Today, we'll discuss success phobia. Many entrepreneurs desire to succeed but unwittingly create roadblocks. Positive and negative emotions are linked to paralysing anxieties that inhibit activity and progress.
We shall discuss social pressure to achieve, its symptoms, its effects, and the 8 major concerns that lay beneath it in the following lines. You will learn how to change your mentality to overcome your fear of success at the end of the essay. No magic recipe, just suggestions on how to challenge yourself and move forward gently.
Fear of success is wanting to attain a goal but being terrified of doing so.
The fear of achieving causes a great internal tension between your goals and fears.
The fear of success is often hard to spot due to social pressure. In our society that values action, speed, and performance, this topic is still taboo.
Particularly when many individuals enjoy criticising others who achieve their aims. Thus, we should seek success, but not too much!
Procrastination due to success anxiety
Are you avoiding crucial duties because you can't act? Passive procrastination follows.
Do you constantly rework the same points, giving the impression of being active, efficient, and productive? This means you don't have time to consider what will advance your business? Then aggressive procrastination.
As you know, procrastination is the biggest sign of success anxiety.
Entrepreneurs who spend their days repositioning and changing their minds ten times don't lack direction. This person may be apprehensive of taking the next step to achieve their goals. Imagine, it works!😄
What happens if you want a relationship but are terrified it may happen? The answer is self-sabotage!
Logic dictates that simultaneously pressing the brake and accelerator leads nowhere (except into the wall 😬).
A significant gap between your goals and behaviours leads to self-sabotage. You stay put while developing:
A feeling of irritation about the slow progress of a project.
The self-criticism of "I am not good enough or competent enough"
At first glance, everyone aspires to attain personal and business goals. Why are we terrified of success? Because success fear is just the covering, the tip of the iceberg that hides many more concerns.
The fear of failure comes first. Yes, success can lead to failure. Falling from heights can be terrifying and paralysing.
The fear of achievement is also the fear of failing and not taking responsibility.
Some may worry that success would affect their personality, such as becoming obsessed with money.
Fear of success is also fear of others' opinions. Scary to be the board's nail!
You may then wonder:
If I achieve, will I be criticised?
Do I risk gaining hatred with success?
Less-loved fear
"Will people still like me if I succeed and earn more?" One of the worries that explains success phobia.
Understanding how loved ones treat us can slow our progress.
Unfortunately, society loves to hate successful individuals.
Fearing criticism might paralyse you from taking action to grow your business.
Fear of change about success may be linked to future changes to:
Life pace.
Priorities.
Work-life balance, etc.
Success can cause dread of achieving great heights and losing everything.
Thus, inaction unconsciously protects you from this disaster.