There is nothing more damaging to one’s self-esteem than to be set to claim victory only to fall victim to some old, well established negative belief about what’s possible, our own abilities, or even our worthiness as a person.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Other people see it too… Once you get a reputation as someone who cannot be trusted to finish a project, successfully stay in a relationship, grow financially, or simply not “self-destruct” in the face of a sure thing, it’s hard to shake that impression as it makes its way through the gossip mill.