What is sabotage?
There are parts in our lives when we decide to try a new venture, career path, or business idea. These are the times we count on the support of our friends and family.

People will try to stop you.
But what if they aren’t supportive and try to sabotage it the worst way possible? You tell them, and they immediately laugh or, worse, tell you you aren’t capable of accomplishing it. Or do something to destroy it that immediately destroys your confidence in the idea.

My experience
I had a friend who secretly sabotaged many things. I did not know how to deal with it. Because here I was expressing my biggest desires and goals. Only for them to act supportive but behind my back sabotage it because of jealousy or maybe insecurities.

When I was young, I got into website design. I was only 16, and my mother told me I was too young to charge people for making websites. Looking back at it, I was not too young. She sabotaged, but that was not her intention. She meant well, but it did not turn out that way.

What to do
There are a few ways to deal with this behavior from someone you know. You must realize that some people want to see you fail no matter what. They enjoy seeing people suffer, and the best thing to do is escape from them and stop talking to them no matter who they are. They are toxic.

The best solution is to wait to tell anyone you are doing something until you are doing it and feel comfortable with it, or there is no going back or a way for them to sabotage it. Another way is to tell them after you accomplished it or not tell them at all. That way, they cannot sabotage it.

Another possible solution is to talk to them about it. Ask them gently why they are doing it and what makes them do the things they do. It could be a misunderstanding or a result of previous actions that you did.

It is also possible that they don’t want to see you in trouble and have their best interests at heart when they discourage you or do things that keep you from pursuing your goal.

Best solution
In my experience, silence is golden. They have no way of attacking you and jeopardizing what you are doing. Only tell the people who have similar plans or can support you because they have accomplished similar goals.

Sabotaging action can come from anyone you know, so do not brag or tell people about your achievement unless it is totally necessary. The margin between successes and failures is thin, so be careful with what you do and who you tell.