Breaking the Self-Sabotage Cycle: Why we don't do what's good for us

NeuroShifts

In this episode, we explore four critical reasons we avoid what's best for us: our brain's reward-seeking nature, the unreliability of feelings as decision-makers, the powerful autopilot of habitual behaviors, and the motivation trap that keeps us waiting for inspiration that never comes. More importantly, we offer five practical, science-backed strategies to break free from this cycle: honoring intentions over feelings, making first steps tiny, stacking new habits onto existing routines, expecting discomfort as a normal part of growth, and celebrating actions rather than outcomes.
Real change doesn't happen through dramatic gestures or perfect days—it emerges from those ordinary moments when you choose growth over comfort, especially when you don't feel like it. If you've struggled with following through on what you know is good for you, this episode provides the psychological insights and practical tools to finally break that cycle and create lasting change. And if you feel your brain itself might be part of what's holding you back, learn how neurofeedback training can help both adults and children get unstuck by improving focus, regulation, and follow-through naturally. See the presentation here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1exLQXIzuCM9cG3uTST1spWjQ1VJeg80X5FAeNkTLyKU/edit?usp=drive_link

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Chapters

1. Breaking the Self-Sabotage Cycle: Why we don't do what's good for us (00:00:00)

2. Why We Don't Do What's Good (00:01:04)

3. Four Reasons We Avoid Change (00:02:10)

4. Five Strategies to Outsmart Your Brain (00:03:48)

5. Building Change Through Small Moments (00:05:19)

6. Neurofeedback for Getting Unstuck (00:05:48)