Fear of Success? Fear of Failure?

I've never really understood the difference between the fear of success and the fear of failure.  It's really just plain old fear!  Right?  I guess I have both.

Let's take a look at this.

What if I succeed?  Will I be able to handle it?  What will people think of me?  What makes me think that I can, in fact, succeed at this art thing?

What if I fail?  Again!  I've ventured into different things over the years, (Mary Kay, Usborne Books, sewing baby quilts) and haven't enjoyed nor stuck with any of them.  Intellectually I know that it really isn't so much about failing as it is about figuring out who I am, what I'm good at and what I enjoy.

But!  My inner critic keeps telling me that they were failures.  Why do I listen to her?  

As we all know, life is a journey.  Sometimes that journey is fun, like an exploration into the unkown.  What will I find?  It can be exciting!  

However, other times it can be more like venturing into the Horror House at the carnival!  (You remember what that was like, don't you?)  What's around the next bend?  Can I maneuver the wobbling floor? What if I fall?  Scary!

Sometimes my fears paralyze me.  Do you ever have the same experience?

I find a million other things to do instead of my art, or even more productive, I sit on the computer for way too long!  And the more I avoid and procrastinate, the more my inner critic enjoys herself!  (She's really not very nice).

Soooooo....As of this moment, I have decided to fight against her no matter what she says! 

 I can do this!  If I fail...wait....I won't fail.  It's a journey and this journey will surely have it's ups and downs and just plain scary moments, but...I can do this!

So ta ta my lovelies!  I'm getting off of this time-wasting device!  I will mosaic to my hearts conent and maybe even get out in the yard, polish off my bike and go for a ride!  I can do this!  And I will!

I'm excited!  I don't know why it scares me, it probably sounds silly to many of you, but it does.  I'm going to put my headphones on and drown out...I think I'll give her a name...Maureen (aka my inner critic)!

"If I fail, if I succeed, at least I'll live as I believe."  Whitney Houston

“The World is Your Oyster” Shakespeare The Merry Wives of Windsor

Falstaff: I will not lend thee a penny. 

Pistol: Why then the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.

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Is the world, in fact, our oyster?  Can we crack it open at will?  Partake of all it has to offer?

I think that we all know the answers to these questions and they are...yes, yes and yes!

If so, then why do most of us plod along? Never really striving for our dreams?  

And again, we all know the answer to that question as well... Fear.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm pretty sure there are others out there who share my experience.

In my life, I've dreamt of just a few things...  Getting married, being a mom, running my own business and writing a book. 

I had no fear of the first two, so that was pretty easy and have made me very happy and given me a wonderful life!

However, having my own business and/or writing a book scared the crap out of me!  My inner critic used to bombard my brain with questions like...

Who do you think you are?  

Do you really think that you have what it takes?

What would you write about?

What skill or service do you have that others would need?

And damning statements like...

 

You're not a "self-starter"!  

You don't have the motivation or the stick-to-it-ivness!  

You're not smart enough!

Don't even bother trying.

You will fail!

I listened and I believed.  

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Over the years I've tried a few things, like selling Mary Kay Cosmetics and Usborne Books.  They were kind of like having my own business.  I think I could have been successful at them if, in fact, I actually LIKED selling!  LOL

I told friends of mine, if I EVER mention selling anything EVER AGAIN, slap me in the face!  LOL

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I don't know exactly what changed, maybe it was that the kids were adults now and I started to wonder what the heck I was going to do with myself for the 2nd half of my life, but a while back I started to believe that I could turn my mosaic hobby into a business.

www.facebook.com/threeowlsmosaicart

I'm having a ball, learning new things, growing as a person and making a little money!  Why didn't I do this sooner?

Yes, it is selling, but the product speaks for itself.  Either you like it and want it or you don't.  I don't have to have a ready made schpiel trying to convince you to buy.  (That's the part I hated about selling.  It didn't feel honest to me.)

So, what is your dream?  What's holding you back?  What would your life look and feel like if you just took a step towards what you really want?

Think about it.  Pick one step to take and do it.

You CAN do this!

You ARE smart enough!

You DO have what it takes!

And, most importantly, you are meant to live your best life, so go do it!

I'd love to hear your story!  So, please share if you'd like!