Inner Weaker Self

The term "inner weaker self" (German: "innerer Schweinehund") refers to a metaphorical notion of inner resistances or obstacles that hold a person back from achieving certain goals or acting on desired behaviors. The expression is often used to describe the inner barriers or inner inertia that can lead us to sabotage ourselves or prevent us from following through on our plans. The "inner weaker self" represents a kind of inner resistance or temptation that has to be overcome in order to reach set goals or bring about desired changes in behavior. It can manifest in the form of procrastination, lack of motivation, self-doubt, laziness, or other negative thoughts and emotions.

The metaphor is meant humorously, but it points to an important psychological reality: namely, that we are often our own worst enemies when it comes to motivating ourselves and pursuing our goals. Overcoming the inner weaker self often requires conscious effort, self-reflection, and strategies for self-motivation and self-regulation.

• Romanic, E. (2022). Aufschieberitis: So überwinden Sie den inneren Schweinehund. In: Geheimwaffe: Assistenz III. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden.

• Al-Dalati, T., Bieber, M., Schmidt, D., Oertel, V. (2023). Barrieren überwinden. In: Oertel, V., Matura, S. (eds) Bewegung und Sport gegen Burnout, Depressionen und Ängste. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.