Comments on: More on Fears (Not Moron Fears)

By: Victoria

Victoria — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:30:55 +0000

@Jenny Hi Jenny! Thanks for commenting. It was great getting to know you in the Blogging Therapy class. I love your metaphor of the animal apart from the herd. That imagery is right on, because it *is* a vulnerable place to be.

By: jyshsieh

jyshsieh — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:11:35 +0000

Hi Victoria — it’s Jenny from Blogging Therapy class. Congrats on starting the blog, I’ve so enjoyed reading your posts.

Definitely resonate with the ironic sounding ‘fear of success’ — why is it there? For me, it means the end of blending in, and the beginning of being seen. It feels incredibly vulnerable, kind of like the lone animal slightly set apart from the herd, the one that the lions are going to go after come dinner time… But it’s comforting to hear that what happens is you join a new herd!

Take care
Jenny

By: Victoria

Victoria — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:06:14 +0000

@Eileen Even if that experiment isn’t an actual event, I totally believe that would be the outcome. And I know *I’d* be in therapy if I were in group 2.

@James I know what you mean…that quote has been kicking around in my head for a couple of weeks now and I am still blown away by it.

By: James | Dancing Geek

James | Dancing Geek — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:57:31 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing that War of Art quote. Having somebody be able to say because… is amazing! Fear of success always sounded so fluffy that I never really got what it was talking about, it sounded like a cute pun on fear of failure. But this way it’s so easy to see how we can get hung up on where we are now, and the unknown that comes with growth and change, that we resist even those things we want!

Love it! :)

By: Eileen

Eileen — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:21:46 +0000

Wow, this is great stuff. You touch on so much here, but one thing the opening reminds me of is the book Art and Fear. In it the authors describe a college ceramics class which was divided into two groups: Group 1 was to be graded on the *quantity* of ceramic pots that they made, regardless of quality. Group 2 would be graded by the *quality* regardless of quantity, so even if they only produced one by the end of the semester, it had to be perfect…Well of course the outcome is that Group 1 ends up making the best quality pots anyway since they just kept at the practice and didn’t get hung up on every detail; Group 2 ended up being paralyzed by fear. Not sure if that’s a true story (and if so I would imagine poor tortured Group 2 heading into therapy) but I love the lesson there.

Will definitely have to check out The War of Art, thanks!

By: Victoria

Victoria — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:54:54 +0000

@Joely I love it when things work out that way. Happy New Year to you!!

@Sarah It’s interesting because I actually first read the book maybe almost a year ago, but it didn’t hit home until I re-read it within the past couple of months. Funny how that goes.

By: Sarah Lacy

Sarah Lacy — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:12:58 +0000

I’d heard of the War Of Art but never read it.
That really resonates with me as well – I finally get what they mean by fear of success. I knew I had it, but didn’t understand why.
Suddenly everything’s fallen into place :)

By: Joely Black (@TheCharmQuark)

Joely Black (@TheCharmQuark) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 23:00:52 +0000

This is a brilliant quote, and very true. It’s something I’ve struggled with for a long time. What a wonderful post to read in the last hour of 2008 – for me at least. This was exactly what I needed to read. Thank you!