Fear of success may cause inaction

For years, Jane had disliked her tendency to never complete anything.

She had several half-finished sweaters she had knitted. The flower garden in the front yard was only partially planted. Her bills were never paid on time. Her husband remained upset with her because the house was a wreck, and she never seemed to find the time to sit down with the children to see how they were doing in school or with their friends.

Jane constantly felt out of control, although she hadn’t put words to her feelings. She felt guilty about procrastinating. She felt like screaming and running away from it all. But she realized there was no place to go where her problems would be solved. The cycle produced tension and anxiety.

John’s main problem seemed to surface at work. His boss gave him things to do and deadlines to meet, but John had to be pushed continually to meet the goals. John always made excuses, but the truth was he was procrastinating in every assignment, sometimes to the point that the assigned task became obsolete and irrelevant.

After losing his job, John told his wife he was insecure and lacked confidence, that he was afraid to finish tasks because they might not meet his superiors’ expectations. He felt inferior to other employees. Regardless of how much praise he received, his confidence level was like a bucket with a hole. It could never be filled.

Behavioral scientists have come up with several reasons for procrastination. Some of the reasons include:

• Fear of failure. In graduate school I had several friends who never completed all of the work toward their doctorates. Many confided their perfectionist tendencies did not permit them to complete their thesis. They continued to work and rework the material, never feeling it was good enough to present.

Many of us know people who set out to do some artistic project, such as painting or a book, or to do a project around the house, and never complete it because they are afraid it won’t be satisfactory in the eyes of others. Although this problem is common, it can be helped if a person has the motivation to change and the proper guidance.

• Fear of succeeding. Some individuals believe they do not deserve to succeed because success ends up brining pain or rejection. Success often brings envy from others, and envy may cause a person to feel isolated. These individuals never complete a task so that success will not produce envy in others.

The two main reasons for procrastination – fear of failure and fear of success – are complex and may require deeper psychological searching. They are well worth exploring for anyone who wishes to modify his behavior and achieve a happier lifestyle.

Next week, I will discuss other causes for procrastination and draw some conclusions about people like Jane and John who did not wish to complete their daily tasks. Putting off until tomorrow what could be done today is a common fault.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1987