Introduction - Anatomy of Human Self Human self is composition of three basic realities, i.
e.
, body, mind, and soul.
Consequently, the absolute basis of human behavior are certain physical needs, a few psychological instincts, and some spiritual urges.
Firstly, body is corporal aspect of self with multiple needs.
The physical needs constantly instigate to an individual towards adoption of some specific behavior-pattern.
The physical needs remain active until their demand is not met, carefully.
Physical needs are countless, quantitatively, and recurrent, structurally.
A moderate approach towards need satisfaction is essential for normal body conditions and physical developments.
Dr.
Covey nicely concluded that the physical development achieves/maintains a desired level through wise nutrition, consistent exercise, and proper leisure.
Secondly, the mind is essential aspect of human personality.
Mind is intangible energy with multiple instincts.
An instinct is a natural tendency of human mind towards something.
The very satisfaction of instinctual tendencies is necessary for peaceful mind.
Human instincts are numerous such as parental instinct, gregarious instinct, learning instinct, and sex instinct.
Instincts constantly motivates to an individual towards adoption of some definite thought-patterns.
The intensity of instinctual pressure is extremely capricious, so that an instinctual-driven life shapes an unpredictable/volatile behavior-pattern of an individual.
A normal life-pattern is possible only through implementing intellectual supremacy over instincts.
Intellect is natural power of mind to unearth facts and falsehoods or to ascertain fruitful and harmful.
Moreover, economic development or social growth of individuals or groups is realized only through rational control of boundless instinctual pressures.
Thirdly, soul is vital aspect of human personality.
Soul relentlessly inspires to an individual towards adoption of some eternal life-patterns.
Soul is immaterial directing energy with multiple urges.
We may group soul urges into three broad categories - religious urges, ethical urges, and aesthetic urges.
A religious urge guides towards some definite faith and tries to shape a devotional behavior of an individual.
An ethical urge inspires some specific values and provides basis to moral behavior.
An aesthetic urge promotes artistic tendencies of self and forms a creative behavior of a person.
Self-Improvement The innate desire of self-improvement is latent and fragile.
Body needs or psychological instincts may suppress them indefinitely.
The idea of self-improvement needs some incentives or stimulus for activation.
There are two types of incentives for self-improvement, inner and outer.
The inner incentive originates from religious, moral, and aesthetic self of man, while the outer incentive comes from leaders of society, both intellectual and practical.
The religious self or moral self or aesthetic self are natural gifts of God for mankind.
At inner level, the multiple soul aspects rectify the vicious mindset / mischievous behavior and improve appearance of self.
Leaders are vital aspect of every society.
At outer level, leaders shape/improve collective life through EFFECTIVE TRANSFERENCE.
Leaders affect the people through innovative ideas, motivational mindset, and courageous behavior.
They perceive the inner voices of diverse individuals, transform them into a single and coherent group demand and finally present/implement a collective solution for all and sundry.
In nutshell, Self Anatomy is push factor of improvement, while Leadership Phenomenon is pull factor of improvement.
Self-Sabotage The term "Sabotage" actually comes from the French word 'saboter', which means "to walk clumsily," Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at destroying the achievements.
A sabotaged attitude destroys the whole effort of an individual or a team.
Generally, it appears at ending phase of human struggle.
A saboteur is mostly unaware about the drastic outcomes of a wrong decision.
The resultant outcome of a wrong decision has made secretly a chain or has developed a networking with other negative factors, so that a chain reaction is activated.
The networking of negative factors is either temporal or spatial or both.
For example, persistent smoking creates deep-rooted effects in our physical anatomy, smoking affects slowly and gradually, while an attitude of blasphemy shakes the society at specific point of time, blasphemy affects rapidly and widely.
The unseen correlation of negative factors converts a single wrong decision into great reaction and destroys the whole self or total serenity.
An established level of sabotage destroys one's efforts, now and then.
For instance, a young person who is habitually disobedient of old generation may develop mental landmines in his/her self through contagious and contiguous dissention.
A rebellious personality is saboteur.
A rebel or nonconformist sabotages her/his effort, now and again.
Regulation of Self-Sabotage An individual may choose multiple life-patterns for living.
Broadly speaking, a person may adopt pleasure-driven lifestyle or intellect-driven lifestyle.
A pleasure driven life style desires only necessities, facilities, and luxuries in life.
On the other hand, an intellect driven life style is careful about necessities, but gives weight to productivity / quality.
A rational individual, at the time of selection, chooses productive lifestyle or quality lifestyle and ignores facility driven or luxury driven life-pattern.
A pleasure driven lifestyle means stressful situation on account of boundless, whimsical and paradoxical nature of pleasures.
A stressful situation has three levels - Mild, Moderate, and Extreme.
Destructive Behavior is outcome of sustained stressful condition or extreme stress.
Human mind makes generally wrong decisions or take false actions under stressful conditions.
Extreme Stress disturbs one's effort at the beginning/ending phases of work.
The reason of extreme stress at the beginning phase of a struggle is to deter one' effort, while the reason of extreme stress at the ending phase of a struggle is to convince someone for wrong abandonment.
More precisely, to stop a fruitful struggle at initial phase or to abandon a productive effort at final phase is Destructive Behavior or Self-Sabotage.
Extreme stress is thus practical forerunner of Self-Sabotage.
Effective Measures Against Self-Sabotage The attitude of self-sabotage may reside permanently in one's personality.
At evolving level, a person can adopt preventive as well as corrective measures against self-sabotage.
At evolved level, the only solution is adoption of corrective measures against self-sabotage.
It is noteworthy that a scientific bifurcation between preventive and corrective measures is not possible.
Generally speaking, the preventive measure is to adopt intellect driven lifestyle.
The corrective measures are countless.
The prominent corrective measures are: 1.
Stop Procrastinating- Lethargic attitude creates countless problems in our life.
A lethargic person is generally a regular prisoner of self-sabotage.
2.
Stop Putting You Down- A belittling approach towards self is counter productive.
Inferiority complex or self-importance is significant cause of self-sabotage.
3.
Change The Patterns- A failed thought-pattern or work-pattern will produce the same results.
It is better to change the pattern of struggle.
For example, an extreme approach towards resource utilization means scarcity of life paraphernalia or haste for results means waste of efforts.
The resulting conditions demoralize people; a demoralized person may sabotage him/her.
4.
Avoid Time Mismanagement- Mismanagement of time means stress during multiple life efforts.
A burnout or boredom may cause self-sabotage.
5.
Stop Living In The Past- A current failure is generally outcome of previous wrong decisions, but better future can be erected on effective present decisions, so that a successful future life can be designed, from now onwards.