Fear Success? Top 5 Indicators
By Valery Satterwhite
Introductory comments by Royane Real
Author of “How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative”
The article below by Valery Satterwhite is on the mysterious topic of "fear of success" . The reason this topic is mysterious is because a fear of success doesn't seem logical.
Most of us can understand a fear of failure. We can understand why people might be reluctant to pursue their goals because they have a fear of failure.
But why would anybody fear success? This is indeed a mystery which can have many causes. Many of the people who are paralzyed by a fear of success don't realize that this particular fear is ruling their life.
The fact is, a fear of success can hide in plain sight, but it hides in disguise. In this article by Valery Satterwhite you can learn how to recognize some of the signs that can tell you whether or not a fear of success is operating in your life.
I personally suffered from both of these particular fears, fearing both success and failure.
One of the reasons I was afraid of success was related to the depression I suffered for many years. I was worried that if I tried really hard and became successful, I would still be unhappy. That seemed like a lot of effort to make to end up feeling bad anyway.
There are many other reasons that can trigger a fear of being successful.
Some people hold back in life because they feel guilty that if they become successful they will surpass the achievements of their parents. Or they may still be trying to prove their parents were right if their parents predicted failure for them. Others have held on to a negative self image for such a long time that they cannot imagine having a positive self image instead.
If you have a fear of being successful, your fear may be different than mine was, but it may be just as paralyzing. It may or may not benefit you to learn where your fear of success comes from. It's probably much more important to know what to do if you have a fear of success.
If you suspect that a fear of success is holding you back you may find this article by Valery Satterwhite very useful for you.
( The above introductory comments are by Royane Real, author of “How You Can Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative” available at http://www.lulu.com/real
Be sure to sign up for my free, no obligation newsletter filled with self improvement articles and tips. The sign in box is on the left hand side of this article. )
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Feature article
Fear Success? Top 5 Indicators
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us." - Marianne Williamson
It's strange to think that fear of succeeding could be such a big issue and do much damage. I've found it to be a common underlying source of paralysis and a unyielding block for many of the creative people I mentor each day. What's even stranger is that the people who suffer most profoundly from a fear of success are usually not even aware they have it.
Here are the Top 5 behaviors that indicate a fear of success:
1. I have trouble saying no to people.
2. Before I start to work on a project, I suddenly find a lot of other things to take care of first.
3. When I see someone succeed, I feel like I've lost out on something by comparison.
4. I adopt positive creative habits, get going on my work, and then suddenly revert back to my old habits.
5. I usually compromise in situations to avoid conflict.
Fear of success is the work of the Inner Critic. People fear success because they place such a heavy weight upon it. Self-esteem and self-worth is tightly wrapped around whether on not one is successful. All they identify with at the moment is a perceptively unsuccessful person.
The person who fear success fears losing their identity. She may not like how she feels about herself but that's all she knows; it’s her comfort zone. To move out of that zone is too scary.
"Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy, carries a responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the 'someday I'll' philosophy." - Dennis Waitley
Success comes with a lot of responsibility. What will happen if you become successful and then fail, once again? Now you can fail privately. A public failure would be too humiliating, too painful. This scenario is a fear of an event projected by your inner being out into the future.
Using the "avoidance of pain" as a motivator is like driving with the brakes on. On the surface, it looks like you're trying to achieve your goals but, underneath, you are holding yourself back with all your might.
Some people even have deep rooted irrational beliefs around their ideas of wealth. Again, these beliefs are the work of the Inner Critic.
For example, one may believe that rich people are selfish and only look out for themselves. Essentially, they're jerks. The person who fears success, and the wealth it would bring, may not want to become a jerk! So, he holds himself back so he can stay the kind compassionate person he is now. Truth is, wealth does not change people. If you're kind and compassionate now, you'll be kind and compassionate as a wealthy person.
"I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened." — Mark Twain
The only thing standing between you and your success is - You! Look within.
Identify the beliefs that serve as the foundation of your fear. Look for evidence of the opposite. Notice successful people who are kind and compassionate. Remind yourself that you are a responsible person. As a responsible person you are responsible for your success as well as your paralysis. Since you are already responsible, you will be able to handle the joyful responsibility of your success.
Copyright (c) 2009 Valery Satterwhite
About the Author
Valery Satterwhite is an Artist Mentor who specializes in empowering creative people to create more profoundly, more prolifically, and more profitably. Empower yourself to trust your intuition, acknowledge your truth, and disarm your fear and self-doubt.
Valery developed a proven unique "Inner Wizard" methodology to empower other creative people to actualize their full potential. Join now at http://www.InnerWizard.com . Get Free "Inner Wizard tips" too!
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