Life Coaching: Fear not

Many success phobics are wedded to their fear and are committed to failing whenever possible.

By BEN GOLDFARB
ben goldfarb 88 (photo credit: )
ben goldfarb 88
(photo credit: )
"A person suffering from the fear of success is definitely scraping at the bottom of the fear barrel." Jerry Seinfeld While I agree that it is rather bizarre to fear success, I have found this phobia one of the most challenging fears to help clients eliminate. While I have been blessed with a decent track record in helping people get over their fear of heights, taking tests, and public speaking, I have found this particular phobia almost insurmountable. In my experience, many success phobics are wedded to their fear and are committed to failing whenever possible. Fortunately, many of these clients tend to be "mismatchers." A mismatcher is someone who does the opposite of what others suggest, even if the advice given is in their own best interest. This is a blessing in disguise, for we can utilize this mismatching tendency to our advantage in the following Formula for Failure.
  • Cave in to the Fear Even though we know that you have no control whatsoever of your fears, nonetheless, try to make the fear even bigger and more frightening than it already is. Project your fear onto your internal field of vision so that it totally engulfs your entire existence. After that is done, make it even larger so that it terrorizes you even more.
  • Envision Limitation If a successful image pops into your head, gently push it out of the way and replace it with a depressing or disastrous thought. Since we can only think of one thing at a time, then make sure you only focus on failure and don't allow those annoying images of accomplishment to creep into your nervous system.
  • Eliminate Goals If you have goals and objectives written down somewhere, then get rid of them immediately. A dream is nothing more than a goal with a deadline, so make sure you have no destination and no timetable to get there. Dreams are not a welcome component in the failure strategy unless they propel you backwards.
  • Ditch the Action Plan Do everything in your power to never create an action plan. If you take the time to write such a document, you run the risk leading yourself off the path of mediocrity towards a more enriched, balanced, and successful life. If you find anything in your possession that remotely resembles a plan of action, dispose of it ASAP.
  • Think Negatively Positive and proactive thinking just might lead you down the road to success. Therefore, make a concerted effort to ensure that the bulk of the 40-60,000 thoughts that you have each day are negative and despondent.
  • Gaze into the Future Envision where you would like to see yourself five years from now. Make sure that image is identical or worse than your current status quo. If for some reason you see a better you at the end of this time frame, then adjust the picture accordingly to fit into your ideal image of zero or negative growth. If you commit yourself to following these simple rules, then you will have nothing to fear because success will avoid you like the plague. Print out this formula and study it on a regular basis until you can commit these concepts to memory. With constant practice and hard work, your plan to eliminate this fear and avoid achievement will be a smashing success. In addition to his personal coaching practice, Ben Goldfarb has led corporate training sessions at Philips Medical Systems and Israel Aircraft Industry. He is the founder and director of Paradigm Shift Communications. For more information, send an e-mail to info@pdshiftcoaching.com, visit the PSC website at www.pdshiftcoaching.com, or call 972-(0)2-641-6673 or 0544-990-619 to arrange a complimentary phone consultation.