How does someone come to have a fear of success?

Question

I hear that some people get mixed msgs on success when they are young. Is this a factor?

Answer 1

I don't believe that there such a thing. I think 'fear of success' is fear of failure. If you succeed that just means you have farther to fall if you fail. The thought being then, you better protect yourself from achieving, because then you won't be vulnerable to having to 'fall' really far.

it is a defense mechanism of the ego.

Answer 2

When a child experiences success like a good grade, they may consider this a mixed message. How is a good grade a mixed message, you ask. When a child receives Friday's pop quiz on Monday and they get an A+, the other students may see them as being a smarty pants or a nerd but when the child brings that pop quiz home to their parents, the mother applauds the child and gives her recognition for it.
The child tells her mother about what the other kids said and the mother explains there's nothing wrong with being smart and how other kids may feel about their grade versus hers.
The same thing happens in the work force when a person does great on a sale, there may be other workers who didn't contribute as much but the marketing person makes the sales and is envied by the other person. Her co-workers envy the choices she made and her contribution to it while her boss gives her recognition and offers her a promotion.
People fear success because they give a lot of thought to the impact that success brings to them because it can always bring jealousy, hate, pride, recognition, or praise.
I definitely see the childhood influence as a factor because it's exactly what gives people that fear of success or many people feel that they'll abuse their success by trying to please the people around him or her.

Answer 3

I have a couple of ideas. One is that success is the final goal. In life, we spend it striving for things, setting goals and go after them. Once you achieve success, what's next? It's like you have reached your ultimate goal and there's nothing left to strive for. Life is only down hill from there.

The other idea is that some people may be afraid that they could never really reach such a goal. For example I smoke and I'm afraid to even try quitting because I don't think I can do it. So it's more a fear of failure than a fear of actually being successful.

And one more thought. What do you think of when you think of a successful person? Some people may imagine a snooty spoiled brat, or a selfish person who cheated the system. They may have certain ideas about successful people and can't see them self as being that way. Or they simply can't see themself as a successful person in general. They've been conditioned all their life to think about success and successful people a certain way and can't fit themselves into that little box. Who knows.

Oh and some people are afraid of change too. The status quo is acceptable or comfortable so why fix what's not broken?

Answer 4

it might be mixed messages fom childhood, but it also might be the expection that once you have success you might maintain it, which is hard to do. and once you have it people then look at you a certain way and its like you can never make a mistake again they expect you to know it all. so your life now isn't about enjoying said success but keeping it and the worry that people will still like you if you no longer have it, or what if they like you just because of your success.

so if you fear success you know where you stand with those around you, that they like you for who you are inside not what you can achive. so its better to fear it then deal with it.

Answer 5

I think it has something to do with the process of becoming successful. Some people are afraid of the hard work involved.

It could also have something to do with the life change after success.

Answer 6

Well parents play a big role and if they are pressuring thier child then that will cause problems or if they don't care enough. They just need to let the child do and become what he/she wants. Most people who fear success do not have much confidence in themselves.

Answer 7

I think that a person would fear being successful because then there isn`t a goal or a challenge anymore. Nothing to work towards.

Answer 8

what I know is that children who were pushed too far by over-ambitious parents grow up to have a fear of success or fear being on top, porbably because they were pushed into doing just that as children and they don't want to sacrifice that much any more. they grow up with a completely distorted image of success.

Answer 9

I don't think that people fear success. I think they fear what others will feel about their success.

Answer 10

i beleive so it depends greatly on what they were made to feel about their giftings and capacities and how they were affirmed when they were young