In this first lesson of the '10 Principles for Your American Dream', Gillian Ortega begins with the principle of stopping self-sabotage. She uses a test developed by Alberti Ammons to determine if you are sabotaging your own progress.

First of all, let's take a test. This was put into place by Alberti Ammons. We need to find out, are you truly sabotaging yourself? Let's define this, and see if some of these would pertain to you, and your life. There are 15 questions that I'm going to ask you and I want you to put check marks on your piece of paper according to if they are relatable to you.

The 15-Point Self-Sabotage Assessment:

1. My life often seems to be out of control.
2. Much of my life is spent on other people's goals or problems.
3. I often get into trouble by assuming that I know something when I don't.
4. I have a tendency to expect the worst.
5. I often find myself saying I just don't feel up to it.
6. The fear of appearing stupid often prevents me from asking questions or offering my opinion.
7. I have trouble taking criticism, even from my friends.
8. I have trouble focusing on what really is important to me.
9. If I am not perfect, I often feel worthless.
10. I often wish I were somebody else.
11. I often feel irritable and moody.
12. I find when I really want something, I'll act impulsively to get it.
13. I waste a lot of time.
14. I spend time with people who belittle me or put down my thoughts or ideas for success.
15. I often do not live up to my potential because I put things off until the very last minute.

Test Results Breakdown:

• 0-2 checkmarks: You're not likely sabotaging your life, and are pretty self-directed.
• 3-5 checkmarks: Like most people, you're doing some things that might hold you back. A little self-improvement will help you immensely.
• 6-11 checkmarks: This is the most common range in the U.S. You may be significantly undermining your life, and should identify and remove your barriers.
• 12-15 checkmarks: Sabotage may be pervasive in your life. Sustained effort will be necessary to break down your walls of self-sabotage.

With this analysis, Gillian encourages you to start identifying what is holding you back and begin the process of overcoming these barriers. The good news is, is that I have done it and you can too.