Fear is a weird thing. As much as the right dose can propel us to greatness, too much of it will hold us back forever. Think about your career – does it match the goals you set out in the very beginning? People that answer no should be aware that there are various reasons why this may have happened. It can have nothing to do with fear whatsoever should you have a baby, for example. Still, fear plays a major role for millions of employees around the world. Before you can address them head on, it’s important to know which ones apply to you personally.
Fear Of Failure
We would love to achieve greatness and climb to the top of the corporate ladder, but failure stares us dead in the face. Let’s face facts and state outright that the best of the best have an incredible amount of skill, drive, and energy. Not only that but they use their time incredibly efficiently. Due to the equality of outcome, everyone has to follow the model to reach their levels and it’s a scary prospect. After all, the media is happy to say there is only one Steve Jobs. What they don’t mention is that failure is a stepping stone to success because we learn from our mistakes.
Fear Of Rejection
This can take many forms. For example, we fear that our job application will not get a response. Or, we are scared a higher education program won’t pick us because there are expert candidates. In these cases, our brain makes an easy yet effective case: what’s the point? It seems pointless applying in the first place when the application will get rejected anyway. Remember that some people and organizations are willing to help. Do you know that healthcare degree you always wanted? Well, third-party companies will put you in contact with colleges. Agencies and recruiters can do the same for employees looking for a change of scenery.
Fear Of Disappointment
We finally have the chance to land a job of a lifetime yet stop short. Picture the scene. The application goes well, as does the interview, and there is an offer. The thing is, the role can’t be as good as we imagine it in our heads. Even with the job specification and the perks, there is bound to be a let down at some point. Again, this backs lots of us into a corner where logic dictates we’re better off staying put. Although it may not be everything we ever wanted, even if it’s a couple of percentage points better a switch is a wise choice.
Fear Of The Unknown
Anything can happen when human beings take risks. We suddenly have the balls to change employers and industries and then they go under. How anyone can put food on the table at this point is hard to fathom. So, most of us decide it’s best to stagnate for the good of our families. Unpredictability is impossible to gauge, and the only way to find out the answer is to dive headfirst into the deep end.
Are there any other fears which hold you back from being successful?
