The fear of success keeps many people from dreaming big. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true and I know because I have lived through it. And if I am honest with myself and others, I struggle with it today.
I’m really serious about this and I suspect most readers will relate to this if they are at all honest with themselves. You see, I realized that I sometimes assess a decision on two different concepts of risk. First, there is the risk of doing it and what failure could represent. That’s the most common concept and with which we are most familiar. But then there is the risks that asks, what if this idea is successful beyond anything imaginable?
It’s on that latter concept that I have frequently said, “The only thing more fearful than going after a foolish dream is actually achieving it.” Now, there is, of course, a story behind that, so read on for the details. But first, I want to introduce you to two reasons we fear success and one very important reason why we should not fear success.
Success Changes the Status Quo
Change is something that we people naturally resist. We resist it because we are creatures of security and comfort. With change comes the unknown influence that said change will have on our personal welfare. Namely, our security and our comfort.
Let’s just say you dream big and you are a success at it. You might find yourself thinking about awards, financial windfalls, and a totally different way of life. And then you say “Whoa – a different way of life?”
That’s right. A different way of life. As in one that is not the same. As in something you have to adjust to having. Well, what if that means I have to have different friends and move to a different city? What if I don’t like that city and the new friends are bad influences? What if that means I have to give up on my boy’s night out every week? What if… you name it?
We fear success because, in addition to changing our way of life, it changes our concept of security and comfort. In many regards, we people find ourselves satisfied with a mediocre life that we can complain about while never once pursuing a path toward success because our mediocre life is one we know and can handle.
When you dream, dream so big – so foolishly – that the world laughs at you because they know the only way you can achieve success is with God’s strength.
Success Leads to Identity Crises
Imagine a time when you have set some wild life ambitions and then set out to achieve them. You’ve set all your resources and focused your every moment on achieving those dreams. Finally, after all your hard work, dedication and personal sacrifices for achieving your dream, you’ve come to the end of the road.
Congratulations, you’ve achieved success in reaching your dreams.
Congratulations, and . . . I’m sorry.
I tell you I’m sorry because I’ve been there. I set three primary dreams for my life, and at about age thirty, I had achieved all three. I had achieved my personal success. And I was sort of disappointed. Not only that, I didn’t know what to do with the rest of my life – which realistically could be longer than I had already lived to that point!
You see, that success led to an identity crisis in many ways. The bottom line, I didn’t know the answer to the question, “Now What?”
In fact, “Now What?” is one of the most terrifying things you can ask someone who has a chart-the-course mentality and there is no grand vision or destination in mind. Ambiguity is my mortal enemy. That question plagued me. Haunted me. My ignorance turned to bewilderment, which turned to desperation, which turned to crisis.
I wish it were as simple as starting a new list. But it wasn’t.
A list of goals with no value-providing purpose is just a set of tasks. Dream foolishly. #YLU Share on XThankfully, a conversation with God changed it all by unifying my dreams with God’s dreams. I detail that more in my book, Listen Up, Kids: Foolish Dreams, Syncing with God & Running to Win. In the words of Ferris Bueller: “I highly recommend picking on up.”
Your Success Glorifies God
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
– Psalm 37:3-5
Was I dreaming big enough? You might say that, because I achieved my three life dreams at about age 30, I was setting my sights too low. You might conclude that I got a lot of lucky breaks and worked my tail off and success in reaching those goals was a foregone conclusion. You might say all sorts of things, but here’s what I think God has said:
You’ve achieved success. It happened because of my grace. Those thirty years were mere preparation for MORE! Now, go forward with dreams that are so much bigger and more far reaching that you ever dared to imagine. With dreams that are out of your reach. I’ve been faithful to you, Chad, so you have no reason to doubt me as you pursue OUR dreams.
That’s what it means to dream foolishly. That’s what it means to get in sync with God. That’s what it means to be running to win.
[special]What about you? Are you dreaming big? Are you syncing up your life with God’s dreams and making them your own? Let’s chat. Comment on this post… I’d love to know more about your story of his glory.[/special]