This reflection explores how Fyodor Dostoevsky revealed one of the most damaging inner traps of the human psyche: paralysis born from overthinking and the refusal to act.

Through Notes from Underground, it examines how intellectual pride, fear, broken self-promises, and avoidance of responsibility slowly erode self-respect and create an inner prison.

By connecting Dostoevsky’s insights with Viktor Frankl’s understanding of meaning and responsibility, this piece highlights why action, commitment, and purpose are essential for breaking self-sabotage and reclaiming a life that feels authentic, grounded, and worth living.