How to Overcome Your Secret Fear of Failure: Recognizing and Beating Your Achilles Syndrome

by Petrūska Clarkson

Almost everyone has heard of an "Achilles heel,"--an expression derived from the Greek myth of the warrior who, when he was born, was dipped by his mother in the magical River Styx, but was held by the heel, which remained his vulnerable spot. A psychotherapist who is a consultant to many corporate leaders offers a brilliant analysis of the "Achilles Syndrome" of many people today who downplay their many strengths and talents and become consumed by real or imagined weakness. Revealing examples of famous people (made anonymous through composite case histories) show how the fear of "pseudo-competency" arises from a person's early experience in self-image, and how it's possible to close the gap between one's low assessment of oneself and the high assessments by others. The range of examples includes those of executives and middle managers as well as artists and musicians, spouses and parents, and even psychotherapists.

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2003

Reviews

[Renetta Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this such a useful book to read when I am facing new challenges and that being competently incompetent is not such a bad thing when starting new things. Creativity does not thrive in the stagnant and mundane but in the chaos and uncertainty, I can so relate to that!