Turning Your Anxiety into Your Greatest Motivator.

We are all familiar with the term "imposter syndrome", but have you heard of "ambition anxiety"? While they may have similarities, they can be easily confused.

Ambition anxiety is a term to describe the feeling of stress, doubt, and fear that can come with our goals and aspirations. It's a feeling of wanting to reach your dreams but being uncertain if you have what it takes. Ambition anxiety can manifest itself in different ways ranging from physical exhaustion to mental burnout.

Ever since I can remember, I have always been super ambitious, wanting to be better and doing anything and everything to get there. It's natural to experience anxious thoughts when we're setting out on a new path or embarking on something bigger than ourselves. When this feeling arises, it’s important to remember that ambition anxiety does not define us – it only serves as a reminder that we are striving for something greater and better.

Don't Confuse Ambition Anxiety with Imposter Syndrome

The main distinction between ambition anxiety and imposter syndrome lies in the source of your feelings; while imposter syndrome comes from feeling inadequate when faced with challenge, ambition anxiety stems from normal human emotions when setting ambitious goals or striving for something greater. It's important not to confuse these two - both can cause physical exhaustion, however recognising them as individual feelings will help us better cope with their effects.

At the end of the day, both ambition anxiety and imposter syndrome are valid feelings - all we need to do is be gentle with ourselves in times of doubt or overwhelm so that we can continue on our paths towards success!

Recognising the symptoms of Ambition Anxiety

Recognising the symptoms of ambition anxiety is essential to overcoming this common mental roadblock. Symptoms of ambition anxiety can include difficulty concentrating and staying focused, constantly worrying about success and failure, feeling overwhelmed by the size of a task or goal, being overwhelmed by small details, procrastinating, and not trusting one's own ability to achieve success. It is important to recognise these symptoms so that you can take steps to address them in order to move forward with your goals. Taking the necessary time to work through any feelings of anxiety or doubt surrounding ambitions is vital for achieving long-term-success.

Here are my 10 top tips to help manage Ambition Anxiety

Take time to identify and address your own symptoms - Identifying the signs of ambition anxiety is the first step to managing it. What are your specific worries and doubts? Address these by writing them down or talking through them with a trusted friend or mentor.

Develop a plan of action - Create a clear and achievable plan of what needs to be done to reach your goal, breaking it down into smaller chunks if needed.

Practice self-care - Make sure that you get enough sleep and have regular breaks from work when needed. This will help you stay focused and productive when you do work on your goals.

Talk about it - Speak out about your ambitions and current struggles with ambition anxiety. Talking to others can help you gain perspective and become more open-minded about different paths towards success.

Celebrate small successes - Acknowledge the progress that you have made, rather than dwelling on what still needs to be done before achieving the ultimate goal.

Focus on learning, not perfectionism - Perfectionism won’t get you anywhere; instead, focus on growing your skillset and taking on new challenges in order to achieve greater results in the long run.

Set realistic expectations - Don’t let ambition haze cloud common sense; set realistic expectations for yourself and take it one step at a time so as not to put too much pressure on yourself all at once – this only leads to further anxiety!

Get feedback - Seeking feedback can be highly beneficial; both positive reinforcement from those already encouraging you and constructive criticism from people who have achieved the same goals as yourself can provide valuable insight into how best to move forward with an ambition without letting anxiety stand in the way of success!

Find support groups online/offline - Hospital support groups are great forums where people facing similar issues can find strength in numbers, learn coping techniques in an empathetic environment, or simply just talk without judgemental attitudes getting in the way of what they’re trying to convey or hear from others struggling with similar problems themselves!

Don't give up! - Regardless of how tough things may seem right now, keep pushing yourself forward until eventually, you will make progress against those ambitions that seemed so far away before!

The key to overcoming ambition anxiety is self-compassion. Instead of beating yourself up for not achieving your goals yet, be kind and gentle with yourself. Celebrate small wins and find ways to reframe negative thoughts as positive ones - like telling yourself “I'm taking steps towards my goal every day" instead of “I'm never going to get there", and remember that you are not alone on this journey!

Need help to lessen the load? Get in touch with me to learn how I can help you feel back in control, less overwhelmed and more focused on reaching your goals. Schedule a call to learn how.