Every professional encounters the same enemy of progress during their career, whether they realize it or not: fear.
But before you protest, thinking this doesn’t apply to you, you may want to suspend judgment.
Fear is a powerful emotion. It often masquerades as a cloak of protection, keeping us from doing things that may cause us harm. But sometimes, the real damage comes from the inaction that fear enables.
We avoid those things that make us uncomfortable at all costs, but there is no growth in the status quo. Sooner or later, that caution and those fears that prevent you from getting hurt or put on the spot stagnate you.
Here are some of the sneaky ways fear sabotages your career:
It causes you to procrastinate
You’re not lazy; you’re scared. When we procrastinate, we’re avoiding the unpleasant feelings that accompany the task at hand. Procrastination is rooted in fear—of failure, of success, or of not being perfect—and as mentioned earlier, fear is a powerful emotion. We feel anxiety when we’re pushed to do things that make us uncomfortable, so naturally, we avoid them at all costs. But it’s only a temporary fix when we try to get rid of the negative feelings by scrolling through our social media feeds. By facing your emotions, you can begin to manage them.
It makes you feel like an imposter
Even when you’re competent, fear can make you lack confidence. Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. Ironically, it disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments and question whether they’re deserving of accolades.
It fills your head with negative self-talk
Somewhere along the way, out of fear of ridicule or rejection, you started to tell yourself that it was okay not to go after what you wanted. You fill your head with negative stories that prevent you from learning, growing, and stretching your wings. You say things like, I’m not good enough, I’m not ready, or I’m just a __________ (whatever you are now), not a _________ (whatever you’d like to be). Self-sabotaging talk can be a dream killer and a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s a vicious cycle. It plants seeds of doubt, so we start to retreat and succumb to the negative stories echoing in our heads.
It makes you blame external forces for holding you back
You’d be able to achieve your goals if only (fill in the blank) wasn’t holding you back, right? It’s far easier to blame others for your lack of growth than it is to step out of your comfort zone. The truth is that the things that prevent you from growing are not external; they are internal. It’s easy to think that other forces — your boss, the economy, or bad luck — block your path. Not true.
It causes you to fall into the trap of ‘good enough’
You’re gainfully employed and have supportive friends and family. You have a good life. So good, in fact, that you should be grateful. You should be happy. You should feel guilty for wanting something different when so many would kill to be in your shoes. You end up “should-ing” all over yourself. You convince yourself that rocking the boat would upset everyone around you, and who wants that? Rather than go after your dreams, you settle for good enough.
If any of these scenarios sound familiar, sorry, but fear has reared its ugly head, preventing your career progress.
The good news? Once you’ve acknowledged that fear exists, you can take measures to address and disarm it. Here are three action-oriented ways to do that:
1. Change the stories you tell yourself
If you want a better life and career, you have to change the stories you tell yourself.
Words have power, especially those you say — or don’t say — to yourself. You’ll abandon limiting beliefs and adopt a growth-focused mindset by replacing self-sabotaging talk with self-affirming talk. This doesn’t mean that you’ll transform overnight, but it will create a more welcoming environment for positive change.
2. Accept that the only one holding you back is you
Everything will remain the same until you take responsibility for your own growth journey. To make positive change, you have to be willing to be vulnerable. You need to muster the courage to acknowledge and tackle your hidden fears. By doing so, you’ll get out of your own way, gain traction and go after your goals.
3. Realize that ‘good enough’ rarely is
It is hardest to admit what you most want in the world, and so very easy to settle for something short of that “risky” path. Instead, lose the fear and guilt about going after what’s missing and start to explore. A healthy curiosity is often the best educator, leading to new opportunities and experiences.
As George Addair famously said, “Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” And taking action is the way through.
