Case 1: Chander has a team presentation coming up. Instead of preparing or brainstorming with his colleagues, he keeps postponing.
Case 2: Nikhil, after a heartbreak, turns to alcohol. He skips workouts, avoids work, and uses absence as a cover for his pain.
Case 3: Mithila, weighing 80 kgs, sets a bold target of 60 kgs in just 4 months. She chooses a crash diet, but deep down knows her cravings will derail her plan.
Notice the pattern?
We’ve all been there:
- Postponing prep for a big presentation.
- Escaping into distractions after a setback.
- Setting unrealistic goals, we know we can’t sustain.
We procrastinate, set unrealistic goals, or deliberately reduce effort. And here’s the twist—we’re fully aware of what we’re doing. Yet we cling to excuses, labels, or behaviors that shield us from giving our best.
What is Self-Handicapping?
Self handicapping means we intentionally hold ourselves back—by procrastinating, giving excuses, or not trying fully—so we have something else to blame if things don’t go well. And if we still succeed, it makes the achievement look even stronger. This idea was first introduced by Edward E. Jones and Steven Berglas in 1978.
So why do we do this?
- Is it our fear of success or failure?
- Are our goals set mainly to impress ourselves and boost our Self Esteem?
- Are they set to impress others and protect our image?
- Or is it simply that our mind isn’t aligned with our goals?
To understand this better, let’s look at it through a psychological lens. There is a powerful concept that explains these patterns: Self Handicapping. Let us delve a little deeper into what it means and why we engage in it.
Types of Self-Handicapping
1.Behavioral Self-Handicapping
Actively creating real obstacles to protect oneself from the fear of failure. This includes procrastination, alcohol use, setting unrealistic goals, skipping practice, negative expectations, learned helplessness, avoiding success, poor self-regulation, addictions, and risky behaviors.
Executives postpone preparing for a crucial presentation to leadership. If it fails, they can say, “There were too many other tasks,” instead of acknowledging performance gaps. Or sales persons avoid calling important leads until the last minute. If they miss the target, they can blame “lack of time” rather than their selling ability.
2.Claimed Self-Handicapping (Justification)
Offering excuses in advance to explain possible failure. People state obstacles — even if they aren’t real — such as “I’m tired,” “I’m stressed,” or “I didn’t have time,” so they can blame these reasons instead of their ability. Before giving a speech, a person says, “I’m not good at speaking in front of people,” so any nervousness or mistakes can be blamed on that statement.
Consequences
Self-handicapping may feel like a safety net, but it comes at a cost:
- Lower performance at work
- Reduced physical, mental, social and psychological well-being
- Reduced motivation
How to handle It
The first step is awareness—recognizing that it’s our own cognition playing tricks. From there:
- Seek professional support (workplace counseling or therapy).
- Confront fear instead of avoiding it.
Remember:
Face fear, it goes. Avoid fear, it grows.
Redefine Success and Failures
We are all seeds with the potential to grow into mighty trees. Even when the ground above feels heavy, we must break through and blossom—because that’s the purpose of our existence.
Written by,
Karpagam & Dr. Rajmohan
Team – BODHI
