I used to pooh-pooh the notion that one could be afraid of success. After all, isn’t that what we’re all striving toward?  But upon further reflection, I realized there is some truth to that statement.

Success is a journey and it’s going to look different for each of us because we have different starting points, different dreams and goals, different resources. And it is very much about the person you become along the way – the personal growth you undergo with each successful step is priceless. Once you’ve tasted success, you’ve likely only whet your appetite for bigger and better achievements.

With this growth comes (a natural) fear of failure. You have a dream, big desire, a goal. And now that you’re ready to pursue it, self-doubt creeps in. So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to let a little fear get in the way of your grand achievements?

Success requires that you step outside your comfort zone. You’ll feel exposed and vulnerable. When you step into the spotlight, you’ll think “everyone’s looking at me.” Lean into this – being human will attract your tribe. People will appreciate your authenticity. This was and is hard for me. As someone who’s very reserved, possibly introverted, it is still difficult for me to step out of the shadows and into the light.  So it’s very much an ongoing internal dialogue to constantly push myself, because my message is bigger than my fears. You may have heard me mention my “birthday adventures” where each year I’d celebrate my birthday by doing something crazy and light years out of my comfort zone, like skydiving, taking a flying lesson, white water rafting and so on.  I still enjoy pushing myself, but these days it’s more about letting people in, than walking on the wild side.

Success requires new learnings. The truth is, you don’t know it all, right? So there will be some things you will need to learn up front, and also pick up along the way. But then you wonder, what if I’m not smart enough to “get it”? Be aware that the highest achievers and most successful leaders have one thing in common: they are avid readers and lifelong learners. Embrace knowledge. Learning new things sparks innovative ideas, keeps you inspired and on the forefront of progress. It’s important to be aware of other viewpoints and insights, which in turn will help guide you on your own journey, not to mention help you provide more value to your clients.

Fear of Rejection. Offering our all comes with it feelings that “people won’t like me” or “they won’t want what I have to offer.” But these musings are likely all in your head and in no way based on reality. That said, sometimes culling the herd of deadweight is the boost you need to move freely into your next level of greatness. You need a team of supporters, people that can uplift and encourage you so be aware of any naysayers making you blue and holding you back and bid them a swift adieu!

Success Requires Change. You can’t keep doing what you’ve always done. What you’ve done to get you here, will not be enough to take you there. There will be subtle signs of growth and there will be huge leaps. Track your progress to benchmark your successes and use them as a launchpad to continuous achievements.

To move yourself forward, follow these tips:

Probe your fears. What’s the source or root cause of your fear – is it real or imagined? What’s the true impact – what do you lose by not moving forward? What’s the solution – how can you overcome this challenge?

Know your “Why.”  Is it big enough to carry you through? While many of our goals or dreams have a dollar sign attached to them as a symbol of “success,” the fact is that money is not always the biggest motivator.

Adopt a single-mindedness of purpose. This is your big dream, and the time is now. Brush yourself off and make it so. Give yourself a reasonable deadline and check your progress, adjust as necessary.

In the end, it’s about having the confidence to pursue your dreams and goals. Confidence is like a muscle; it grows and remains firm with constant exercise. Many top performers became so with coaching support. As an additional resource, I recently interviewed seasoned Confidence Coach and Master Certified Fearless Living Coach Debbie Ternes. Check out my Divas, Diamonds, and Dollars Voyager Interview series podcast with Debbie, where we discuss how you can Become Boldly Confident, Live Abundantly.