Sarah Avenir

I’ve been an entrepreneur for 12 years now, long enough to become intimately acquainted with the things that keep me from doing the things I want to do.

I’m intensely sensitive, I tend to go into hiding for months at a time, I struggle with loads of self-doubt, I experience acute shame every time I make something and put it out there, I’m inconsistent, I make things that are hard to explain, I write things that take too long to read, I talk way too much about feelings…if anyone has anything to criticize me for, my self-condemnation is at least ten times louder.

A couple of months ago, I finally read a book Jenn Turner had recommended a long time ago—Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine. In it, Chamine calls negative thoughts our inner “saboteurs”, berating us or telling us bad things might happen to us in a misguided attempt to keep us safe.

Chamine has created a useful saboteurs assessment to help you find the specific ways you tend to sabotage yourself from the inside.

Once you know what your saboteurs are, you can start recognizing them throughout the day. Simply saying “Oh, that’s my inner judge talking” can go a long way in helping you get past them and start listening to your own wisdom instead.

Take the saboteurs assessment. What surprises to you about your results?
What isn’t surprising to you?
What could help you be more mindful of how your saboteurs show up throughout your day?
Chapter 2: Pain Chapter 3: Notebook