Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

Jonah Complex: The Fear of Success

“The greatest risk isn't aiming too high and missing... it's aiming too low so you never have to change.”

— Michelangelo

Dear A,

Most people claim they’re afraid of failing. In truth, many are far more afraid of succeeding.

Psychologists call this fear of success, sometimes referred to as the Jonah Complex, the fear of stepping fully into one’s potential. It was originally coined by Abraham Maslow and refers to how in the Bible, Jonah tried (in vain) to run away from his fate. Success brings consequences: higher expectations, visibility, accountability, and pressure. And for those who are comfortable talking about ambition but less comfortable owning results, that pressure feels threatening.

The data supports this. Research shows fear of achievement is closely linked to low self-efficacy - a lack of confidence in one’s ability to handle success - and lower life satisfaction. Other studies tie fear of success to sensitivity to social backlash, meaning people aren’t just worried about failing; they’re worried about how success will change how they’re judged.

That’s why so many people chase goals they don’t truly believe they’ll reach. The image of pursuit is safe. It sounds ambitious. It attracts encouragement. But actually winning requires something harder: ownership. Once you succeed, there’s nowhere left to hide.

This fear often overlaps with impostor syndrome. When leaders doubt their legitimacy, they hesitate, over-prepare, or quietly self-sabotage. Perfectionism, endless planning, and “just one more credential” aren’t signs of discipline - they’re signs of avoidance.

From a CARVER leadership perspective, this is a failure of honest self-assessment. Leaders who lack Capability and Reliability in their own decision-making stall at the moment commitment is required. Vision without execution isn’t leadership - it’s theater.

Breaking the cycle starts with calling it what it is. If you hesitate when momentum builds, if success makes you uneasy, that’s not humility - it’s fear.

Most people don't fail because they aim too high. They stall because success would force them to live at a higher standard every day.

Build self-efficacy by acting decisively, not perfectly. CARVER teaches that leaders don’t wait for certainty - they evaluate risk, commit, and adjust. Pressure isn’t evidence you don’t belong. It’s the cost of leadership.

Struggle is familiar. Winning isn’t.

At some point, leaders stop talking about the climb and prove they can operate at the summit.

Stay safe and vigilant!

Luke Bencie