Fear is something we all carry, though it shows up differently for each of us. It can keep us safe, but it can also hold us back from opportunities, relationships, and growth. We asked some brilliant members of the community to share the one fear that has shaped their choices the most—and their answers reveal just how universal, yet deeply personal, our struggles with fear really are.

Derek Jameson

The fear of true success has always held me back. I have chosen to let that fear hold me back. The fear of success is truly the fear of change. We hold so strong to who we think we are that we never evolve into the power people we came to Earth to be. Read More>>

Jordan Levy

This is a great question, and I’ve actually been thinking on this for a bit. I think the same fears that push me to do things are actually the same fears that hold me back from accomplishing them. I would say the biggest one is the fear of failure. Read More>>

Alliah Cabradilla

For years, I believed that the worst thing in the world was not pleasing everyone. I would go along with whatever the people I considered friends wanted to do, even if I felt uncomfortable or unsure. At the time, all that mattered to me was keeping them close—having friends I could hang out with and feeling like I belonged. Read More>>

Tre Romero

The fear of being seen & judged was something that took me a while to get over, and i’m still working on it. Especially in-person, I have a strong presence that’s hard to ignore despite my receptive nature, and that tends to attract people who love what I do, or piss them off royally. Read More>>

Chasity Ramsey

I used to feel swallowed up by my fear of what other people were thinking of me. I often found it so incredibly tough to express myself and I would blame it on being shy or introverted. Truth was, I created a ton of my own social anxiety by constantly being obsessed with what other people were thinking. Read More>>

Bria Gallardo

The fear of being misunderstood! I’ve always been terrified of being perceived differently than I actually am, and it held me back from doing a lot of things for a very long time. So often, I think about how I wish I had my current confidence in my early 20’s. I definitely would be a lot farther along than I am now! Read More>>

Douglas Weissman

Fear of rejection. Marty McFly captured it perfectly when he said, ‘What if I send in the tape and they don’t like it? I mean, what if they say I’m no good? What if they say, ‘Get outta here, kid, you got no future.’ I mean, I just don’t think I can take that kind of rejection.’ That’s exactly how I felt for years. Read More>>

Charlie Lauren

A fear that has held me back in life is the fear of vulnerability. For a long time, I struggled to express how I truly felt because I was embarrassed by how others might perceive me. I thought that showing emotion would make me appear weak or too much. Read More>>

Nadja Young

The feeling of not being good enough has always paralyzed me . Knowing I’ll be judged and possibly told I’m not good is such a paralyzing feeling . I’m getting better at not letting that hold me back but it’s a whole process .Read More>>

Nicholas Jones

It’s inevitable for all of us that it happens or we don’t grow as people, but my biggest fear is failure in my craft. Detrimental failure in my craft scares me most, the possibility of what was made never coming to fruition or growth again. Read More>>

Asia Arnett

People often talk about the fear of failure, but for me, it was the fear of success that held me back the most. I’ve always been resilient and confident in my vision—especially when it came to my career and entrepreneurial path. But deep down, I questioned whether I was truly ready for the responsibility that success brings. Read More>>

Sky Knox

I think the fear of judgement has held me back the most in my life. Growing up as a dancer & performer, it was easy to compare myself to others. Read More>>