To often in life people fail to act. Most of the reasons for inaction revolve around fear. Most of these fears are centered around the fear of failure. As there is with every rule or almost all “most” statements there are/is an exception. In this instance it is the fear of success that provides the exception. Success is a hard thing to achieve, but may be even harder to maintain. The idea of achieving success creates a tremendous amount of pressure. The pressure created results in inaction as an effort to avoid the pressure previously mentioned. So it goes like this. Tom has a great idea he is sure will work and the boss will love. Tom though does nothing because he is afraid of the success his idea will enable him. So Tom makes up internal excuses as to why he can’t/shouldn’t follow through on his idea. Thus Tom’s potential success has provided the catalyst for mediocrity. Mediocrity is easy, fun and at the end of the day no one will look to you for answers.
There is nothing inherently wrong with mediocrity, unless it at the expense of success. Many times people are sitting on a gold mine and only realize how silly they were in inaction when someone else finds the entrance to their goldmine and starts selling tickets.
Fear of success can be with regard to anything, not just work and/or business. If you love someone for example – don’t be afraid to love them more. A successful relationship of any kind is also scary and can’t provoke inaction in fear of greater success.
I am in the midst of battling my own fear of success and inaction as we speak so I am very aware of the power it holds. Why take a risk on something you know will be successful when you can stay anonymous and work safely in your current arena? Why indeed.
Be your own role model,
JM
2 comments:
in the words of mike shields' hero jim calhoun, DARE TO DREAM. miller, keep on keepin on broman, you are inspiration to us all.
I beleive success to be a mind set. I admire the 50-year government employee that has enjoyed his/her 3% raise every year and found happiness and contentment. Success is more of a function of happiness than it is money. I, on the other hand, seek my fair share of the pie and am driven by monetary successssssssss. Big said it best, that when you have more money you have more problems. In a job where my income has no ceiling, there is always the feeling that I can do more. It is unsettling and often difficult to manage. Stress, stress, stress= benders, naps, and depression. The one's who succeed (just like miller's post) are not flashed in the pan. They are the one's that sit on top of the mountain like a stone and laugh in the face of adversity. The more responsibility you gain, the more you need to delegate and share. You may have a good idea but not share it because of greed or the feeling that you may be left out of some of the money your idea will bring. It is not the idea that will bring you money, it is the way you manage the idea and how good the people are you surround yourself with. Grind, grind, grind. And aspire to the highest levels of happiness you can find. That is success....not tipping some asshole bar tender $40 on a $15 check.
Yes.
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