The Fear of Success: What If It Works?

We always talk about the fear of failure — but what if what’s really holding you back… is the fear that it might actually work?

In this solo episode of Inside Out, I’m unpacking the sneaky, often unspoken fear of success. The part of us that worries: if I expand, will I lose people? Will I outgrow my old life? Will I still be loved if I change?

This one’s for the version of you that’s on the edge of a breakthrough but can’t seem to leap. We’ll explore how we self-sabotage through procrastination, perfectionism, and playing small — not because we don’t believe in ourselves, but because we’re scared of the ripple effect that real growth can bring.

✨ Ties in with past Inside OUT episodes:

• From Limiting Beliefs to a Liberating Life – confronting internal narratives that keep us small
• Competing Desires Gridlock: Why We Stay Stuck & How to get Unstuck – when the life you want is blocked by unconscious fears
• Breaking the Loop: Ending Repetitive Patterns – ending the patterns that keep us stuck
• Boundaries: From Self-Betrayal to Self-Respect – honoring the version of you that wants more
• Reframing Reality: The Power of Positive Speech – how your words, mindset, and energy shape what you allow in

Book Recommendation: Fear is NOT an Option by Monica Berg 

This episode is a love letter to the future you — the one that’s scared and ready. Let’s get MESy. Let’s get free. Let’s let it work!

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to follow along on social media @_insideout.podcast, rate and review. And Join the MESy Mailing List for exclusive content, insights on what is coming up and more!

Transcript

Welcome to the Inside Out Podcast. I'm your host Jojo and this is where we will navigate the mess together that is mental, emotional and spiritual. Let's get messy.

Jojo (00:27.438)
Hi everyone, welcome back. Hope everyone's summer is off to an amazing start and everyone is happy. Speaking of happiness, I was watching this show the other day and I was triggered by this quote that this woman said on the show about happiness because it reminded me of success and fear of success. So I'll read you what the quote says.

Nothing scares me like being happy. Happy is the scariest thing to be. Once you're happy, you have so much more to lose. And that really struck me because I think it's very true. I think people are scared of happiness because then if you are so high, you can fall so low. And that also ties into career, to success, because if you're successful, then you can fail.

And I think there's so much fear around success and it keeps us small because with success comes so much responsibility, comes so much unknown. And like that quote of being happy, you do have so much more to lose. But if we're keeping ourselves small and we're not pushing for that success in our lives, then we're really not living up to our highest potential.

We all want to succeed, right? And we all might think in our heads like, like I'm scared to fail, but I don't think it's the failure that we're afraid of. I think it's actually who you have to become in order to succeed. And that's why I wanted to talk about this because the fear of success masquerades as procrastination, maybe imposter syndrome, or even perfectionism. mean, I'm guilty of that for sure, but it's actually costing you.

So much more. Now there are a few episodes that I've released in the past that I've linked down in the show notes that I think would be, if you haven't heard them yet, go and listen to them because it kind of ties into this whole thing around fear and success and happiness. But I think a lot of that comes through our limiting beliefs.

Jojo (02:54.041)
our competing desires gridlock that we're in where we want one thing, but that one thing comes with the amount of other things that we have to do in order to get that. But then we're fighting against ourselves. And basically you want to be successful, but that means hiring so many more people and that's more responsibility. And then you keep yourself stuck in that vicious cycle. I think another episode that you guys should check out and re-listen to

is the boundaries and self-betrayal one. And I basically talk in that one about how fear of expansion can lead us to self-abandonment. And then the fourth one that I highly recommend is the positive speech episode where I dive into how language and mindset really shift your reality. So I really want you to sit for a second and ask yourself this.

If I weren't afraid of outgrowing my old identity, how would I show up today? And what small step can you take that might feel scary, but will ultimately expand you? We sell sabotage because we're so scared of, well, what if it works? What if the answer is yes? I recorded an episode with Yosef Yesharun all about career moves, identity shifts. And he said something so powerful in that episode. And he said, what if the answer is this will work?

They are the one. You will be successful. Then what? You still have to move the needle forward. I think we get so stuck in that paralysis of, what if it doesn't work? And then we tell ourselves it's actually the fear of failure, but in reality, what if it does? What if it does work? Then you're going to have to get way more specific about your time management, maybe even time blocking your day. You're going to have to get really clear on the people.

and the energies you surround yourself with. And you're going to have to get really specific about who you let into your energy circle and who you let into your vision. And the more you elevate, the more people fall out of your life. Have you ever gone through a massive shift in your life or identity change or career change? And you just notice the people that used to be around you in your circle aren't the same people anymore. For me, this is

Jojo (05:17.538)
In the last six months, the people that I used to surround myself with has completely shifted. People that I thought were best friends of mine have fallen away. People I thought were going to be in my life for the rest of my life have changed because when you level up, not everyone can come with you to your next level. And that's okay. It's like transformation. Think about a snake when they change, when they shed their skin, think about

A caterpillar, when it goes into the chrysalis, there's metamorphosis, there's transformation that happens and it comes out a butterfly. It's no longer on the ground, crawling around in the dirt. It's flitting around and floating above it all. It's the same when you tap into your purpose and align with that. You really do have to break away from what previously held you down. And that might be people, that might be beliefs.

that might be old patterns or old stories that you're telling yourself, but ultimately the right people and the right vibrations are going to meet you where you need to be met or are going to meet you on the path that you're already walking down. So let's get messy with this mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Mentally, there's a chance that your fear of success is actually the fear of more responsibility or even higher expectations.

that you're going to have to deal with. And emotionally, you might be scared of success because you're scared of leaving people behind. Maybe you're scared of being judged or no longer fitting in. Look at that. Because if that's the only reason, we have to do some changes here. And spiritually, we're so scared of success because there's so much discomfort in expansion. Success is literally demanding you to embody

your higher self, the highest version of you. Back to the caterpillar reference, that is not an easy process. That is a very painful process that the caterpillar has to go through to become a butterfly. It's not easy. There's so much discomfort in that. And that's why I don't think we are scared of failure. I truly believe we are scared of success because of the repercussions, the evolution, the transformation that really comes with that. Because what if it does work?

Jojo (07:42.66)
What if they are the one? And what if you really have what it takes to live out your dreams? I truly believe that we all do. But yes, when you are so high, there is further to fall, but that's no excuse or reason to not keep evolving, keep chasing, and keep going after your dreams.

I want you guys to take a minute pause and think about three people who could really benefit from listening to this. Maybe they're stuck in fear. Maybe they're stuck in self abandonment. Maybe they're really scared of what that next step looks like. Not because they don't think they can do it, but because of what's on the other side of if they can, what responsibilities they're going to have to embody, who they're going to have to become.

and how dedicated to that path that they're going to have to get. That's tough. And it's also beautiful. So send it to those three people that came to mind and make sure you also look down in the show notes and check out those other episodes I referenced. And hopefully we can all break away from fear. I've also tagged a book that I've talked about several times called Fear is Not an Option by Monica Berg. Highly recommend it. If you have not read it, it is a must.

It is a beautiful book, really just encapsulates how to break away from that fear and what fear really is and how it keeps us stuck and small. And you guys know where to find me at underscore inside out dot podcast. I'll see you guys next week and go give fear that middle finger. Bye.