Success! The word is enough to stir feelings of joy and happiness within us. Mentioning this word results in all visualizing the sound of claps, happy cheers, achievements, trophies, and appreciation from everyone. Success is the focused destination all of us are driven by, encouraging us to strive harder. However, behind this basking glory of success lies the gloomy fear that keeps lurking around.
Imagine this: You have invested generously and endlessly your efforts, intellect, and knowledge into an important project that can turn out to be a milestone in your career. Not only are you working hard on this project, but have also articulated a precise plan customizing each and every detail with dedication and passion. As the project is nearing an end, doubt starts creeping into your mind. Sudden thoughts like ‘What if I actually succeed? What will happen after I succeed? Will I be able to take in that success?’ usher in your mind, leaving no stone unturned to make you anxious.
The fear of success is not just associated with the fulfillment of goals; it is an intricate psychological conditioning that is drilled into our minds containing diverse deep-rooted fears and undefined anxious moments concerning what success encompasses.
For example, a female artist holds a vision to start her own agency, however, the constant fear of whether she will succeed or not troubles her mind. Additionally, she also ends up worrying that if she achieves greater heights of success, she will have to cope with increased responsibilities and expectations. This fear holds her back from taking progressive steps towards her dreams.
Now, did you find any similarity after reading this situation? Have you also experienced such moments of anxiety while thinking about your success? We will be exploring psychological insights as to why we fear success more than failure and why failure seems easier to digest than success.
Psychological Insights
The fear of success holds the deepest dark secrets that are responsible for pushing us to the edge of the mountain, scaring us to death. (Not literally!) That was just a figure of speech. However, it is true that these underlying factors are no less when it comes to daunting us! Now without further ado, let us enlighten you all with these factors.
Fear of the Uncertainty: Uncertainty keeps us on our toes and induces fear. Success often brings uncertainty, as it challenges us rather than simply bringing joy. When faced with complexities, high expectations, and diverse responsibilities, we often fall into the shadow of uncertainty. This uncertainty becomes an enemy, hindering our success through fear.
Imposter Syndrome: It is quite common for people to consume themselves with feelings of incapable despite their accomplishments over the years. Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon characterized by constant feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy even after succeeding for so long. People who face Imposter Syndrome continue to live in fear of being seen as imposters who don’t genuinely deserve to experience their achievements. This distorted perception towards the self can limit their way to success, hindering their self-esteem.
Fear of Change: Despite being aware of the clichéd saying ‘Change is constant’, human beings tend to refuse to get accustomed to change. This denial to step out of their comfort zone often creates hurdles for those who don’t accept change. The comfort of routine gets challenged due to success, pushing people to think out of the box and adapt. This adaptation may take a toll on psychological grounds as the new change can seem uncertain and this unpredictability can limit people from taking initiative in terms of grabbing new opportunities and unleashing their full capabilities.
Despite these intimidating factors, success is attractive and it is not surprising that we all want to embrace it. So to welcome this success with a calm mind, it is crucial to overcome the underlying factors that cause fear towards success. Hence, to leave this fear behind, identifying and addressing the fear of success is necessary. Let’s take a quick look at how one can push these limitations with confidence.
1. Introspection and Awareness: The first step to overcoming fear is introspecting the aspects that instigate hesitation to succeed. Accepting these factors and emotions without judgment can be a great start to gaining clear insights into your dreams.
2. Set a Strong Narrative: We all have been at a place where our mind plays tricks on us and fear sets in. The second important step is to shatter all negative perceptions toward self and set a strong narrative about your own capabilities through positive affirmations. Replacing demeaning statements about yourself with reminders of your past success stories can build a robust foundation for your narrative.
3. Nurture Resilience: To beat this fear of success, sow seeds of resilience and nurture them by investing in a strong sense of belief in self. Embracing the moments of challenges can unlock new doors of opportunities, fostering growth and learning. These opportunities can prove empowering as they will lead you to the path of self-discovery, unwavering strength, and a strong sense of acceptance towards new possibilities.
4. Set Manageable Goals: To accomplish any milestone, the most pivotal step is to break down tasks into small goals that are manageable. This strategy not only diminishes the feelings of overwhelming but also brings in a sense of achievement, promoting each small step towards excellence rather than perfection.
We all understand success can feel joyful yet crowded when it knocks the door of life as it brings along its close friends viz. higher expectations, more diverse roles, and increased scope of responsibility. However, it is important to realize that despite these not-so-appealing close friends of success, they push you to evolve, build resilience, and seek meaningful fulfilment. Success can feel fearful yet it never fails to be attractive as it embodies self-discovery, growth, transformation, and courage to be limitless and navigate through strong winds of challenges!
Comments