Some people really don’t want you to grow or succeed in life, but they don’t necessarily want to be obvious about it.
To hold you back, they’ll say and do little things meant to limit your progress and potential, and the worst part is, you might not even realise it’s happening! However, keeping an eye out for these signs will make you privy to the underhanded tactics these insecure haters use to try to dim your shine. Don’t let them!
1. They downplay your accomplishments.
When you achieve something, they make it seem less important or act like it’s no big deal. It can make you second-guess how proud you should feel, and over time, it can chip away at your confidence. Their lack of enthusiasm can leave you feeling like your achievements aren’t worth celebrating.
2. They give you “friendly” advice that discourages you.
They might frame their discouragement as “just being realistic” or offering advice, but the undertone is always that you shouldn’t bother. It sounds helpful on the surface, but the goal is to make you question your ambitions. If you take it to heart, it might make you hesitant to take the next step toward something you really want.
3. They compare you to other people to make you feel less accomplished.
They’ll subtly bring up someone else’s success to make you feel like you’re not measuring up. Comparing you in this way is meant to make you feel inadequate, even when you’re doing well on your own path. It leaves you feeling like you’re always falling short, no matter what you achieve.
4. They never offer genuine encouragement.
When you share your goals or plans, they either stay silent or change the subject. Their lack of excitement for you can make you feel like what you’re doing isn’t worth celebrating, which can dampen your motivation. Without support, it’s easy to lose momentum on your goals.
5. They remind you of your past mistakes.
Whenever you’re on the verge of something new or exciting, they bring up past failures to make you hesitate. It’s their way of keeping you focused on what went wrong instead of what could go right. The constant reminder of past mistakes can make you fear taking risks in the future.
6. They always seem to doubt your decisions.
No matter what path you’re on, they always seem to question whether you’re making the right choice. Their constant doubt can make you second-guess your own instincts, holding you back from moving forward confidently. Over time, this doubt can wear away at your ability to trust yourself.
7. They give you backhanded compliments.
Comments like, “I’m surprised you managed to pull that off,” may sound like praise, but they’re really undermining your achievements. These kinds of remarks are meant to make you feel less sure about how capable you really are. It can make your successes feel smaller than they actually are, as well.
8. They steer you toward safer, smaller goals.
Whenever you talk about your big dreams, they suggest something smaller or safer. While it might sound like they’re just looking out for you, they’re really discouraging you from taking bigger risks and going for what you truly want. This can keep you stuck in a comfort zone, far away from your potential.
9. They don’t show up when it counts.
When you need support for something important, they always seem to be too busy or unavailable. Their absence in key moments sends the message that your goals or achievements aren’t worth their time. You might end up feeling isolated when you should be celebrating or moving forward.
10. They subtly question your abilities.
They may make comments like, “Are you sure you can handle that?” or “Do you really think you’re ready for that?” This plants seeds of doubt, making you second-guess your own abilities. It slowly eats away at your confidence, making you wonder if you really are capable.
11. They take credit for your ideas or successes.
If you achieve something with their involvement, they might subtly take credit for the outcome. This diminishes your sense of ownership and pride over what you’ve accomplished, leaving you feeling less capable. It can make it harder for you to trust them or feel confident in sharing future ideas.
12. They constantly play the role of devil’s advocate.
While it’s healthy to have different perspectives, someone who always plays the devil’s advocate can make you feel like your ideas aren’t valid. Instead of constructive feedback, it often feels like they’re just trying to poke holes in your plans. This constant pushback can make you hesitate to pursue your ideas with full confidence.
