So, I phoned a friend. The telephone is a remarkably helpful tool! As I was speaking to him, I realised this one important fact: I was afraid of my own success.
The fear of failure is well-documented, but what about the fear of success? I have been so used to struggling for achievement and am familiar with failure. I often expect rejection for my efforts. So when the good stuff starts to manifest, I’m uncomfortable! It’s not what I expect and I’m not used to it. So on that day, I found myself wanting to reject it!
There’s a story about a man who fell into a sewer. He remained there for some time. People walked past him, shocked that he wasn’t attempting to get out. “Why are you staying in that awful, stinky hole?” He answered, “Well it may be smelly, but at least it’s warm and comfortable”.
Ask yourself what you would need to give up in order to receive the success you are striving for. What would you have to sacrifice? Your comfort in what’s familiar?
You are capable of more than you think you are. Allow yourself to believe that about yourself and you may not be so afraid of the success that comes your way. Not only that, but you are worthy of the success you seek. The inner critic that says you are not is a likely factor in your fear of success. I know at times I can fear being an imposter in my own success, not truly believing that I am both capable and worthy of receiving the good fortune that comes my way.
You are worthy simply because you exist. Have the courage to connect with your greatness and dare to be who you are truly capable of being – bigger, bolder and braver. Live beyond your expectations of yourself and your abilities. Melisa Pearce puts it very simply:
Acknowledge your fear – write down what it is in success that you are afraid of, then let it go – burn that piece of paper, asking God, the Universe, whatever you choose to call it, to take it from you.
I leave you with one of my favourite quotes of our time:
Edna Chohan
05 Sep 2014 6:43 pmWhat an amazing blog! Yes, it is true! We often cannot comprehend our own success and we go looking for an explanation of why something is amiss.