Success or Failure? How Fear is Impacting Your Career Progression

Last month, I was discussing three common traps that prevent us from accomplishing our goals.

I received some great feedback about an important piece missing from the puzzle:

it's not just about having the right goals, but also having the courage to pursue them.

That conversation (thank you for the suggestion to share it here) inspired me to go deeper into the blockers of achieving our goals.

I'm sure you won't be surprised to learn who the main offenders are.

Drum roll...

Meet the fear of failure and its symmetrical twin, the fear of success.

The Fear of Failure

The fear of failure is an intense—often paralyzing—worry about making mistakes, being judged, or not meeting expectations. At its worst, you won’t even try to do something, in case something could go wrong. It can have multiple sources: perfectionism, past negative experiences, and societal pressures that emphasize success and stigmatize failure.

It can severely impact your career by causing hesitation to take on new challenges, but it also affects your effectiveness in your day-to-day job, which often requires making difficult decisions and facing adversities. In such situations, you can never be 100% sure of what will happen; quite often, you have to be willing to take the chance.

In cultures, organizations, and teams that do not support mistakes as part of growth, it can create a stagnant environment where people refrain from proposing innovative bold ideas, fearing they might be rejected or criticized. Also, high-performing professionals might be inclined to not push for promotions due to fear of the pressure of not meeting new expectations.

The Fear of Success

Who can be afraid of succeeding? Many more than you can imagine. Achieving goal can seem all that we hoped for but:

What if it’s not everything I dreamed it would be? And what if it is? What do I do then?

Fear of success involves anxiety about the potential consequences, such as increased expectations and responsibilities, but also the less obvious fear of backlash from peers. Maybe they won’t think that you deserved that, or you are the one thinking that in the first place. Imposter syndrome and fear of standing out are the common drivers here.

This can lead to self-sabotage, where individuals unconsciously undermine their efforts or avoid ambitious goals. It can also cause stress and anxiety about maintaining high-performance levels and strain relationships due to jealousy or competition.

For companies, this has the effect of high achievers who experience anxiety and burnout from the pressure to maintain their success and professionals who intentionally underperform to avoid standing out.

How do you identify your worst fear?

Both fears stem from underlying anxieties and lead to avoidance behaviours, causing stress, lower self-esteem, and growth avoidance. While fear of failure results in avoidance of action, fear of success can lead to self-sabotage prior to and post-achievement.

Ways to Handle Fear of Failure and Fear of Success

Building Resilience: At the risk of sounding cliché, you need to learn to embrace challenges as opportunities for learning. Detach your effort from the outcome; at that point, failing or succeeding won’t matter; it’s just an extra step in the growth process.

Additionally, celebrating small successes and learning from failures can help to remove the fear. However it goes, I am going to cheer on it!

Developing Self-Awareness: When you reflect on past successes, you gain valuable insight into distinguishing between real and perceived consequences, which can greatly aid you in overcoming these fears. By analyzing your past accomplishments, you can recognize your capabilities and strengths, increasing your confidence to face future challenges head-on.

Also, understanding the root causes of your fears through self-reflection allows you to address them more effectively and develop strategies to mitigate their impact on your career progression.

Seeking Support: Utilize your peers, mentorship, or coaching to gain perspective and build confidence. Reaching out to others not only provides valuable insights, but also creates accountability and motivation to stay committed to your goals.

Look for people who have faced similar challenges or are just a step ahead to see how they overcame them; it can be a great way to navigate through challenges and strive for success

Both fear of failure and fear of success can significantly impede career advancement. Recognizing and addressing these fears is crucial for personal and professional development.

Begin by setting realistic goals and taking proactive steps; you can unlock your full potential and start thinking - without fear - about your next dream.

All the best,

Serena

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Curious to explore how you can overcome your fears and achieve your goals with confidence? Book a discovery call or check how we can work together and pursue your goals.