You’ve likely often heard of fear of failure, and probably need no explanation as to its origins and effects. But the truth is that fear of success can be just as much of a career-crippling concept. We all strive to do our best and aim for goals that will take us where we want to go. But what happens when we actually get there? Is the thought of attaining success a little scary? Could that fear be hindering you from actually achieving your dreams? Read ahead to learn all about fear of success and how to stop it.
Fear of Success: What It Is and How to Deal
The problem with fear of success is that it is really a culmination of fears that stem from other related issues:
– Fear that if you succeed, you won’t be able to handle the responsibilities that come with it.
– Fear that if you become too successful, you’ll be too busy for your friends and family.
– Fear that if you get what you want, you’ll have nothing else to look forward to.
– And even, fear that if you succeed you won’t be as great as you think you are at the goal you’ve been trying to reach.
And so, as a result, an individual with a fear of success will often sabotage themselves without even realize it. They will put off projects, miss deadlines, take the lazy route, and continue to procrastinate until certain big opportunities are lost and thus, comfortably out of reach.
So how can a person who suffers from this hindering fear of success finally break out of that repetitive and self-sabotaging pattern? Here are some solutions to consider:
– Understand that success is not an overnight achievement. It will take months or years to attain some of the goals and dreams set aside for yourself. This means that making changes and adjustments to accommodate for that success will also be gradual and easier to deal with.
– Know that your true friends and family will stand by you no matter what and be truly happy for you as you achieve what you’ve set out to do.
– Learning that once you achieve success, you will also have new goals and dreams to look forward to.
– Realize that there’s no way of reaching that success without being truly qualified and capable of doing so. Therefore, being an “impostor” is not really a possibility.
Do you have a fear of success? How have you been coping and accommodating for it?
