While we usually think of “failure” as failing to reach a goal, there are, for better or worse, lots of ways to fail: the social Failure of being rejected, the romantic failure of being dumped, the career failure of being fired. No matter what kind of failure we fear, the possibility of it looms large and makes us avoid even trying. What to do? This week, here are five tips to free you from your fears.

Call it getting in your own way, call it self-defeating behavior, call it accidentally-on-purpose shooting yourself in the foot. Whatever you call it, if you have a goal, you can make sure it doesn’thappen with self-sabotage.

Self-sabotage is any action that gets in the way of achieving your goals. On a diet? Kids' pizza crusts have no calories if they're inhaled standing over the sink, you know?