Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior

by Mark Goulston, M.D. and Philip Goldberg

Self-defeating behavior is the single most common reason that people seek psychotherapy. This psychiatrist’s practical action plan for transforming behavior from self-defeating to life-enhancing provides proven steps that show how to change 40 behaviors, including procrastination, guilt, and anger. Self-defeating behavior causes life’s biggest tragedy. Life’s biggest tragedy is waking up at the end of your life only to discover that it has been a terrible life and then realizing that you have done it to yourself and it’s too late to get a second chance. Few things make you feel worse about yourself than engaing in self-defeating behavior and having to live with the consequences. Fortunately, however, few things make you feel better about yourself than overcoming self-defeating behavior and replacing it with life-enhancing behavior.