I Have ADHD Podcast 448 Why ADHDers Sabotage Their Own Success
22 snips
Oct 20, 2026 Why can success feel scarier than failure? This candid conversation explores ADHD, self-sabotage, rejection sensitivity, imposter syndrome, and the discomfort of being seen after achieving something meaningful. It also examines why celebration can trigger anxiety, how familiar failure feels safer than new expectations, and the role of self-compassion in navigating visibility, identity shifts, and personal growth.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Why Failure Can Feel Safer Than Success
- Familiar failure can feel safer than unfamiliar success because it offers predictable consequences and a known recovery path.
- Success lacks that roadmap, making achievement feel destabilizing rather than reassuring.
She Tried To Sabotage Her Own Celebration
- When Kristen Carder’s husband planned a celebration, she started a fight despite trusting every invited guest.
- Therapy reframed the party as a restorative experience rather than a threat to avoid.
Self-Sabotage Protects A Smaller Identity
- Self-sabotage often protects people from accountability, judgment, rejection, and the identity shift that success creates.
- Avoiding effort preserves the comforting story that failure never truly tested their abilities.
