Jeff Jerina • June 26, 2025

Daily Fuel: When Life Hits You Hard - What to Do Next

Daily Fuel: When Life Hits You Hard - What to Do Next

Ever feel like you're the one getting in your own way?

Ever feel like you're the one getting in your own way? Like maybe you’re the one that’s keeping you from moving forward, from going the next level in your career, your education, your health, your finances, you name it… And you’re always saying you want to change…


You’re praying for a breakthrough…


You set big goals…


You even start strong…


But somehow, you keep slipping back into the same old patterns.

Feeling like you never seem to move forward…

Like you take 1 step forward, but 2 steps back…


Maybe the main reason for this is it’s your own self-sabotage.

And here’s a deeper reason why that may be happening — and something I wish someone had told me years ago:


  • Self-sabotage happens when your identity doesn’t match your intention.


Let me break that down.


Your intention is what you say you want:

For example:

“I want to get in shape.”
“I want to stop complaining”
“I want to have more confidence”
“I want to grow my business.”
“I want to walk in faith, not fear.”


But what you believe about yourself (you know those internal thoughts and words that you are telling yourself day in and day out) what I would call your Self-Belief or Identity is saying something else:

For instance:

“I’m not a disciplined person.”
“I’m not good with money.”
“I always mess things up.”
“I don’t have the skills to do that”
“I’m just not like those successful people.”


So what happens? Your mind pulls you back to what feels “true and less painful” about who you are — even if it’s not who you want to be.


That’s why willpower alone doesn’t work for long.
You don’t just need a new goal — you need a new identity. Some would say a better mindset


Let’s clear this up — because it’s important.

Mindset is how you think — it’s your attitude or perspective about a situation.

But identity is how you see yourself — it’s what you believe to be true about who you are at the core.


Let me give you an example:

You can think like a winner — you’ve read the books, listened to the podcasts, told yourself you’re going to crush your goals this year. That’s mindset.


But if deep down, you still see yourself as someone who always quits, always messes things up, or isn’t really worthy of success — that’s your identity talking.


And here’s the truth:
You will never consistently live beyond the identity you believe.

Eventually, your mindset — no matter how strong it is — will bend to match your identity.

And I think that’s why people fall off track, not because they lack motivation, information, or strategy… but because their internal identity hasn’t caught up to their external intention.


Today’s BIG idea:

If you want to change your life — don’t just change how you think. Change who you believe you are.


Today’s Fuel Point
Self-sabotage isn’t just about bad habits — it’s about a misalignment between who you think you are and what you’re trying to do. If you want to break the cycle, start upgrading your identity today.

Begin with what God says about you (something we spoke about in a previous Daily Fuel episode):


You are loved.
You are capable.
You are equipped.
You are not a quitter — you’re a finisher.
Live from that truth — not from fear, failure, or your past mistakes.


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