Why I Fear Success

Can fear of success really inhibit us from moving forward? It can, and here are a few reasons why.

by Pete Ferguson

Some people remember the exact moment in time when man first stepped foot on the moon, or news reached them that US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

There are a few moments in life for me that serve as an anchor such as these - and one of them was the first time I heard that the reason I cannot find success is because I am afraid to be successful.

It was 2006, I was getting off the exit to work, and I was listening to Ultimate Power by Anthony Robbins. The thought of it was earth shattering. I was mentally paralyzed the rest of the day.

Still today as I realize that many of the roadblocks in my life are not due to external factors - but to my own self-limiting beliefs of how successful I "should" be - I am instantly uncomfortable.

This "Divine Discontent" is a low-grade anxiety that sits in the back of my mind ... Continue reading on www.LearnActShare.com

Thanks to Joanne Miller for reminding me of this topic!

Tags: attitude, contentment, fear, ferguson, goals, learnactshare, overcome, pete, success

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Comment by Caroline Gavin on January 3, 2013 at 11:49am: "The trick in life is to unlock that fear, constantly pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone, and see where it can take it." Pete, I appreciate how you share not only powerful insights but also personal experiences. Your words are written from the heart. I agree that fear of success causes many of us to stumble, often unbeknownst to us. Raising our awareness of this fear and, as you wrote, unlocking it and pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone is critical to reaching God-given potential. Much gratitude...and many blessings in this New Year!

Comment by Ann Musico on January 3, 2013 at 8:58am: Thank you for your response Pete - I agree - that is exactly the better way to look at it.

Comment by Peter A Ferguson on January 3, 2013 at 8:56am: Ann, perhaps the trick is to realize "you can't do that" really means, "under a very specific set of circumstances and at that time in someone's life, "x" did not work.

I saw your other reply that you are working an administrative job again while you are waiting for things to pick up with coaching. I'm glad you do not allow the current circumstances to define that your dream "didn't work." It is just going through a teething stage.

Thanks Adam for the reply. Great to hear from you again.

Regards, Pete

Comment by Ann Musico on January 3, 2013 at 6:53am: Wonderful as always, Pete, and I definitely relate. I have realized that fearing success definitely applies to me. I grew up hearing, "you can't do that" much more than "you can" and as is true of children that was deeply internalized. It has taken me many years and I'm still not fully "there" yet - but I'm moving in the right direction. Thank you for sharing.

Comment by Adam Rico on January 2, 2013 at 11:07pm: Pete,

This is a great post. It almost seems counterintuitive to fear success but you are exactly right. I find myself aiming too low sometimes and it frustrates me to no end. The good news is we are all in control of our thinking - and we can all choose to think big. I'm looking forward to thinking big in 2013. Thanks for your post Pete.