Which 3 Fears Are The Most Common?

Before we can ever tackle something new in life and move on we have to address our fears. Fear is the number one reason why people do not achieve what they consider to be success.

But what are these fears? How can we identify them? Napoleon Hill is probably our best guide. In his classic book, ‘Think And Grow Rich,’ Hill sets out the six most common fears and their features. Let us look at the top three.


The Fear of Poverty


This comes from the erroneous belief that wealth is restricted and for one person to win another must lose. Not true. Napoleon Hill puts it this way: “we live in a world of overabundance of everything the heart could desire, with nothing standing between us and our desires, excepting a lack of definite purpose.”


The fear of poverty produces procrastination, pessimism, feigned indifference and a resigned acceptance of small rewards offered. A common example is seen in a workforce accepting a meagre pay rise from an employer.


Personal standards often drop as a result of this fear, which could also be seen as a fear of failure. Victims regularly abuse drugs or alcohol or show bad financial discipline such as ‘retail therapy’ when a person thinks shopping can somehow make them feel better.


As with other fears, sufferers of this fear will seek the company of other victims, as they will not question their mediocre lifestyle or their avoidance of responsibility.


The Fear Of Criticism


The advent of modern mass media means this fear is becoming much more common. It includes the fear of public speaking and stage fright. So many people who are afraid to do anything themselves are ready to criticize those who take action.


Obvious symptoms are nervousness and self-consciousness. Sufferers tend to avoid making decisions or expressing specific opinions. They frequently use big words which they probably do not understand themselves, claim imaginary achievements or imitate others in dress or speech. It is interesting to note that those who make themselves out to be superior to you are overcompensating for a fear of criticism.


The fear can be quite destructive when victims become extravagant and spend beyond their income, which is another symptom.


The Fear Of Ill Health


Again the media can make this fear worse. The symptoms of illnesses are widely publicized so people feel they have the disease and the drug companies advertise the ‘cure.’ Hypochondria (imagined illness) is very much a symptom of this fear. Victims will try all the fashionable medicines or diets to deal with their supposed condition.


The power of the mind is such that the fear of a particular illness can reproduce the symptoms. Indeed the whole immune system can be affected by anxiety.


Subjects of this fear are generally looking for sympathy and attention and will act as invalids. Incredibly they may well not want to go outside, so avoiding healthy fresh air and exercise.


Conclusion


Frequently fear has been described as being ‘just in the mind.’ This is certainly true but the mind is a powerful instrument and fears can damage a person’s entire life. One lady convinced herself she was ill and retired to bed as an invalid. Her parents had to look after her. Regrettably her parents eventually passed away and, when they did, the ‘invalid’ left her bed and resumed a normal healthy lifestyle.


How many fears are holding people back from achieving their potential? These fears need to be overcome and the right motivation words found to help the victims move on.



If you want to find out about fears and how to combat them using the right motivation words, join us on a journey to success (without the hype) at InspirationMessages.com