Q: How did you come up with the title “Stop Effing Yourself”?
A: (Laughs) Well, I myself was a self-saboteur. I ruined a lot of opportunities for myself, so I decided to delve into the psychology of someone who self-sabotages and realized that it was something that was actually common and complex for a lot of people.
Q: How would you characterize a self-saboteur?
A: Everyone has a person who was “the one who got away” and sometimes (the self-sabotaging that led to that is) small, but other times it’s a big problem. And the people who self-sabotage know it. A self-saboteur would live paycheque to paycheque — not really have a budget. They wouldn’t be satisfied with their job, they would be wasting time at work. Basically, if you count the number of times that you say “Why did I do that?” and say it more often than you’d like, then you probably are a self-saboteur.
Q: How do you make sure you don’t self-sabotage when having drinks with the boss?
A: Never bring up politics or religion. Never discuss your past and never ever talk badly about anyone. Definitely don’t drink too much. Basically, all the Christmas party rules apply here.
