It has been said that “we can be our own worst enemy” and, at times, “we can’t seem to get out of our own way”. If something will provide happiness, peace, and fulfillment then why would we sabotage the actions that yield such sweet fruit? The answer is often found in the subtle messages given to us from what has been referred to as our Saboteur.
The Saboteur can best be described as the thought processes and feelings that actively maintain the comfortable status quo in our lives. He whispers sweet comforts and counsels that appear to protect us from the evils of the new, unknown, and uncomfortable. His home is found deep in the area of our souls that preserves and protects the average, customary, and mediocre way of living. The Saboteur masks our unsatisfactory reality through rationalizations that make our current state seem “not all that bad”. Much like the pseudo mother/witch from the Disney movie Tangled, the Saboteur appears to have our best interest at heart when painting the mental picture of what is beyond the protective round walls of our personal Status Quo Tower.
Every time we listen to our Saboteur his power over us grows stronger; making it increasingly difficult to progress and change. Our Saboteur doesn’t necessarily lie to us but simply emphasizes the comforts of our current situation and magnifies the challenges and difficulties of personal progress. This exaggerated reality causes many of us to lose hope and motivation to do that which must be done to enjoy the beauties of our mortal existence.
How do we loosen his domineering grip on our mental state? How do we jump from the Status Quo Tower into the uncomfortable, yet exciting, adventures of life that lead to a much more fulfilling existence?
First, we must see our Saboteur for who he is. He is a constant companion that simply wants to keep us safe and secure. He is uncomfortable with risk, therefore, he will always speak messages that align with, what appears to be, safety and security. He is neither good nor bad; he just is.
Second, we bring to light the options available to us in each situation. Each decision has a direct impact on our personal journey. Some will set us back, others will keep the status quo, while others will move us closer to our destination. We often tune out to this decision making process and default to taking direction from our Saboteur. Such passivity limits the possibilities of progress, creativity, and internal alignment.
Third, we recognize that the more we act on our core values the less governing power the Saboteur possess. Living our values, often times, requires risk, discomfort, and unique customized living. We recognize that we are either empowering our true self through core values or empowering our Saboteur (mediocrity and comforts) which leads us further away from our desired destination. We are either moving forward or backward; stagnation and internal paralysis does not exist. What we heed grows, what we ignore shrinks.
Think about your own life. How are the comforts of the status quo preventing you from exploring more possibilities? What unique core values are you ignoring in order to preserve the comforts that leave you empty and unfulfilled? Each of us posses a Saboteur. To recognize his existence is the first step towards understanding the power he wields over us. Doing that which is hard, uncomfortable, and new is not easy but nurturing this lifestyle is the ticket to a life well lived.
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