Fear of Success-Symptoms and Help

Fear of failure will lead many people into inertia – the inability to make decisions or take action in case they receive rejection or negative outcomes. This mental state is fairly easy to identify and there are many tools in the personal development industry to help combat this plague and reprogram the mind for success.

However, the fear of success is much more subtle, harder to spot, and also harder to eradicate. However, we will tell you what we have studied and found out about Fear of Success and Help.

Indications of Fear Of Success

Here are some indications of a fear of success mentality:

⇒ Studying and trying to implement self-improvement techniques and/or personal development tools but your life does not improve or may even get worse.

⇒ You settle for less than you feel you deserve or are capable of achieving.

⇒ You start new projects full of enthusiasm and optimism but wane in your efforts or stop short before you have completed them.

⇒ You expect things to go wrong no matter how well the situation appears to be at the moment.

Can You Identify Your Own Patterns -in any of the above statements?

Symptoms of The Fear Of Success

The fear of success can also make you behave in ways that hold you back. Look at the list below. These are the symptoms of the fear of success.

Procrastination – Putting off what needs to be done or not doing what you know will bring you closer to your desired result. Everyone suffers from this inner ‘demon’ at some point in their lives (although some of us suffer from it more than others!).

Procrastination is a ‘success killer’! How can you expect to reach your destination if you do not take steps toward it?  It is important to strive to do little things each day that will bring you small steps closer to your goal.

This is why having a personal development plan is an essential ingredient in the fight against procrastination. Take action! Any action! Refine your steps as you go along but do not sit and do nothing. Taking action is one of the key aspects of personal development.

Can’t see the forest for the trees! – This is almost the opposite of procrastination but has the same effect on your personal development. The aforementioned saying is well known but have you ever given it real consideration?

Don’t get caught up in your plan believing that it is more important than the materialized goal! Many individuals get caught in this trap.

They started to think and act as though their plan was more important than my end result and thus missed many opportunities to alter their path and reach their goals more quickly! Let go of your ego and allow the Universe to show you a quicker route to your goal. Remain flexible.

Thinking that the time is not right – Have you ever waited until the timing was perfect before starting a venture? Have you ever waited until you had more information on a better plan?

Again ACTION is the key to the door to success. Taking small steps forward is better than taking none or waiting to see if your foot is landing on the right spot. Even if your actions take you away from your goal you have at least gained insight and knowledge about what does not work!

Being a perfectionist – This is similar to the point above and has the same effect, namely, that you never really move forward. No matter how good a job is when it is finished it can always be improved!

You have heard many great musicians say how they hate listening to their own songs because they can find a million things that need improvement. Yet, you still enjoy them.

One classic example of this is “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Paul Simon. This song is hauntingly beautiful yet Mr. Simon does not think it is good enough!

Seeing only problems – How do you use your focus? Do you constantly see only all the problems involved? If you are inclined, it is pointless trying to change overnight!

However, you can use this mindset to your advantage while you strive in your personal development to acquire an opportunistic frame of mind instead.

How To Overcome Your Fear Of Success

• Acknowledge your fears of success, and make the decision to conquer them
• Change your negative thoughts to positive thoughts
• Analyze and let go of what you are afraid of
• For procrastination-step up your game in starting the process of going forward with your endeavors-don’t lag behind and think the worst
• Remember that if you never start-you can’t finish
• Know that no one has the power over you 
• Make a list of your strengths and be determined to let them shine
• Do not badger yourself and think that you are weak
• Take time to relax your mind, body, and your soul
• See professional help when you need it

EndNote

Remember you are not alone in your journey. Once you begin to see how you can eliminate the stress of this fear, you will achieve success one step at a time. Eventually, your fear of success will dissipate and you will have moved a long way forward in your personal development.

One important emphasis- “God did not create the heavens and the earth in one day!”

Facing Your Fears of Failure