What Fears Are Holding Me Back?

Want to know your fears and fix them?

What fears are holding back your life?

Fears stop us from doing the necessary things to accomplish our goals. Many people choose not to do something out of fear without being aware of it. Recognizing our fear is the first step to understanding what is holding us back so we can solve it and move on with our mission.

Amy Morin has summarized the top 10 fears that hold people back in life.

Fear of change
Fear of loneliness
Fear of failure
Fear of rejection
Fear of uncertainty
Fear of catastrophe
Fear of getting hurt
Fear of being judged
Fear of inadequacy
Fear of losing freedom

So what do these fear do?

First, the fear of change makes us reject change.

People who do not enjoy change find any new adjustment in their surroundings and social system a possible threat rather than a fresh new opportunity. They become oblivion to new possibilities or fresh opportunities in any newly altered situation. And that is a loss.

Secondly, the fear of loneliness makes some people unable to be alone.

This type of symptom may vary in terms of how people react. Some might become clingy and needy. Some may appear a people-pleaser to belong.

Third, the fear of failure results in no action.

Some people become passive and do not try anything new as they do not want to fail. They act on things they are sure will succeed. The downside is they can never learn. Many of us might have learned that we all learn from failure. We do something, and we fail. Then, we know how we should do it differently.

Fourth, the fear of rejection stops people from pursuing anything their hearts desire.

Many people are afraid of asking for something or initiating a conversation with someone of interest as they do not want to deal with rejection. It is a critical holdback in a person’s life.

Fifth, the fear of uncertainty comes from the need for safety.

Some people will not quit their jobs even though they hate them. It is because they do not want to lose job security. They do not want to risk the uncertainty of not being able to pay their bills.

Sixth, the fear of catastrophe prevents some people from living their life fully.

They will avoid adventure, going to new places, or trying something new as they are worried about anything terrible that might happen.

Seventh, the fear of getting hurt makes people live life with limitations.

Some people stay in their comfort zone and never come out to explore any new possibility. They feel they won’t get hurt as long as they stick to the same lifestyle and the usual crowd.

Eighth, the fear of being judged makes some people keep themselves low profile.

They prefer to be unnoticeable to avoid being judged. The downside is they live their lives with limitations. As a result, they may feel a sense of unfulfillment.

Ninth, the fear of inadequacy makes some people feel small.

As compensation, some people might become a perfectionist. They may try to appear overly confident to mask their sense of lack. But it will never be enough. No matter how much they try, they still feel inadequate. Some people may keep their heads down and never step up for anything they want. The feeling of not being good enough or not measuring up to the standard will make them become an underachiever too.

Finally, the fear of losing freedom is common to everyone.

It is not a critical holdback to a person’s life unless it is off the charts. Some people are so scared of losing their freedom that they do not commit with anyone or anything.

So what are the fears that hold your life back? Identify them and learn how to tame your fear.