💥 Am I Afraid of Success?

I recently got back into my weekly therapy practice after taking some time off earlier this year.

I actually reached out to my former therapist whom I worked with in my late teens and early twenties before I left New York. Our first session back together was so special, albeit jam-packed with details about all that’s happened in the past five years since we saw each other last.

When we got to the topic of work and career, I was initially really pumped to fill her in on my coaching business and how I’ve been able to help so many folks take ownership of their own careers. I’ve felt so energized by my path over the past few years, and I knew my therapist would be excited to hear about it, too. After all, I did a lot of work to clarify my career direction, and I know it makes sense and feels totally aligned for me.

But a funny thing happened when I actually started talking about my work.

I unintentionally verbalized a slew of small doubts and worries that were apparently lodged in my brain. My update actually sounded dubious and timid. I finally paused to let my therapist in on the convo I was having with myself:

“It sounds like, on some level, you’re afraid of success.”

“Um… no…?” I thought. “I absolutely want to be successful! I want nothing more than for my work to be a smashing success and to make a lasting impact on the people I help! WTF is she on about?!”

But we dug into it. And it turns out that a fear of success is actually a bunch of smaller fears around change. The change that comes with evolving and fulfilling our potential. So many what-if’s that threaten the safe status quo:

After my therapy session, I thought about something else.

Any fear of success needs to be smaller than the fear of staying the same.

And for me, at least, it is.

The status quo is safe and comfy (in all of its discomfort, if that makes sense?).

But the thought of waking up in five, ten, twenty years and realizing I never gave myself a shot is terrifying.

And then, success- and alllll of the effort and change that comes with it- seems like a hell of an alternative.

Weird, right? ;)

Have you ever felt afraid of succeeding, or the changes that might come with success?

KGYGT (keep going, you got this),

Janel

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