Book one · source page 55
Anxiety About Success
An emotion that arises from fear of what achievement might change.
Why do I feel this way?
Anxiety about success emerges when part of you fears that achieving your goals will bring pressure, expectations, exposure or loss.
It's not fear of failure, it's fear of expansion, responsibility and visibility.
How to change or channel it
- Acknowledge the fear without shaming yourself, it's normal.
- Break success into manageable steps, not one overwhelming leap.
- Remember that you get to define what success looks and feels like.
- Anchor yourself back to why you wanted this dream in the first place.
A little more light
Living with this feeling
Original Lantern Project guidance inspired by this topic. This section is not copied from the source book.
Avery notices anxiety about success after an experience that is difficult to put into words. Instead of judging the feeling or forcing it away, Avery names what is present and chooses one supportive practice: acknowledge the fear without shaming yourself, it's normal.. The feeling may still be there, but it is no longer the only voice directing the moment. Avery has created enough space to choose what comes next with greater care.
“I can acknowledge anxiety about success without letting it define every part of me. I can listen to what it may be showing me and choose one caring next step.”
What might anxiety about success be asking me to notice, protect, accept, express, or change today?
Where it can lead