Choices, Trust, Perfectionism… Are You Finally Ready To Grow?
Or, learning to recognise self-doubt, move beyond it and rewrite your success story
“Money can’t buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.” – Spike Milligan
So, we’ve now looked at the Ruler, Accumulator, Connector, Alchemist, Maverick, Celebrity, Nurturer and Romantic Sacred Money Archetypes. To find out which one you are, just complete this Assessment – check out the instructions – and definitely check out the Sacred Money Archetype cards.
But that’s not all.
Operating alongside them are four “Survival” Archetypes – the Child, Victim, Prostitute and Saboteur.
Unless you understand how these four steer your relationship with money, your relationship to your finances could still have serious room for improvement!
Let’s conclude our “survival” review with a focus on the Saboteur archetype, your Guardian of Choice.
Your Saboteur’s Sacred Money Mirror
The Saboteur archetype is one of the most revealing mirrors in your money story and one of the hardest to face.
She’s the part of you that fears what will happen if you truly succeed. She whispers, “Don’t get too comfortable… don’t shine too brightly… don’t get ahead of yourself.” She’s not out to ruin you, she’s out to protect you.
In her mind, every new level of wealth, visibility, or freedom comes with danger: rejection, loss, criticism, or disappointment. So she keeps you safe by pulling you back through procrastination, perfectionism, impulsive spending, or self-doubt.
Your Sacred Money Mirror here reflects the tension between desire and fear. The Saboteur shows you precisely where you don’t yet trust yourself to hold the success you crave.
When healed, she transforms into your Inner Guardian, the one who can walk into abundance with discernment, courage, and grounded self-trust.
How the Saboteur Shows Up with Money
The Saboteur archetype tends to surface right before a breakthrough.
Just when you’re about to launch the new offer, ask for the raise, or finally get ahead financially… there she is!
She might sound like:
“This isn’t the right time.”
“I should learn more first.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
“What if I can’t keep up?”
With money, she can show up in sneaky, everyday ways:
You save diligently… and then blow through your savings as soon as things start feeling stable…
You finally get a windfall… and instantly give it away, spend it, or make a “mistake” that erases it…
You under-charge, delay sending invoices, or “forget” to follow up with clients…
You work hard but avoid actually tracking or managing your money, afraid of what you might find.
At her core, the Saboteur fears that success will expose her, that she’ll be “found out,” judged, or rejected. Her sabotage isn’t about laziness or lack of willpower. It’s a nervous system response to the terror of expansion.
Where She Sabotages You
The Saboteur’s favourite weapon is self-doubt disguised as wisdom.
She’ll tell you she’s being cautious, realistic, or humble when really she’s afraid of what will happen if you stop shrinking.
Here’s how she can quietly derail your growth:
Perfectionism: You delay taking action until everything’s “ready.” Spoiler: it never is.
Procrastination: You stay endlessly in the planning phase to avoid risk or visibility.
Over-giving: You pour energy into helping others succeed, so you don’t have to face your own fear of success.
Chaotic money habits: Late bills, disorganisation, or impulsive spending create drama that distracts from your next evolution.
Fear of maintenance: You worry you can’t sustain wealth or success so you unconsciously ensure you never have to.
The Saboteur is terrified of instability yet ironically creates it to feel in control. She believes it’s safer to fall on your own sword than to risk public failure.
How to Heal & Grow
The path to healing the Saboteur isn’t about eradicating her, it’s about integrating her. She’s not your enemy; she’s the part of you that remembers past pain and wants to prevent it from happening again.
To transform her, you must teach her a new definition of safety.
Acknowledge her motives. When you notice yourself procrastinating or derailing progress, pause and ask: “What am I afraid might happen if this goes well?” Naming the fear drains its power.
Separate fear from fact. The Saboteur often confuses emotional discomfort with danger. Growth feels unsafe because it’s unfamiliar not because it’s wrong.
Build safety around expansion. Instead of pushing harder, soothe your nervous system. Create routines, budgets, and boundaries that help you feel grounded as you grow.
Celebrate evidence of trust. Every time you follow through on a commitment, send the invoice, or speak your truth, you teach your Saboteur that you’re capable of holding more.
Rewrite the story of success. Somewhere, you learned that success equals isolation, exhaustion, or loss. Redefine it: “My success supports my peace, my joy, and my purpose.”
Take micro-risks. Healing doesn’t happen through giant leaps — it happens through small, consistent acts of self-belief. Each step tells your system, “See? We’re safe.”
When healed, the Saboteur becomes your Strategic Ally. She still evaluates risk — but from a place of wisdom, not fear. She no longer burns down your progress; she strengthens your foundation.
She’s the voice that says, “You can handle this. And you can handle even more.”
Want support with this?
If any of this sounds familiar, if you find yourself starting and stopping, building and breaking, rising and retreating… it’s time to meet your Saboteur with compassion, not shame.
Inside Mavericks & Malbec we’ll work together to uncover the hidden fears driving your sabotage patterns and build the mindset and systems that help you stay steady as you rise.
You’ll learn to make money decisions that feel aligned, confident, and sustainable: no more burning down your progress to feel in control.
If you’re ready to lead your business and your money with more clarity, power, and peace, you definitely belong here.
If you were forwarded this newsletter, join Mavericks & Malbec today to receive these broadcasts first-hand and never miss a drop of juice!
Or, if you’re ready to jump down an archetypal rabbit hole, why not invest in a 1:1 Virtual VIP Day to meet your inner Ruler, Accumulator, Connector, Alchemist, Maverick, Celebrity, Nurturer or Romantic… and start collaborating with her, not fighting against her?
P.S.
You’re not being self-destructive you’re being self-protective.
The Saboteur archetype isn’t here to ruin you; she’s here to test your readiness. Every time you face her and keep moving forward, you expand your capacity to hold more success, more freedom, more joy.
You don’t need to fight her. You just need to prove to her that you’re safe now… and therefore safe to succeed, safe to shine, safe to thrive.
When she finally relaxes, she becomes your fiercest ally... and that’s when the real magic begins!
Next week we’re going to start bringing it all together to create a Sacred Money Map and cast a Sacred Money Chart. You’re not gonna want to miss it!
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… and if you enjoyed it…