Can the fear of success have an impact your self-confidence?

Being successful can sometimes feel like a double-edged sword. On one side, success is craved, and a tremendous amount of effort is put into achieving it. The perception of success may be recognition/fame and financial rewards. It may be that without a constant striving for it, there is no life.

On the other side there may be a hidden inner fear of succeeding, which is being afraid of hitting success big time. It can only be imagined what comes with huge success. There is the money and the need to manage it. With money, there may be the purchase of more valuable possessions; they will also need to be managed. More importantly, success can bring added responsibility. There may be more people listening to what the individual has to say, more people following their advice, and they may become much more influential.

It is hardly surprising then that the individual starts asking questions, such as: ‘Do I really want all that responsibility?’ ‘What if it becomes too stressful?’ ‘Maybe just a little success will do, I don't need to make it too big!’

With those self-imposed limitations, it may become more difficult to achieve the level of success you originally wanted. Concerns like these can sometimes influence the choices we make without us immediately recognising it. We might put things off, turn down opportunities, set smaller goals or stop pursuing something when it begins to feel more real.

How would this situation impact your self-confidence? If you repeatedly hold yourself back from opportunities you genuinely want, it may begin to affect your confidence. You may start questioning your abilities or wondering whether you're capable of achieving what you originally wanted.

If you recognise the above in yourself, there is one thing to keep in mind. The journey to real success is long and unpredictable. Some people have taken many years to become an ‘overnight success’. If you believe you don't have it in you to think big because you perceive it intimidates you, don't despair. Take tiny steps first towards your goal and get used to the taste of success gradually. Taking smaller steps can give you opportunities to build experience, adjust to new responsibilities and learn what greater success actually feels like rather than only imagining it.

Taking time to recognise your progress and achievements, however small, can help you build evidence of what you're capable of. Therefore, enjoy and celebrate each success, no matter how small or big.

If you want additional support, you might consider a varied menu of training courses, workshops, one-to-one or group coaching, online courses, mentoring or any combination that suits you. Whatever support you choose, putting what you learn into practice is an important part of making change.