Internal Resistance, Procrastination & Self-Sabotage: What’s Really Holding You Back?
There’s a strange kind of frustration that comes from knowing exactly what you want… and still somehow not moving toward it.
You have the idea.
The talent.
The ambition.
The vision.
And yet:
you procrastinate.
You overthink.
You stay stuck in planning mode.
You wait until the last minute.
You sabotage your own momentum.
Sound familiar?
In the latest episode of #UNFILTERED on The Artful Gourmet Podcast, I sat down with author, speaker, and performance coach Kam Knight for one of the most eye-opening conversations I’ve had in a long time — a deep dive into the hidden psychology behind internal resistance and why so many of us unconsciously block our own growth.And honestly? This conversation hit home.
As creatives, entrepreneurs, writers, food bloggers, photographers, content creators, and business owners, we often think our biggest obstacles are external:
Not enough time.
Not enough money.
Not enough followers.
Not enough opportunities.
But what if the bigger obstacle is happening internally?
What Is Internal Resistance?
Kam describes internal resistance as the subconscious force designed to keep us safe, familiar, and emotionally protected — even when that means preventing us from going after the things we truly want.
In other words:
your brain can simultaneously create desire and resist acting on it.
Which explains so much about creative life.
Why we:
-
- procrastinate on projects we care deeply about
- stay in comfort zones too long
- overplan instead of taking action
- struggle with perfectionism
- avoid visibility
- sabotage momentum right before breakthroughs
- cling to familiar situations that no longer align
Throughout the episode, Kam breaks down how habits, fear, people-pleasing, comfort zones, perfectionism, and even subconscious emotional patterns shape our behavior more than we realize.
Why This Conversation Resonated So Deeply
During the episode, I shared my own experiences moving from Texas back to New York, rebuilding my business multiple times, leaving corporate jobs to return to entrepreneurship, and how procrastination often shows up in my own life as “last-minute pressure productivity.”
And honestly, I know I’m not alone in that.
Creative people often live in contradiction:
We crave freedom… while fearing uncertainty.
We want visibility… while fearing judgment.
We dream about reinvention… while resisting change.
Especially in the world of food media, blogging, photography, podcasting, and content creation, there’s an emotional vulnerability that comes with putting your work into the world. Publishing a recipe, launching a podcast, filming yourself on camera, writing an essay, pitching a brand — all of it requires stepping beyond the familiar version of yourself.
And resistance loves the familiar.
The Hidden Forms of Self-Sabotage and the sneaky “tricks” of Internal Resistance
One of the most fascinating parts of this conversation was discussing the “tricks” of resistance.
Sometimes procrastination looks obvious: scrolling social media instead of working.
But other times it disguises itself as productivity:
-
- overplanning
- endless editing
- perfectionism
- researching forever
- waiting until everything feels “ready”
Writers, bloggers, and creators know this feeling well.
The unfinished draft sitting in Notes.
The idea you almost launched six months ago.
The pitch you still haven’t sent.
The project you keep postponing until life “calms down.”
The truth?
Life rarely calms down before we begin.
Creativity Requires Moving Through Fear
One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that resistance is not necessarily proof you’re on the wrong path.
Sometimes it’s proof you’re standing near growth.
Every meaningful leap I’ve ever taken creatively came with fear attached to it:
moving cities, starting businesses, launching podcasts, creating content on camera, reinventing my career.
The fear never fully disappeared first.
I just moved anyway.
And maybe that’s the real work of creative life:
learning how to create while fear is still present.
Not waiting until everything feels perfect.
Not waiting until certainty arrives.
Not waiting until you suddenly become fearless.
Just continuing to move forward anyway.
Watch & Listen to the Full Episode
📺 Watch the full video interview:
The Artful Gourmet YouTube Channel
The Artful Gourmet Podcast on Substack
The Artful Gourmet Podcast on Spotify
📝 Read the companion editorial essay on Substack:
Follow Kam Knight (Guest)
🌎 Learn more about Kam Knight, his mindset / motivational books, + get 20% OFF of his Conquer Resistance program with my code KRISTEN20
Email: coach@kamknight.com
Socials: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok
Check out more of Kam Knight’s books on Amazon
Final Thought
If there’s a creative project, business idea, reinvention, or dream quietly calling to you right now… maybe this is your reminder that resistance doesn’t mean stop.
Sometimes it means you’re closer than you think.
And sometimes the most important thing we can do is simply begin.
If this essay resonated with you, I’d genuinely love to hear in the comments below:
What form of “internal resistance” shows up most in your own creative life?And what would happen if you stopped negotiating with it?
If you enjoyed this post and #UNFILTERED podcast episode, don’t forget to like, subscribe and share with a friend or someone who might also enjoy hearing this message. And if you loved it please give us a good review as that just helps the show grow!
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