Time now for us to face The Fear That Must Not Be Named. This is by far the best we’ve read this week.
How to Identify and Deal With a Fear of Success
by Elizabeth Yuko
Fear of failure makes sense. We’ve all experienced failure at some stage, realized it’s not great, and are worried about feeling like that again. But our brains are hard to please. Because in addition to the fear of failure, many people also experience a fear of success.
Though it may sound ridiculous, being afraid of succeeding is very real—although it’s not always obvious. In other words, you may be experiencing a fear of success and not realizing it (or are grouping it in with fear of failure). Ideally, we want to avoid these kinds of stresses and fears, so here are some tips for identifying and dealing with a fear of success.
What is fear of success?
First of all, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re not afraid of the success itself, but rather the consequences of succeeding. Kendra Cherry explains the concept in an article for Verywell Mind:
The fear of success involves being afraid of achievement, often to the point that people will sabotage themselves…Because expectations of success are often based on the idea that achieving your goals means making sacrifices or enduring losses, it is perhaps not surprising that people may be wary of what success might ultimately cost them.
How to identify a fear of success
According to a 2018 article published in the University Journal of Educational Research, fear of success can take the form of any of the following:
- Being concerned about whether your success could change your relationships with important people in your life
- Feeling apprehensive about the new responsibilities that may come along with your success
- Being afraid that your life will become more complicated and feel out of your control
- Being anxious about being in a position where you are more likely to receive negative comments and feedback—both in general and on a wider scale….