I had a similar problem. Here's what I've figured out myself over the last two years. I unconsciously sabotaged myself because I believed I was smart and didn

I had a similar problem. Here's what I've figured out myself over the last two years. I unconsciously sabotaged myself because I believed I was smart and didn't want to be proven wrong. I exhibited the following behaviors: * Obsessed over details because I wanted every project to reflect my brilliance. When projects turned out to be decent (but not earth shattering), I would just abandon it rather than finishing it. I didn't want to dilute my image of myself. * Pulled all nighters before deadlines without doing work. The I would attribute the fact that I did poorly to lack of sleep. * Didn't ask for help on projects when I actually needed it because I wanted to be considered smart. Didn't ask questions when I didn't understand something for the same reason. The solution for me was to bombard myself with proof that intelligence doesn't matter. Hard work is the only thing that matters. Intelligence doesn't mean anything if you don't invest the time. How are you supposed to compete with someone working 100 hour weeks when you work 10? You would have to be an order of magnitude smarter than them, and that's just not possible. So if you're anything like me, you might be trying to cultivate the perception of intelligence rather than proving your intelligence through action. Real artists ship, and real geniuses finish their projects. Don't let the fear of failure or mediocrity stop you from finishing your projects. (As for the original cause of this behavior, it most certainly was what other people are pointing out. From a young age I had the idea that I was smart cultivated by my parents and my teachers. This community is full of people who received similar treatment. Having such attentive teachers was a huge benefit, but this is one negative side effect.)