Introduction to Self Handicapping

Self-handicapping is a fascinating psychological phenomenon wherein individuals create obstacles and excuses to avoid potential failure or to protect their self-esteem. This concept becomes particularly intriguing when applied to goal pursuit. Whether consciously or subconsciously, people often engage in behaviors that hinder their progress toward achieving their goals, thereby providing a convenient explanation for any lack of success.

Irrational Behavior

Self-handicapping is a psychological phenomenon that reminds us of our propensity to act irrational. The underlying mechanism of protecting self-esteem actually, in some cases, creates barriers to success. If we fail, we blame the obstacle. However, if we succeed, we can claim extraordinary ability to succeed in the face of extra challenges. For a student, they can boastfully proclaim, “I can’t believe I scored an A- on the test after being up all night with my friends drinking.” If they fail to score high marks on the test, they may excuse it by blaming that same all night drinking party.

Roy Baumeister, Todd Heatherton and Diane Tice wrote:

“Self-handicapping is a matter of putting obstacles in the way of one’s own performance. It is thus a self-defeating pattern of behavior: You make things harder for yourself. The paradoxical, self-destructive aspect makes self-handicapping at first seem absurd and improbable, until one grasps that having obstacles to one’s performance confers important advantages. Thus, many people would prefer to have their failures attributed to drunkenness than to lack of intelligence, and if they do succeed despite being drunk it seemingly testifies to extra high intelligence” (Baumeister et al., 1994, p. 71).

The self-handicapping behavior allows the individual to avoid addressing core issues of intelligence, self-discipline, and ability. Consequently, this practice protects self image while interfering with personal growth.

Unconscious Employment

Susan David explains that these “self-sabotaging responses are not what we choose to do; they’re what we’ve been conditioned to do, and will continue to do until we unhook from the flight to the familiar and find the agility to shut down the autopilot, show up, step out, and take agency of our own lives” (David, 2016).

Understanding self-handicapping can help us identify these self-imposed barriers and develop strategies to overcome them.

The Concept of Self-Handicapping

Self-handicapping was first introduced by psychologists Steven Berglas and Edward E. Jones in 1978. They defined self-handicapping as any action or choice of performance setting that enhances the opportunities to externalize failure and to internalize success. In addition, Berglas and Jones proposed that those who experience uncertainty about their ability to perform a task would tend to choose a performance context that created a future opportunity to externalize (or excuse) failure (Berglas & Jones, 1978).

Miron Zuckerman and Fen-Fang Tsai wrote:

“Self-handicaps are impediments to performance that people construct to protect or enhance their perceived competence. These impediments allow self- handicappers to discount responsibility for failure and augment credit for success. If one fails, attribution to poor ability can be discounted because the impediment serves as a potential cause; if one succeeds, attribution to ability can be augmented because success was obtained despite the presence of the impediment” (Zuckerman & Tsai, 2005).

The concept of Handicapping gives a much wider perspective of on externalizations for failure by suggesting that people employ prefailure preparations to pave a path to excuse failure. C.R. Snyder explains that in self-handicapping the “protagonist actively embraces the impediment” (Snyder, 2003). In many ways, this practice parallels the healthy practice of contingency planning. However, contingency planning is a practice of grit, preparing for successful responses to obstacles and failures, while self-handicapping is an ego preserving practice that excuses personal responsibility for failure without any plans for continuing.

Essentially, it allows individuals to preserve their self-esteem by attributing failures to external factors rather than a lack of ability.

Types of Self-Handicapping

There are two primary types of self-handicapping: behavioral and claimed (Leary & Shepperd, 1986).

Behavioral self-handicapping

This involves actual actions that impede performance. For example, a student who parties the night before an exam is engaging in behavioral self-handicapping.

Examples of behavioral self-handicapping are:

• procrastination
• withdrawal of effort
• lack of practice
• not taking opportunities
• to practice
• choice of debilitating performance settings,
• lack of sleep
• choosing very difficult goals,
• drug and alcohol use (Shepperd & Arkin, 1989).

Claimed self-handicapping

This involves verbalizing excuses or creating a narrative that anticipates failure.

Self-reported self-handicapping strategies include claiming:

• test anxiety
• social anxiety
• moodiness
• traumatic life events
• illness and shyness,
• psychological symptoms
•  side effects of medication
• and emotional and physical symptoms (Shepperd & Arkin, 1989; Baumgardner et al., 1985).

Hypochondria as a Self-Handicapping Mechanism

Hypochondria, also known as health anxiety or illness anxiety disorder, can be viewed as a self-handicapping mechanism in several ways. Individuals with hypochondria often misinterpret normal bodily sensations or minor symptoms as severe medical conditions. This behavior serves to protect their self-esteem and shield them from facing deeper responsibility for some of life’s disappointments.

Alfred Adler believed that hypochondriacal complexes served as excuses for not fulfilling life’s goals. Instead of accepting responsibility, the hypochondriac could place blame on the illness (Adler, 1920). Basically, he saw hypochondria as a mechanism to soften the pain of failure.

See Hypochondria for more on this topic

Self-Handicapping in Goal Pursuit

When it comes to goal pursuit, self-handicapping can manifest in various ways. People might procrastinate, set unattainably high goals, or engage in behaviors that are counterproductive to their objectives. These actions, while seemingly irrational, serve a protective function for the individual’s self-worth.

The Role of Self-Esteem

Self-esteem plays a crucial role in self-handicapping. Individuals with low self-esteem are more likely to engage in self-handicapping behaviors because they are more sensitive to the potential negative implications of failure. By creating obstacles, they can attribute any lack of success to these external factors, thus safeguarding their self-esteem.

Susan David, in her excellent book Emotional Agility, writes that immediate gratification “makes us feel good a lot faster than do the tiny tweaks and disciplined, steady work that can actually get us to higher ground” (David, 2016). Self-esteem may be a product of successful attainment of goals or self-deceptive practices.

Seligman wrote in his influential book Learned Optimism that:

“Self-esteem is just a meter that reads out the state of a system. It is not an end in itself. When you are doing well in school or work, when you are doing well with the people you love, when you are doing well in play the meter will register high. When you are doing badly it will register low. Self-esteem seems only to be a symptom, a correlate, of how well a person is doing in the real world. If unwarranted self-esteem is taught to children, problems will ensue. When these children confront the real world, and it tells them they are not as great as they had been taught, they will lash out with violence. So it is possible that the twin epidemics among young people in the United States today, depression and violence, both come from this misbegotten concern: valuing how our young people feel about themselves more highly than how we value how well they are doing in the world” (Seligman, 2011).

See Self-Esteem for more on this topic

Fear of Failure

Fear of failure is another significant driver of self-handicapping. Aiden Wright and his colleagues define fear of failure as a “multifaceted form of avoidance motivation that is linked with an acute affective sensitivity to experience shame and embarrassment” (Wright et al., 2009).

The prospect of failing can be so daunting that individuals prefer to create situations that limit their chances of success, thus avoiding the full impact of failure. Harriet Lerner explains in her wonderful book The Dance of Fear that many common fears arise from an underlying feeling of shame. At the bedrock is “the fear of being seen as essentially flawed, inadequate, and unworthy of being loved” (Lerner, 2005).

Fear of failure drives avoidance. It also drives self-handicapping behaviors to set the stage for excuses when the eventual failure occurs.

See Fear of Failure for more on this topic

Perfectionism and Procrastination

Karen Horney presents perfectionism as a neurotic defense that protects against feelings of inadequacy. Because of failure, or perceived failure, an individual attempts to avoid shame through faulty drives for perfection. Horney wrote that under favorable conditions individuals put their energies into “the realization of his own potentialities.” Under inner stress, however, “a person may become alienated” from their real self.

The powerful influence of fear motivates a shift from growth to protection. In a protective state, they direct energies into the task of molding themselves through “a rigid system of inner dictates, into a being of absolute perfection” (Horney, 1991).

Failure rocks the world of the perfectionist. It screams the truth of being a normal human being with limitations. Most of us can accept this reality, understanding knowledge and experience are a finite resources. However, for those that build their self-esteem on the fragile foundation of infallibility, self-handicapping protections must be in place, to provide ready made excuses to explain away any evidence of weakness.

One common practice for the perfectionists is to delay starting a project because they fear it won’t meet their high standards. This procrastination acts as a buffer, providing an excuse for not achieving their goals. The practice of fantastic plans beset by unavoidable interference is a lifelong pattern. The goals paint a picture of a highly motivated person with a bright future. However, failure to ever launch these fantastic plans into action leaves the self-handicapper in a perpetual state of greatness that will never actualize.

See Perfectionism for more on this topic

Effects of Self-Handicapping

Some research proposes that self-handicapping is either neutral or beneficial to performance. Some researchers theorize that “self-handicapping lessens self-evaluation concerns and thus allows people to focus on the task and perform better” (Zuckerman & Tsai, 2005). The problem with these findings is they are measuring impact on performance within a controlled experience. Self-handicapping behaviors may be benign excuses (I was tired) or self-destructive impediments (I drank all night).

Chronic and extreme self-handicapping are potentially injurious. Practices of self-handicapping may be so intoxicating that the rewards morph into flatout self-sabotage, such as getting arrested before the final exam, missing the test all together.

Three primary reasons that self-handicapping may have a negative impact:

• self-handicapping behaviors (e.g., alcohol consumption) are debilitating in and of themselves.
• self-handicaps eventually impede performance, and performance decrements may have wide ranging effects on adjustment and well- being.
• self-handicapping that is addressed internally is likely to involve self-deception (Zuckerman & Tsai, 2005).

While self-handicapping can temporarily protect self-esteem, it has several long-term negative consequences.

Impeded Progress

The most obvious effect is the impediment of progress toward goals. Basically, creating impediments to success occasionally creates failure where success might have been obtained. An individual is likely to perform better on their job interview if they prepare, sleep, and eat properly before the interview.

Snyder wrote that the demise of hopeful thinking occurs “over time as such self-handicapping people increasingly seek the cover of the anticipatory excuse at the expense of the important goals in their lives” (Snyder, 2003). By engaging in self-handicapping behaviors, individuals are less likely to achieve their objectives, which can lead to a cycle of underachievement and diminished self-esteem.

Increased Anxiety and Stress

Self-handicapping can also increase anxiety and stress. The pressure to maintain the facade and the fear of being exposed can create significant psychological distress. Over time, this can lead to burnout and a decrease in overall well-being (Akin, 2012). Problems unaddressed morph into larger problems, requiring additional resources to cover up. Chronic use of handicapping protections may lead to more life problems which in turn create more anxiety and more stress.

See Accumulating Anxiety for more on this topic

Damage to Relationships

Engaging in self-handicapping can also damage personal and professional relationships. Others may perceive self-handicapping behaviors as laziness or lack of commitment, leading to strained interactions and loss of trust.

State and Trait Associations to Self-Handicapping

We know from extensive studies that behaviors such as self-handicapping are the product of complex causes. Genetic maps, childhood environments, and behavioral rewards and punishments combine in a fascinating and frightening way to motivate behavioral patterns. Many studies have discovered an association between personality type and the practice of self-handicapping.

Individuals have different motivations. Some employ more opportunity seeking behaviors than others. Depending on our unique interplay of different forces we either lean toward approach or protect behaviors.

Randolph Nesse explains:

“Emotions are either positive or negative because only situations with threats or opportunities influence fitness. Positive emotions encourage organisms to seek out and stay in situations that offer opportunities to do things that are good for their genes. Negative emotions motivate avoidance of and escape from situations that involve threat or loss. The utility of an emotion depends entirely on the situation” (Nesse, 2019).

Those with avoidance tendencies are more likely to use self-handicapping.

See Approach-Avoidance Theory for more on this topic

The Vulnerable Narcissist

Another personality variant more likely to use self-handicapping is the vulnerable narcissist (Bodroža et al., 2022). Vulnerable narcissism is summarized as “a functional orientation of defensiveness, driven by avoidance motivation; thus combines a hyper-vigilance to threat with a propensity for emotional dysregulation” (Derry et al., 2020).

These personalities find greater benefits from mediating the pain of failure while enhancing their sense of superiority when they succeed in the face of unequal challenges.

See Vulnerable Narcissist for more on this topic

Overcoming Self-Handicapping

Recognizing and addressing self-handicapping behaviors is crucial for personal growth and success. When we are “forced to face our own mistakes and take responsibility for them, the result can be an exhilarating, liberating experience” (Tavris & Aronson, 2015). However, it is important to realize that not every defense mechanism is bad. They help mediate emotions. An effective mechanism supports healthy action.

Self-handicapping only becomes maladaptive when it invites unhealthy behaviors or stymies growth. Basically, if we use self-handicapping to soften the blows to our ego, but still go out and give it our best than the mechanism does limited harm. However, if we adopt behavioral handicaps that interferes with our performance than the protections become harmful, likely to hurt successful goal attainment, and limit our potential.

We can address patterns of self-handicapping in a number of ways.

Awareness and Self-Reflection

The first step is to become aware of self-handicapping behaviors. Self-reflection can help individuals identify patterns and understand the underlying motivations for their actions. Jeremy Dean wrote that the habit of reflection and self-awareness is “one of the most important clues” as to what is going on in the unconscious. We can use “our memories and conscious awareness to piece together a picture of what might be going on down there, at our cores” (Dean, 2013).

Keeping a journal or seeking feedback from trusted friends or mentors can be beneficial.

See Self-Awareness for more on this topic

Setting Realistic Goals

Setting realistic and achievable goals can reduce the likelihood of self-handicapping. Breaking down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks can make the pursuit feel less overwhelming and more attainable.

Gregg Krech, the leading North American expert on Japanese Psychology, advises that we begin “with actions that are so small, so insignificant, that there’s no resistance, no reason to procrastinate or avoid the task” (Krech, 2014).

The structure and object of the goal puts the person hopeful of change on a path to success. The smaller goals get the process going. They are not frightening and have a high success rate. They move the goal setter forward in small steps rather than large leaps. Through the successful achievement of several small goals, the person begins to gain confidence in their ability.

This path stands in great contrast to the practice of setting huge outlandish goals, self-handicapping to soften failure, and then the inevitable failure that follows.

See SMART Goals for more on this topic

Building Self-Esteem

Building self-esteem is crucial for overcoming self-handicapping. Nathaniel Branden defines self esteem as a fundamental human need. He defines it that when “fully realized, is the experience that we are appropriate to life and to the requirements of life” (Branden, 2012). Accordingly, how we interpret failure, not failure itself, has a significant impact on our self-esteem.

Embracing Failure

Building self-esteem is not about avoiding failure at all costs. This maladaptive practice is the crutch of the whole self-sabotaging problem. Building self-esteem through managing risks, working through obstacles, and coming out ahead is a health path to healing from self-sabotaging goals. This self-esteem prompts resilience in the face of failure. We believe in ourselves to respond to setbacks in a healthy self-enhancing way.

Learning to embrace failure as a natural part of the learning process can reduce the fear of failure. Viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth rather than as reflections of self-worth can help shift the mindset toward a more positive and resilient outlook.

Seeking Support

Seeking support from others, whether through therapy, coaching, or peer support groups, can provide valuable insights and encouragement. Having a support system can help individuals stay accountable and motivated in their goal pursuit. Cognitive-behavior therapy is a common treatment. The cognitive behavior therapist helps a client recognize their use of self-handicapping and replace it with better coping skills.

However, Snyder warns that a diagnoses can also contribute to self-handicapping. He wrote that if chronic self-handicapping persons eventually “seek the help of a mental health professional, they receive a label (diagnosis) for the difficulty and may become even more wed to the now reified problem.” A self-fulfilling prophecy may set in and the “person and those around him expect the label to be confirmed in behavior (whether it is depression, alcoholism, etc.)” (Snyder, 2003).

Some well-meaning therapists unknowingly get roped into the game, contributing to the on-going life-script of the self-handicapper. Therapists must take extra caution in their approach to avoid these patterns.

A Few Words by Psychology Fanatic

In conclusion, self-handicapping emerges as a profound psychological mechanism that serves to shield our self-esteem while simultaneously obstructing our progress toward personal and professional goals. Throughout this article, we explored the intricate ways in which individuals inadvertently create barriers to their success—whether through procrastination, avoidance behaviors, or the allure of externalizing failure.

By recognizing these patterns and understanding their origins, we empower ourselves to confront the irrational fears and perfectionist tendencies that drive us into a cycle of underachievement. The journey towards breaking free from self-imposed limitations starts with awareness; acknowledging our habits is the first step in fostering meaningful change.

As we embrace strategies rooted in resilience and growth mindset, we pave the way for genuine transformation. Rather than succumbing to fear of failure or relying on excuses that preserve our ego but hinder our potential, we can cultivate an environment where setbacks are seen not as reflections of inadequacy but rather as valuable learning opportunities. By nurturing self-compassion and setting realistic goals, we unlock the door to authentic achievement—one where personal fulfillment is defined not by flawless performance but by courageously navigating life’s challenges. Let us take these insights forward into our lives, striving for growth while shedding the burdens of self-handicapping along the way.

Last Update: April 18, 2025