It’s guest post Monday. This post is written by Mr.X who is a web content writer and social media expert. Feel free to check out his site at Ghostlancers.com and the site blog. If you would like to be featured as a guest poster on my blog click here.
There are a lot of talented people out there and though some of them are able to use their talents to its full potential, many of them are unable to do anything because of one simple thing: The Fear of Success!
Many of you might be wondering if such a condition even exists. Believe me when I say that it does. It even has a name, Imposter Syndrome. Though it’s not an official psychological condition, nevertheless, the symptoms have been reported by a lot of people. If you are a person who is afraid of achieving success, and you stop trying to achieve it or you feel that the success you currently have isn’t for you and you start being afraid of it, then you most probably have the same condition.
It’s natural to feel a bit anxious whenever you are going to give a test or a match, you are a part of, is about to start. However, when this anxiety is too much that it actually stops you from performing, and you begin to grow afraid of success, then you need to change the way you think.
In reality, people aren’t afraid of success. They are afraid of the changes that occur once success is achieved. They might feel that the way people think of them will change, and they will have to meet more of the expectations, people have of them. The ‘change’ is what people are afraid of along with the responsibilities they will have to handle.
It’s true that people who have achieved success need to take care of a lot of things. They have to handle the pressure they are under to remain successful, and they have to take up the new responsibilities that come with the success. Think of these things as ‘coming with the territory’ and that’s why they shouldn’t stop you from the achieving the success you want. You need to get rid of the fear you are feeling and move on!
There are some things which you can do in order to alleviate this fear:
1. Know yourself
Everyone has a self-image. The way people think about themselves and the persona they want to portray in front of others. Sometimes it happens that the idea of success that people have is greater than their self-image, and that’s what creates fear in them. If you want to achieve something, and you know that there will be new things which you will have to handle. Your self-image will stop you, and you will begin to say things like, ‘I can’t do that’, ‘I have never done that before in my life’, ‘this isn’t who I am’.
You need to have confidence in yourself and change your self-image and know that you will be able to handle the responsibilities once you are successful.
2. What if?
This is a question which many people ask themselves, and it stops them from achieving the glory they want. What if I fail? What if I can’t meet the expectations? What if people won’t like me anymore? What if I can’t give time to my family anymore?
Asking these questions is normal. Of course, things might change when you are successful, and you will have to handle a lot of stuff. However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it. People are always afraid of change, but in the end who knows? The change might even prove to be beneficial for you.
So, keep your chin high and believe in yourself.
3. What goes up must come down
Many people fear success because they feel that they won’t be able to maintain it for long. They feel that once, they are on top; people will have more expectations from them and sooner or later; they will succumb to the pressure and fail. The sense of ‘Failure’ isn’t confined to just professional failure. It also includes personal failure where one feels that they have failed other people as well because they couldn’t meet the expectations.
You need to realize that life has its ups and downs, and sometimes all good things must come to an end. But that doesn’t mean that people should stop trying to achieve success. You want to be successful because ‘You’ want to be successful and want to do something with your life. You might be feeling safe now, but after a few years you will regret that you didn’t try to achieve your goal because you were afraid. You need to believe in yourself and in God and know that everything happens for a reason. Yes, there will be expectations, and you might not be able to remain on top, but that’s something which isn’t ‘determined’ and that’s why you at least owe yourself a chance.
Question: What are some other ways a leader can alleviate this fear?
