They use social sabotage, the silent treatment, and passive-aggressive put-downs, all while playing innocent. The real masterstroke? They start treating you like you’re the one who doesn’t know what you’re talking about. If you’re not careful, they’ll have you second-guessing yourself. If that backfires and you maintain your confidence, they hijack your space and take credit. They will start networking with people in your field, inserting themselves into your circles, or even trying to get mentorship from those who admire you. The goal is to infiltrate your space and make it seem like they’ve always belonged there.
Meanwhile, while they subtly erode your credibility, they’ll say things like, “Yeah, they’re smart, but sometimes they overthink things,” or, “I respect their work, but they don’t always get it right.” Just enough to cast doubt while making themselves look like a reasonable, more balanced alternative. If they can’t steal your credibility, they’ll attack it behind closed doors, whispering that you’re arrogant, difficult, or even emotionally unstable—whatever narrative suits their need to tear you down. Because if they can’t beat you intellectually, they’ll make sure no one listens to you in the first place.
The ultimate move? Some narcissists will go to extreme measures and dark tactics to try to erase you. As I mentioned in yesterday’s episode, they may start sending people after you—friends, colleagues, even strangers—to destroy your work. We are not talking about smear campaigns here; we are talking about paying people to harm you and your work. They know they can’t attack you head-on without exposing themselves, so they use “flying monkeys” to do their dirty work. Expect sudden betrayals, strikes, and attacks that people think only happen in movies.
5 Bizarre Ways Narcissists ‘Mark’ Their Territory in Your Home
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