Many people fail to achieve their life objectives due to the phenomenon known as “fear of failure,” but did you know that a state known as “fear of success” is also a significant component that is commonly overlooked?
Fear of failure will paralyse many people, preventing them from making decisions or taking action in the case of rejection or unfavourable outcomes. This mental state is easy to spot, and the personal development industry has a slew of tools to help you overcome it and retrain your mind for success. On the other hand, the fear of success is far more subtle, difficult to recognise, and even more difficult to overcome.
Maybe you’ve noticed something similar in your own life. Here are a few indicators that you have a fear of success mentality.
You’ve been studying and attempting to implement self-improvement approaches and/or personal development tools, but your life hasn’t improved and may have worsened.
You settle for less than you believe you are entitled to or capable of.
You start new projects with enthusiasm and anticipation, but your efforts wane or you quit them before they are completed.
No matter how good things appear to be at the time, something is going to go wrong.
Are there any patterns in any of the statements above that you can identify?
You may act in ways that hinder your advancement because you are afraid of achievement. Take a peek at the list below. The signs and symptoms of success anxiety are as follows.
Procrastination is described as putting off or neglecting to do something that you know will move you closer to your objective. Everyone is influenced by this inner ‘demon’ at some point in their lives (though some are more impacted than others!).
According to research, procrastination is a “success killer.” If you don’t take action, how can you expect to arrive to your destination? Every day, attempt to do small tasks that will bring you closer to your goal. This is why having a personal growth plan is so important in the fight against procrastination. Take action! Any type of activity is acceptable! Fine-tune your steps as you go, but don’t sit around doing nothing. Taking action is one of the most fundamental aspects of personal development.
I can’t see the forest for the trees because I can’t see past the trees! – This is the polar opposite of procrastination, but it has a comparable effect on your personal development. Despite the fact that the proverb is well-known, have you ever given it serious consideration?
Don’t get too caught up in your strategy, thinking it’s more vital than your goal! For a long period, I was caught in this trap. As a result, I began to believe and act as if my plan was more important than the end result, and as a result, I missed several opportunities to alter my route and reach my goals more quickly! By letting go of your ego, you can allow the Universe to show you a speedier approach to your goal. Maintain a flexible mindset.
Have you ever postponed starting a business because you didn’t think the time was right? Have you ever put off making a better decision until more information became available?
Once again, taking action is the key to opening the door to success. It’s advisable to make small forward movements rather than none at all or to wait to see if your foot falls correctly! You’ve gained knowledge and insight into what doesn’t work, even if your activities bring you away from your goal!
Being a perfectionist is related to the previous point and results in the same outcome, namely, that you never genuinely develop. It doesn’t matter how fantastic a thing is when it’s finished; there’s always room for improvement! Many talented artists have told me that they hate listening to their own work since they can always improve it. Despite this, we still enjoy them. The song “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Paul Simon is a fantastic example of this. Mr. Simon does not believe this music is good enough, despite the fact that it is hauntingly beautiful!
When all you see are difficulties, how do you use your attention? Do you always see the big picture and all of the difficulties at the same time? If you’re like this, it’s pointless to try to change overnight! You may, however, use this way of thinking to your benefit as you work on developing an opportunistic mentality as part of your personal growth.
“Can you tell me how you’re going to use just spotting impediments to my advantage?” you might think. “Without a doubt,” I said. Examine the issues and devise a strategy to address them. Whenever you succeed, give yourself a pat on the back. Use them as a benchmark for your achievements. If you keep running across new problems, think about how well you handled the previous ones. Take a peek at where you’ve come from! If you see a difficulty, ask yourself, “How can I best overcome this challenge?” or “How quickly can I resolve this situation?” The quality of your inquiries, as I said in a recent article, is crucial. Gather information by using the problems. Is there a real problem now? If that’s the case, deal with it. Is this a possible problem? If that’s the case, develop a backup plan in case something goes wrong, but don’t get too worked up about it; just be prepared.
Enjoy the journey, and if you follow the guidelines above, you’ll be successful. Your fear of success will melt away with time, and you will have made tremendous progress in your personal growth.
