“He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.” –— Aristotle
POOR PEOPLE HAVE FEARS THAT HOLD THEM BACK IN LIFE, ACCORDING TO SCIENCE—I have discovered that there seven fears that every millionaire has overcome to become rich, successful and prosperous.
Science has proven with evidence and research that poverty-stricken individuals have fears that make it impossible for them to climb the ladder of socio-economic mobility. Unfortunately, despite the best attempts of social-scientists, psychologists and government officials to help those at the bottom—the poor refuse to challenge and change their destructive emotional anxieties, stresses and fears.
I have researched hundreds of millionaires in an effort to discover their beliefs, thoughts and habits that are responsible for their financial success.
As a result of this research, for which I interviewed, studied and analysed the ultrarich, I gathered my data summarising it for public consumption in a few best-selling books and many articles.
What are the 7 main fears that every millionaire avoids which the poor refuse to overcome?
1. FEAR OF FAILURE: I consider this to be the primary reason for poverty. When anyone makes this fear a foundational doctrine of their philosophy and world-view this makes them destined to live in perpetual poverty.
Successful men who have achieved exceptional economic wealth understand the destructiveness of this fear. Unfortunately, this fact is neither understood nor known to poor people who constantly make this fear the basis of their existence.
Science refers to the fear of failure as Atychiphobia ”an irrational and persistent fear of failing.” It is associated with perfectionism and low-self-esteem. And anxiety and avoidance and helplessness are three of its common signs and symptoms. The best way to overcome this fear is to keep doing the things you fear until they lose their grip on you.
2. FEAR OF SUCCESS: I did have this fear at one point in my life. When I researched self-made millionaires in the United States of America, I discovered all of them had some form of this fear, referred to by science achievemephobia and successfully overcame it solely to become rich. This fear means people self-sabotage their chances of success because they are afraid of some potentially negative consequences of success i.e. such as the reaction of their friends, family and neighbors who might get envious at their good luck.
Some of the most talented people in this world refuse to act on their God-given skill because they fear the criticism of other people and they fear success itself. Many of these exceptional people live in poverty-stricken neighborhoods who face innumerable social and financial challenges to their growth, self-development and socio-economic mobility.
When someone considers fear to be more important than success itself who can guide this man to wealth? If you want to succeed at the highest level avoid making fear of success the main emotion in your life—you cannot hurt success itself but you will remain forever a financial failure.
3. FEAR OF DISEASE: I discovered that I had this rare condition which afflicts me to this day. This disease is non-existent amongst most of the world including the poor but it does exist in rare cases. And most of the people it afflicts are usually from the lower rung of the socio-economic ladder.
Despite the fact that I was born to a family of millionaires, I developed this disease when I was growing up. I have no understanding as to why I was afflicted by it.
However, some authors who have researched this issue believe that it causes poverty to become widespread.
When someone claims that disease does not scare them they are lying—but this fear is not the same thing as the irrational fear known as nosophobia according to science.
If you want to become successful you must carefully analyse your mind and behaviour to see if you have this irrational fear of disease. And if you discover this disease, it is important to cure it by becoming rich.
4. FEAR OF OLD AGE: I remember having this destructive emotionally crippling fear when I was a small child. This fear created many problems for me as I struggled to focus on my examinations because I was afraid of becoming old!
Now that I have become somewhat older, I have lost this fear! Is life not strange indeed? When I was legally a child I had a powerful fear of becoming old but when I have become much older, I have lost this fear entirely!
This fear may originate amongst people who are afraid of not living up to their true potential. Think about it: why else would you fear getting older unless it is because you fear becoming a failure in life?
If you hold this fear in the back of your mind you unconsciously accept a future state of failure and this is exactly what you will achieve! Do not accept failure in any form for any reason consciously or unconsciously!
Millionaires are constantly training their minds for the sole purpose of attracting more success in their lives—this is why they completely clear out all the negative emotions from their souls including this destructive fear of old age!
5. FEAR OF DEATH: I have struggled with this fear for years and I continue to have problems in this area. According to science the fear of death is called thanatophobia. It peaks in a person’s 20s for both male and female patients but women get a secondary spike in their 50s.
I remember interviewing a millionaire who struggled with this fear and told me, ”I have learnt to accept this on-going battle with this dread but I tell you what nothing helps me cope better than writing my articles and journals documenting this thing. At least for the short-term I am distracted from my thoughts and in the long-term I improve my writing ability.”
I think the best healing for this illness is time itself—this fear recedes in its intensity as time passes by.
However, a psychologist correctly identified acceptance of the inevitable to be the best cure for good. When you accept something to be real and a fact of life—you can simply escape the dread of its psychological consequences. Just accept it and move on with your life focusing on success, wealth and happiness.
6. FEAR OF POVERTY: I was afflicted with this fear for years and even today sometimes this emotion rears its ugly head. I almost think it is something satanic in its origin! Like a dark cobra it hides in the shadows of my mind, becoming bigger and darker at times of weakness and bites me!
This is a powerful fear that can be even deadlier for someone than the fear of death that I mentioned earlier—even the rich can be afflicted with this disease. Science refers to the fear of poverty as peniaphobia, a condition that affects millions of people around the world.
According to Napoleon Hill, “The fear of poverty is, without doubt, the most destructive of the six basic fears. It has been placed at the head of the list because it is the most difficult to master.”
7. FEAR OF PEOPLE: I remember one millionaire whose son was hiding in the closet because he was afraid of people. If you fear people you will fail to make meaningful connections and as a consequence fall into perpetual poverty. This is because of the financial principle that states, ”Your net worth is your network.”
I have seen the poorest of people become instantly rich with one connection and I have seen the richest of men become poor by developing the fear of people. This is why it is impossible to become rich, successful and prosperous without overcoming this fear.
This fear stops you from making money because you need clients; customers and partners to make sales, raise capital and close deals or even formulate a strategy. Business needs people to function and the fear of people destroys the foundation of trading.
All of the most successful people have been known to have many friends to help them.
SUMMARY
In the final analysis, there are many challenges and obstacles to becoming financially independent and socially successful. The seven most destructive fears that make success impossible have been identified and explained in this article to help you think about overcoming them. Millionaires are men who have overcome their biggest fears to achieve their deepest desires; resolve to become one of them by destroying the seven major fears that stop people from becoming rich.