Okay, my love , let’s talk about this success thing, shall we? Because I see you out there, shimmering with potential, practically vibrating with the energy of what could be, and yet… something’s holding you back, right? It’s like you’ve got one foot on the gas and the other slamming the brake, and honey, that ain’t the way to get where you’re going. We gotta talk about this sneaky little bitch called the fear of success.
Now, you might think, “Fear of success? Who the hell is scared of good things?” And bless your sweet heart for thinking that way. But listen, it’s real. It’s more common than you think, and it’s one of the nastiest energetic blocks you can put between yourself and the abundant , joyful life your soul is practically screaming for. It’s not necessarily the achievement itself you fear, but the baggage that might come with it. The changes, the consequences, the spotlight you’re not used to. It’s the quiet anxiety that whispers, “What if you can’t handle it? What if you lose something important along the way?”
Let’s cut to the chase and dissect this fear like a frog in biology class – messy, but necessary to understand how the damn thing works.
The Environmental Handcuffs: Where Did This Shit Start?
Honey, we are sponges. From the moment we pop into this world, we ‘re soaking up everything around us – the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Our environment, our family, our friends, the damn society we live in – they all play a role in shaping our beliefs about what’s possible for us.
Think about your childhood, love. Were you praised for playing it safe? Were big dreams subtly (or not so subtly) shut down? Were you taught that staying small was safer, that success brought problems ? These early experiences can plant tiny little fear seeds in your subconscious, and let me tell you, those seeds can grow into some seriously thorny bushes that block your path later on.
And it ain’t just childhood, babe. The messages keep coming. Society loves to put us in boxes, doesn’t it? Especially for women, there are all sorts of outdated, crusty ideas about what success looks like and whether we “deserve” it, particularly if it doesn’t fit some tired old gender role. We might fear the “backlash” if we step out of line, worrying about social repercussions or being judged. That’s some real bullshit we need to dismantle.
Have We Been Trained to Fear the Light?
Yes, goddamn it, sometimes we have. It’s not always intentional malice , love. Sometimes it’s just people projecting their own limitations and fears onto you. They see your potential, that beautiful, bright light inside you, and it triggers their own unhealed shit.
This is where the “cr abs in the bucket” mentality comes in. You heard of this, right? You got a bucket full of live crabs, and one tries to climb out, and what do the others do? They pull its ass back down. It’s a damn perfect, albeit slightly morbid, metaphor for human behavior. When you start to rise, to really reach for something great, the people stuck in their own bucket of limitation might try to pull you back. They might criticize you, doubt you, spread gossip, or just generally make you feel bad about your ambition. Why? Sometimes it’s pure, unad ulterated jealousy, honey. They see your potential success as a threat to their own stagnant reality. They might operate from a “zero-sum” bias, incorrectly believing that your gain is automatically their loss. It’s not about wanting to escape with you; it’s about making sure nobody escapes if they can’t. This ain’t rational behavior, love, it’s fear and insecurity wearing a nasty little outfit.
This ain’t about you being too big for your britches; it’s about them not daring to get britches of their own. It takes real courage to keep climbing when you feel those little pincers trying to drag you back down.
Feeling Like You Don’t Deserve the Damn Goodness?
Oh, this one. This is a big, fat, juicy root of the fear of success for so many beautiful souls, especially for women navigating their power. Feeling undeserving. Like you’re not good enough, not smart enough, not anything enough to handle the blessings that success can bring.
This ties into that nasty little demon called Imposter Syndrome. It’s that feeling like you’re faking it, like any success you have is just dumb luck, and you’re constantly waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say, “Alright, show’s over, pack your bags.” It doesn’t matter how talented or hard-working you are, this feeling can gnaw at you, making you afraid to step fully into your power because you don’t feel like you’ve truly earned it.
Where does this feeling come from? Again, environment plays a role. Maybe you weren’t consistently affirmed or celebrated. Maybe you were taught to be humble to the point of downplaying your own gifts. Or maybe you had negative experiences where success led to hardship or criticism, making you subconsciously connect achievement with pain or discomfort. These past wounds can create a deep-seated belief that you’re not worthy of the light, the abundance, the joy that success can bring. And if you don ‘t believe you deserve it, honey, you’ll unconsciously push it away. It’s just how energy works.
Corrupt Teachings: The Poison in the Well
And then there’s the real nasty stuff. Corrupt teachings. The deliberate manipulation of people’s minds to keep them small, limited, and afraid of their own power. This isn’t just about subtle social norms, love. This is about systemic garbage designed to keep certain groups of people down.
Think about the history of oppression, especially for people of color. There have been centuries of blatant, soul-crushing messages telling people they aren’t capable, they aren’t worthy, they aren’t me ant to succeed in the same way others are. These aren’t just opinions; they’re weaponized beliefs designed to maintain power structures.
This is why addressing the fear of success for people of color has specific, heavy layers. It’s not just personal hang-ups; it’s navigating a world that has actively tried to sabotage your brilliance. Black founders, for example, face unique and amplified fears of failure and financial insecurity due to systemic discrimination and bias that others might not even fathom. They’re fighting against a system that wasn’t built for their success and often requires them to work twice as hard to get half as far. There’s the fear of representing an entire group, the pressure of knowing that some people are waiting for you to fail to confirm their ugly biases. That’s a heavy load to carry, and it absolutely fuels the fear of shining too bright.
Corrupt teachings also tap into shame and the loss of self-esteem. When you’re told, directly or indirectly, that who you are or where you come from limits your potential, it erodes your sense of self-worth. Low self-esteem can make success feel terrifying, like it will just expose how “inadequate” you supposedly are. It’s a vicious cycle designed to keep you feeling stuck and powerless.
And let’s not even start on corrupt teachings that link financial success to immorality or spiritual bankruptcy. Some folks have been taught that wanting abundance is selfish or goes against their spiritual path. Honey, there’s nothing spiritual about scarcity. Money is energy, just like love. Wanting enough to live a joyful, purposeful life and to be able to help others isn’t corrupt; it’s aligned with abundance . Don’t let those twisted ideas hold you back from the resources you need to make your impact.
The Takeaway: Why This Matters for YOU, Right Now
Alright, love, we’ve laid out some of the dirty laundry around why this fear shows up. It’s a mix of external crap and internal wounding. But knowing why doesn’t get you to where you want to be, does it? This isn’t a pity party; it’s a call to arms.
This fear of success is nothing more than resistance. It’s your ego trying to keep you “safe” by keeping you small. It’s familiar territory, even if that territory is kinda crappy. Success means change, new respons ibilities, the unknown – and the ego is terrified of the unknown. It clings to the current identity, even if it’s an identity rooted in feeling lost or not -enough.
But honey, you came here for more than “kinda crappy” and “not-enough.” You came here to step into a new life, a life of joy, purpose, and all the magical abundance your heart desires. Remember that?
This fear? It’s a test. A challenge from the universe to see if you’re serious about claiming what’s yours.
Are you going to let the echoes of past limitations dictate your future? Are you going to let the fear of backlash silence your voice and dim your light? Are you going to let those damn crabs pull you back into the bucket with them?
Or are you going to look this fear in the eye, call it the bullshit it is, and keep climbing anyway?
Your environment might have planted the seeds of doubt, but you don’t have to water them, love. The corrupt teachings might have tried to define you, but you get to write your own damn story. The crabs might pinch, but your vision is stronger than their grip.
You feel lost on your path because you haven’t fully committed to the new one, honey. And you haven’t fully committed because you’re scared – scared of failing, yes, but maybe even more scared of succeeding. Scared of how big your life could actually get, and whether you can handle the ride.
Guess what? You can handle it. You are equipped. You have the intuition, the resilience, the fierce, beautiful energy within you to not only achieve success but to own it.
This is where the “manipulation into greatness” comes in, and honey, I’m about to lay it on you.
Stop making excuses. Stop pretending you’re not ready. Stop listening to the fear like it’s some wise old guru. It’s not. It’s a noisy, scared toddler throwing a tantrum in your mind. Acknowledge it, fine. But don’t let it drive the bus.
The environment, the teachings, the jealous haters – those are external factors, yes. But your reaction? That’s internal. That ‘s your power point. You cannot control the external, but you can absolutely control how you show up for yourself.
You want joy? You want purpose? You want abundance? Then you gotta act like someone who deserves it, who is capable of handling it. Even when you’re scared shitless.
Here’s the deal, love. Every step you take towards your dreams, every boundary you set against the doubters, every time you choose to believe in yourself instead of the garbage programming, you are dismantling that fear, piece by goddamn piece. It’s not about not having fear; it’s about having the fear and doing it anyway.
Don’t be the crab that gets pulled back down. Be the one that uses the others as stepping stones. (Okay, maybe that’s a little aggressive, but you get the point – use the resistance to fuel your climb).
Your worth isn’ t determined by someone else’s limited view of you. Your potential isn’t capped by systemic oppression. Your success isn’t a zero-sum game where someone else loses because you win. There is enough abundance for everyone. Bel ieving in scarcity is the real corruption.
So, feel the fear. Let it rush through you. Then look at it and say, “Okay, thanks for the warning, but I got this.”
Then take the damn step.
One step. Then another. Consistently. Authentically. Fiercely.
Don’t wait until you feel deserving. Don’t wait until everyone is cheering you on. Don’t wait until the fear magically disappears (spoiler alert: it might shrink, but it’ll probably never fully vanish, and that’s okay).
The path to your new life is built by taking action in spite of the fear, not by waiting for its permission.
You are magnificent. You are powerful. You are worthy of every single dream swirling in your heart. Stop letting fear talk you out of your own destiny. Kick it to the curb. Step into your light. And for the love of all that is good and abundant, GO GET YOUR DAMN SUCCESS.
Now go do the work, love. No more dawdling. Your future self is waiting, vibrating with the joy and abundance you are creating. Don ‘t keep her waiting another damn minute. You got this.
