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Self-handicapping

ARAKI, Ryo (Maizuru National College of Technology)

We have a strong fear of making mistakes. Either the body or the mind can be damaged by mistakes. Mental injuries are often as painful as physical ones, and sometimes even more so. As we try to protect our head by sacrificing other parts of the body when we face danger, we try to protect our self-esteem – the views we hold of ourselves – from injury. For example, in school, a poor exam result can damage self-esteem. To guard it, we have to continue our efforts, but it is very hard to keep working away on a subject.

So I would like to introduce an easy way to protect it. Actually, that is the title of my speech, “Self-handicapping”. This word may sound complicated, but actually it is very common, and we can find many examples of it in our daily life.

I would like to give you a couple of examples.

First, have you observed anything in your classroom right before the examination? Well, in my class, the atmosphere is tense with students trying to memorize some formulas, while others asking study questions, and there is always a guy saying to his friend something like, “I haven’t studied at all for today’s exams! Oh my god, I’m going to flunk the exams!” How about in your school?

I think most students and professors here have heard something similar.

Now, the question is why on earth does he reveal his weakness? His confession cannot reflect well on his character. Actually, this is the typical example of self-handicapping.

Let me give you another example. Do you sometimes have a tendency to clean your room or surf the internet while you have more important things to do? You know you should stop procrastinating and stick to your priorities, but you cannot quit such activities. This is, another typical example of it.

So, what is self-handicapping after all?

Briefly, it is making excuses for failure before the fact. The student saying “I did not study!” was actually making an excuse for his anticipated poor exam result. So, if he gets a poor score, he can say “Well. It’s because I did not try hard, I am sure I can do better than this.” And if a better score is attained he can be proud of it. “Look! I’ve got such a high score without studying! I’m a genius!”

And the reason one engages in useless things before the important task is the same. Unconsciously it is just making excuses for failure – so that you can say the reason you failed was a lack of effort, time, or something else.

Now, some of you may the merits of this behavior pattern. If you make excuses beforehand, your self-esteem cannot be damaged even if results are poor because they do not reflect your true ability. And, if you do well, you look very talented. Even a genius! Whatever the result, you cannot be seen as stupid from others.

So, self-handicapping seems perfect so far. You can protect your reputation and self-esteem without any effort, and you can even grow it with some luck.

But, this defense mechanism has many fatal defects and this time I would like to tell you two ideas I think most dangerous.

First, how can anyone get their best result without a maximum effort? A true measuring of ability depends on one’s effort. If you use self-handicapping, making excuses all the time and even avoiding efforts, there is no way you can achieve your best result.

Secondly, using self-handicapping may help to protect your reputation with fellow classmates, but your ability will decline - and you will not be aware of it because you are contended with your circumstances. When a major life change challenges you in some way, you will become aware suddenly that your abilities have been quietly slipping away. I think this is the most dangerous aspect. It makes one lazy and blunts abilities.

At first glance self-handicapping appears to be very attractive alternative to hard work and the legitimate pain of life, but it actually does more harm to you in the long run.

In conclusion, I would like to mention the “easiest” way to protect your self-esteem and reputation.

Find subject you can enjoy, and push on to it.I think these processors sitting in front of me are lucky. they have been able to pasue what thet love and built their position. Why don't we try to do the same thing? Well it isn't easy and will be hard sometimes, but I believe this is the only way to earn real self esteem and reputation. What we have to do is just to keep trying.

There is no royal road to success.