Are You Uncomfortable With Success?

Many people are uncomfortable with the prospect of success. It’s seems hard to believe but it’s true. Who wouldn’t want to be more successful? Failure might not be ideal, but it can be more comfortable than the possibility of something more. Eliminating your fear of success could be all you need to do to take your life to the next level.

You may not even be aware that the thought of success makes you uncomfortable.

Consider these facts and strategies about success to become more comfortable with choosing success as a way of life:

1. The fear of success can manifest itself in different ways. Procrastination, self-sabotage, and an inability to concentrate on important tasks are signs of discomfort with success. Do you suddenly feel tired when performing a task that could take your career to the next level? These are signs that your subconscious is derailing your efforts.

• Notice signs of self-sabotage in your work and relationships. Ask yourself why you engage in those behaviors. Look at your past objectively. You’ve been sabotaging yourself for years.

2. Attack your negative beliefs. Make a list of your negative beliefs regarding success. Question them.

• How do you know this belief is true?
• Where did this belief originate?
• Could you be wrong?
• What are a few counter examples to this belief?
• What is this belief costing you?

3. Success is more complex than failure. It’s can seem easier to deal with your life as it is than to become successful. The more successful you become, the more visible you become. You’re more exposed to criticism. You have more responsibility. You may have to live with more pressure.

• Remind yourself that you’ll have access to more resources if you’re successful.

An excess of resources results in more comfort. When you have plenty of money and influence, life becomes easier.

4. You might worry about having to become a different person. Success requires change, but you can still be the same person. Someone that wants to lose weight will have to change their eating and exercise habits, but they are fundamentally the same person. There are changes to be made, but you’ll become an enhanced version of yourself.

5. Have a vision of success that appeals to you. Are you afraid that massive success will result in a loss of free time? Build a vision of success that allows you to work on the beach for a few hours each day with your laptop. Success won’t happen if your vision of success is unappealing. What is your ideal version of success?

6. List the advantages of success. Make a personal list that excites you. Consider all the advantages that success can bring: influence, money, social status, comfort, contribution, and so on. Use logic to motivate yourself.

7. Enjoy the process. Success can seem like a lot of work. If you view the work as misery, no success will be attractive enough to motivate you. Find a way to enjoy the process of becoming successful. You might choose to value what you’ll learn or the people you meet along the way. Sometimes, it’s just the adventure in finding the right path.

It feels counterintuitive that anyone would fear success. However, this is one of the primary reasons everyone isn’t more successful. Avoid underestimating how much your negative impressions of success can sabotage your future.

Build a vision of success that motivates you to be successful. Eliminate the negative. Question your current beliefs. And enjoy the success you deserve.