Fear of Success!
By Michael McGrath
It is well documented that many people fail to achieve their
goals in life due to the phenomenon known as "fear of failure"
but are you aware that a major factor that is often overlooked,
is a state known as "fear of success"?
Fear of failure will lead many people into inertia - the
inability to make decision 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.
Perhaps you have this tendency in your life. 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 the any of the above
statements?
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 towards it?
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 in 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! For many years I got
caught in this trap. I started to think and act as though my
plan was more important than my end result and thus missed many
opportunities to alter my path and reach my 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 are 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 its finished it can always be
improved! I have heard many great musicians tell how they hate
listening to their own songs because they can find a million
things that need improved. Yet, we still enjoy them. I think a
classic example of this is "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Paul
Simon. This song is hauntingly beautiful yet Mr. Simon does not
think its good enough!
Seeing only problems - how do you use your focus? Do you
constantly see only and all the problems involved? If you are
this way 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 can you use seeing only problems to my advantage?" you say.
"Easily", is my reply! Look at the problems and prepare a plan
to deal with them. Every time you overcome one congratulate
yourself. Use them as a gauge for your achievements. If you keep
seeing more problems remind yourself of how well you dealt with
the others. Look at how far you have come! If you see a problem
ask yourself, "how best can I overcome this challenge?" or "how
quickly can I rectify this situation?". The quality of your
questions are important as I have outlined in a previous
article. Use the problems as fact finders. Is there a real
problem now? If so then deal with it. Is it a potential problem?
If so then create a contingency plan in case it does occur but
don't get caught up in it just be prepared.
Enjoy the journey, follow the above guidelines and you will
achieve success. Eventually your fear of success will dissipate
and you will have moved a long way forward in your personal
development.
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Michael McGrath is the owner of several successful Internet
businesses, a university computer graduate and he has over 22
years experience with personal development & the psychology of
the mind.
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