“In the moment you pledge your highest love, you greet your greatest fear.” – Neale Donald Walsch
Yesterday we spoke about a hidden cost of success:
Criticism, envy, and even hate from others.
A larger stage means more eyes on you, after all — and they won’t all be friendly.
But that’s just for starters.
Waiting at the next level is a whole lineup of new challenges that, like it or not, are going to hurt.
And deep down, we already know this.
We already know that building a big business, attracting a high-quality partner, stepping into a larger expression of our personality, or reaching a deeper level of spiritual development comes with fresh new responsibility, competition, pressure, and risk.
After all:
Playing in the pros means facing fiercer opponents.
Getting stronger means lifting heavier weights.
And falling in love means you can get hurt.
(am I motivating you yet?)
Bottom line, success is scary.
And our fear of what comes with success is precisely what we use to block ourselves from ever achieving it.
So here’s the counter-intuitive ninja move:
Face the fear in advance.
Sit down with pen and paper (or your laptop), and get very clear on what you’re trying to achieve…
And, all of the scary new challenges you might face when you achieve it.
Then, ask yourself…
Am I willing to handle these challenges?
Can I live with the “downsides” of accomplishing my goal?
And of course:
Will it be worth it?
Then, notice the freedom, clarity, and maturity of perspective that emerges on the other side of these questions.
Success isn’t for everyone, because not everyone can handle the suffering that comes with success.
(otherwise, everyone would be successful)
But if you go into the fight expecting to get punched, you’ll have a much greater chance of winning it.
– T
P.S. For extra points, pair today’s lesson with this clip about discovering your life mission.
And while you’re watching, imagine the challenges that will arise when you reach what we call “Stage 3.”
Fun stuff 🙂
