Do you bail out of projects right before the finish line? Do you side-step promotions and opportunities? Do you put little effort toward your goals? If you do any of these things, you might be afraid of the idea of success.
But isn’t success a good thing? You may say, “Yes, of course.” But when you imagine yourself succeeding do negative thoughts pop into your mind? “If I succeed, I‘ll be unhappy… people won’t like me… I will struggle.”
Fear of success is tough to spot because it’s almost always unconscious. If you think fear of success might be holding you back, use these 7 tips to conquer it, so that you can have the success you truly want and deserve—and enjoy it!
1. Remove your excuses for being unsuccessful.
Give up the stories you tell to explain why success hasn’t happened. (Such as: My boss is a jerk… I would do it, but I don't have the money… Other people are just luckier than me.)
2. Listen to feedback.
When other people tell you that you’re sabotaging your own efforts or backsliding, listen. Let your friends and colleagues support you. They often notice when you’re in the way of your own progress. Hear them out to get back on track. Be sure to accept positive feedback too. Are you in the habit of only hearing the ways to improve yourself or your work? Increase your ability to be recognized. Take in what’s working as well. Use it to build your foundation toward accomplishing what matters to you.
3. Imagine yourself being happy and successful.
If success could look, sound and feel great to you, what would that be like? Imagine finishing that project you’ve been putting off or writing that book and feeling a rush of energy and excitement afterward.
4. Alter your all-or-nothing thinking.
When you think about success, do you associate it with the worst? For example, do you say things like: “I can't take the promotion because I'll lose my marriage.” Accepting one thing does not automatically mean losing another. Think it through. Talk it over with the key people involved.
5. Take yourself with you.
When you succeed you’ll still be you! Keep your truest values intact. Do you value honesty? Then be honest, no matter how far up the ladder you climb.
6. Give your gifts to the world.
Share your talents and skills. Don't hoard them. The world needs them. If you don’t succeed, you can’t make the difference that you want to make.
7. Know that there's nothing embarrassing about achievement.
Don’t like standing out? You can still be humble—and even private—while receiving recognition. Or, if you prefer, you can stand up on your chair and shout, “I did it!”
What step can you take today to leap beyond your fear of success? Pick one of these 7 tips and take action on it—any action—to begin reaping the rewards of moving past the finish line and celebrating your achievement!
Sue Brenner, Performance Coach and author, wants you to get the most out of life and work. That’s why she wrote "The Naked Desk: Everything you need to strip away clutter, save time and get things done" - http://x.actionsymphony.com. While you’re there, get Sue’s free eZine, "Ignite Your Life!"