Fear of Failure and Fear of Success
Work can be stressful.
Sometimes, however, we are stymied by more than just the stress of the situation. Sometimes we get in our own way. Sometimes we worry that the path we are on is a dead end - or worse.
These fears are healthy and useful - so long as they are informing but not guiding our decisions. Often these fears are conscious - but their impact may not be fully conscious. Just as often, however, we have learned to push these fears down below the surface, in an attempt to overcome them or show ourselves a brave face, rather than listening them. They will just get louder as they try desperately to warn us, raising their voices explicitly because they're now also worried that their message will not be received in time.
It can be very helpful sit with another person to process and integrate these fears into a useful place in our decision making. I can facilitate that dialogue between these disparate parts of yourself, whether they are all mental or partially somatic or even spiritual.
What if I succeed? What if I get this role? What if I have to speak to colleagues that I admire? What if I have to introduce a Congressperson?
Sometimes we do not want to be seen or to succeed. Sometimes we feel do not deserve to succeed. Sometimes we feel like an imposter. If you're me, maybe that feeling never goes away.
Again, it is important to acknowledge these feelings, these anxieties, these fears, these feelings of shame, and the attend frustrations that you might be worried about in that hypothetical future.
The only real cure for a fear of success is clarity and alignment. Clarity as to its root cause and clarity as to your goals. Once you have true clarity as to your personal circumstances, you can align yourself with your values and stand worthy before your inner critic. Once you have true clarity as to your goals, you can align you conduct with those goals and feel like you have appropriately earned the outcome you reap.
Be better.
CONFIDENTIALITY
I offer full confidentiality, including, where appropriate, the attorney-client privilege and the priest-penitent privileges. These mean that, absent an exception, I cannot be compelled to divulge your secrets, not even in court.