Tiny Wisdom: Are You Afraid of Success?

“Success will never be a big step in the future; success is a small step taken just now.” ~Jonatan Mårtensson

We often talk about releasing the fear of failure to create motivation and momentum, but I’ve found that there’s another obstacle that can keep us from taking risks: the fear of success.

Success in any pursuit requires responsibility. At one point, I decided this was one thing I didn’t want. I didn’t want people to depend on me. I didn’t want to create conditions in my life that I needed to maintain with consistency, both in effort and earning.

I wanted the freedom to drop everything in a heartbeat so that I never had to feel trapped. This felt safe to me. If I never chose to rise too high, I’d never have to fall too far if I messed up; I’d never had to worry about disappointing anyone; and I’d never have to consider that maybe I didn’t deserve any attention or acclaim I might receive.

Perhaps you can relate. Maybe a part of you feels resistant to the changes that might ensue if you advance professionally or personally. Maybe you’re afraid that you’re not good enough, which makes you want to sabotage yourself when opportunity arises. Or maybe you just plain don’t want things to be any different than they are now.

If the last one is true—you truly don’t want to lose the weight, or get the job, or start the business, or whatever it is that success might mean to someone else—then you’re in a good place. You’re not afraid of success; you’re simply content with the way things are.

But if you are scared, and somewhere inside you a quiet voice is begging for growth, you owe it to yourself to question what’s really holding you back.

We all deserve to live lives that feel passionate and purposeful. And the world needs for us to find the courage to do the things we want to do—not because we’re chasing success, but because we want to make a difference, and we know we deserve and can handle whatever that entails.

My success is learning and writing every day, regardless of how Tiny Buddha grows. What is success to you—and are you going for it?