The desire to attain growth in your career can be really scary. You think of the likely achievements you can get if only you could take that step towards your goals. However, fear sets in and drags you back to where things are regular and comfortable for you. Career experts underline the need to conquer fear in order to achieve your desired success. However, it is important to first understand what these fears are. Here are some of them; Fear of failure This is considered to be the biggest fear that limits most people. The thought of trying out something new and failing is usually what stops some people from even trying in the first place. This form of fear usually stems from feelings of inefficiency and fear of rejection. Fear of being overwhelmed According to Gladys Umutoni, a businesswoman, getting too comfortable with a job position can be a big limitation for growth. “At times you want to get a bigger position but when you think of the responsibilities that will come with it, you get scared and decide to remain where you are. This is a big mistake,” she says. People fail to make decisions basing their concerns on other people’s opinion of them. Net photo. She adds that however hard this is, people need to push themselves for more in order to succeed in their careers. Fear of inadequacy An article published by Business News Daily shows that feelings of inadequacy can come from inherent low self-esteem or past negative life experiences. If someone told you that you couldn’t do something or shamed you into believing you weren’t capable of doing something well enough, you may carry that feeling of ineptitude and not even realise it. This subconscious stronghold can be truly debilitating. The best defence against a fear of inadequacy is to learn and master the specific skill, subject or activity in question and, in doing so, you will become self-assured in your execution. Fear of success The article goes on to indicate that fearing success is actually a fear of achieving your dreams and standing out—fear of the attention you will receive should you actually realise success. Yes, people might look at you, and talk about you, which can make you feel self-conscious. Sometimes, it’s the fear of taking the steps necessary to work towards your goal, or knowing what to do first when all seems daunting at the onset. We all have things we want to achieve in life but, by giving into this particular fear, you lose faith in yourself and your abilities, and also faith in those who truly have your best interests at heart and want to see you succeed. And, remember that even baby steps are forward momentum. Fear of what others will say Many times, people make or fail to make decisions basing their concerns on other people’s opinions of them, Umutoni says. “Whereas you can’t completely ignore this, people’s opinions shouldn’t be the basis of the decisions you make. This can actually crush your confidence and make you doubt your plans and abilities.”
