
Let’s get truly honest. What’s the worst that could happen if you actually succeeded? If people connected with your music the way you dream they might? If you became exactly who you’ve been working to become?
For many, that’s actually the scariest outcome of all. Because then we’d have to:
Live up to that success
Admit we were capable all along
Face the possibility of losing what we’ve gained
Instead, we create elaborate systems of self-protection. We build beautiful, intricate cages and call them our “process” or our “standards.” We craft sophisticated excuses that sound like wisdom: “I’m just waiting for the industry to stabilize” or “I need to find my authentic voice first.”
Consider your “authentic voice” is the one saying all these things to keep you safe and small.
Breaking the Pattern
Once you recognize these patterns — really see them for what they are — they start losing their power. Not immediately, and not completely, but enough to create an opening.
Start small. Notice when you’re about to deploy one of your go-to sabotage tactics. “Oh look, I’m about to start re-recording all the vocals again because I’m getting close to finishing.” That awareness alone is revolutionary.
Remember: The goal isn’t to become some perfectly productive, increasingly efficient and fearless creative machine. The goal is to see your patterns clearly enough that you can choose whether to follow them or not.
Your self-sabotage is not your enemy. It’s just an outdated protection system trying its best to keep you safe — but mostly small. Thank it for its service, and then get on with your plans.
Moving Forward
The next time you feel that familiar urge to throw a wrench in your own gears, pause. Take a breath. Ask yourself: “What am I actually protecting here?” The answer might surprise you.
More importantly, this awareness might just free you to finally do what you were meant to do — create art that reaches the people who need it most and to live your artist life on your terms.
Consider these practical steps:
Identify your specific sabotage patterns
Share them with a trusted creative friend who can call you out
Set firm deadlines with external accountability
Celebrate the discomfort that comes with growth
Remember why you started creating in the first place
You are unique, interesting, and significant but not when it comes to this. When you self sabotage, you are being a normal human, and it is not a trait that you get to claim as yours. You have too much to give the world to let it trick you into thinking it’s who you are. Accept it as a bug in your system, not a feature, and get on with moving forward.
Onward.
Soundtrack courtesy of “Sabotage” by The Beastie Boys. A top-5 music video.
If this resonated with you, please share it with other artists who need to hear it.
