Reflections in Excellence

The Fear of Success: Hidden Barriers in the Fast Lane (3 May 2002)

In identifying the reasons why many of our greatest goals are not achieved, it is sometimes said that our fear of failure holds us back. By putting to one side and ignoring those fears we should then be able to move forward, fully committed to the actions required. Or so it seems. However, what if it is not the fear of failure, but the fear of success, that holds us back?

People often talk about the fear of failure when looking for the reasons we do not try something new. But how is it that fear of failure can limit successful, confident people who have already overcome great obstacles and achieved so much? Why is it that high achievers become satisfied with second best?

The situation may develop like this. We commence our journey on the path to success. There may be setbacks and some trial and error learning initially, but after a while we achieve a certain level of success. For the most part, and for now, we are getting the results we need. We become comfortable doing what worked so far and we hope that if we keep doing what we have been doing, we will get there in the end. But as time progresses we move no closer to our goals. The effort we employ is the same, but progress halts. Sure, our initial milestones have been reached, but wasn't there a bigger prize we were after?

So from time to time we entertain some short-term and quick-fix ideas, and low risk strategies, but they don't seem to have any impact. Our rise to the top reaches a plateau that we never expected. At this point we may just decide to maintain the status quo. There is enough complexity for now and too much challenge to think about moving forward. The dream is suppressed (and possibly lost).

But our unfulfilled goals pull us forward. They motivate us to keep going. At the same time our past, and our fear of losing what we have already achieved, holds us back. So why does this occur? One proposition based on traditional motivation theory(1.) says that we each have a relative position on a continuum, a ratio between our tendency to achieve success and our tendency to avoid failure. Thomas Watson (1874-1956), the founder of IBM, described this theory earlier and more elegantly with the quote: "Success is on the far side of failure".

The same may also be true for organizations, reflecting different stages in their life cycle. Young entrepreneurial start-up companies have nothing to lose and everything to gain. They have a strong tendency to achieve success and set goals they are likely to succeed at. The mature organization has gained much and has everything to lose. It has a strong tendency to avoid failure, taking on only challenges with little or no risk (or those desperately needed to save the company).

What often happens to many successful organizations is that they eventually reach an equilibrium - a mid-point - where they move no closer to their goals, but also become successful at avoiding failure. Reaching a limit of their natural growth they are working very hard, but appear stationary. The organization is like a car that has slipped out of gear on the steepest part of an incline. The engine is running but there is no forward movement towards the summit.

At this point, some organizations re-consider their destination. The view is not that bad from where they are. Success becomes not about getting to the top, but more about not losing the ground already gained. The organization may look for a wedge to put under the back wheels to prevent it from slipping down the hill. One example is the use of quality accreditation in some businesses. They seek a benchmark for what they want to achieve - and then choose a minimum standard to define their success. The handbrake on continuous improvement is applied. When this happens (and assuming we recognize the situation) we know what has to be done. The engine is again revved up and first gear is engaged. With a firm grip on the wheel the accelerator is put down - but nothing happens. The 'fear of failure' becomes the handbrake on success which is never released. Fear of losing what we have already gained means that we cannot move forward - instead we are lucky if we can just keep the engine from stalling. Where we are - is where we stay.

So how does an organization regain its momentum? How do organizations which have stalled get moving again? Four steps are required: the first is to deal with the realities of failure, the second is to deal with the fear of failure, the third is to deal with the fear of success and the fourth is to deal with the reality of success.

Firstly, the realities of failure. Failure is a reality when key operational issues have become a threat to the organization's continued existence. These must be dealt with - systematically and effectively - so as to regain Business Excellence™. Once managed, and the business system is again operating at an optimal level, the organization is ready to move forward.

The next stage is to deal with the fear of failure. In dealing with crises, many organisations lose the equilibrium between success and failure. The management of failure becomes a greater priority than managing for success. A culture of avoiding failure develops. When this occurs, fear of failure is always talked about, but never dealt with. Even though successful on a day-to-day basis, it is fear of the next major crisis that keeps progress in check. Fears are 'false expectations appearing real'. By identifying the real risks they no longer pose a hidden threat. Perhaps it is no coincidence that in the dictionary 'feasible' follows 'fearsome'. Only when quantified can we manage the real risks represented by our unrealized fears. Once this is done, it is then only our fear of success which holds us back.

The 'fear of success' is like the fear of failure - but rather than being about the risks of losing what we have achieved, it is about the expectations of risk in that which we are yet to attain. The distinction is subtle, but important in managing the third stage. Increased motivation comes from enhancing both performance and the probability of success. To achieve a goal we need to know what it looks like when it is achieved and how it will be measured. We also need to define its importance to us. However, the future is by definition uncertain. In fact, there is only one thing certain about the future - the fact that it hasn't happened yet. Just as we face our fears of risking our achievements to the present, if we are to pursue our future, it is necessary to also face the uncertainty of success. Once this has been done, the fourth stage is merely the conscious strategic management of the practical realities required to achieve that greater success. By dealing with each of these dynamics in turn an organization can find a way to sustain excellence.

The current world's No. 1 women's surfing champion, Layne Beachley, also has the honour of having ridden the world's biggest waves. Her surfing ability allows her to manage the risks and the fear of failure in facing 40 foot ocean swells with a measured amount of nerve and expectation. However, after chasing the world No.1 spot for years, she explained that it wasn't until she realized that she hadn't faced success that she was able to lift her competition surfing and move out of the semi-finals. She then won six consecutive world titles. Once focused on the goal, and having removed all the other barriers, the practical realities of getting there became clear.

For successful people and organizations it may not be the fear of failure that holds them back. Perhaps the deeper question, the missing dynamic, and the insight as to why they are not presently able to accomplish those bigger goals, is that they may not have fully considered the elements that constitute their 'fear of success'.

By naming this syndrome we are able to explore our fears of both failure and success, one by one. These are rarely identified, and even less frequently dealt with in a structured way. The tools to do so exist: scenario planning, project management, financial modeling and risk analysis. It is the manner in which they are employed that is the key.

And the effects? Once moving again these organizations have no need for the emergency brake and appear to be turbocharged, placing the accelerator down as they move speedily up the hill, having the right vehicle for the terrain and never looking back. They look to the future and explore the challenges it brings without the fear of failure or a fear of the unknown. In the words of philosopher and writer Henry David Thoreau (1817 -1862):

"If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams, and endeavors to live the life which they have imagined, they will meet with success unexpected in common hours." (2.)

In dealing with success, having the right psychology is as important as having the necessary capabilities. It is not possible to deal effectively with the tangibles without recognizing and also managing the intangibles. To be successful, the conscious structuring of both is required. In exploring the barriers to success, the future 'what ifs' may be seen to be no different to the challenges undertaken and faced in the past. But until explored, we will never know. Only once we have explored and defined our future success, can we then move confidently forward in the direction of our dreams.

1. McClelland, D. (1961) The Achieving Society, Van Nostrand, Princeton, N.J.

2. Thoreau, H.D. (1951) Walden, Eyre and Spottiswoode London.

by Mark Hevron and William Varey

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