Success often appears to be something we aim for, passionately desire, and work diligently to achieve. Interestingly, however, when some people are on the verge of attaining that success, they hesitate, begin to procrastinate, or engage in forms of self-sabotage. While this behavior might appear as a simple “lack of motivation,” it represents a far more complex process from a cognitive psychology perspective.
For many individuals, success is interpreted as a potential threat. The issue lies not in success itself, but in how the mind appraises and interprets it.
When Success Becomes A Threat
The Cognitive Appraisal Model, developed by Folkman et al. (1986), suggests that whether we perceive a situation as a threat or a challenge depends on the meaning we assign to it. Success splits into two paths at this point: what is a deeply satisfying reward for one person can signal burden, high expectations, and the potential for failure for another.
Automatic thoughts such as “What if I can’t maintain it?”, “What if people now expect more from me?”, or “What if I fail at the next step?” transform success into a sense of threat. When these thoughts combine with cognitive distortions, individuals may begin to self-sabotage without even realizing it.
Cognitive Distortions: The Invisible Barriers To Success
a) Catastrophizing
Catastrophizing is one of the most common cognitive distortions. The individual focuses on worst-case scenarios, such as “If I can’t maintain my success, I will completely collapse.” By exaggerating perceived threats, catastrophizing increases avoidance behaviors and undermines sustained success.
b) Minimization: Undermining Success
Weiner (1985) states that individuals with low self-efficacy often attribute their successes to luck or external factors. This attribution style prevents individuals from internalizing their achievements, making success feel unstable and undeserved. As success is minimized, the person fails to experience competence and becomes increasingly hesitant to pursue further goals.
c) All-Or-Nothing Thinking
“If it’s not perfect, it’s worthless.” This form of thinking transforms success into a fragile state that must be maintained flawlessly. When even small mistakes are intolerable, individuals gradually disengage and begin to devalue their accomplishments altogether.
When Cognitive Distortions Turn Against You
When success is perceived as a threat rather than a reward, thoughts such as “What if I make a mistake?” emerge automatically. These thoughts frame success as risky and uncontrollable. As described in Seligman’s work on learned helplessness, avoidance becomes a coping strategy.
Procrastination, excessive focus on minor details, perfectionistic striving, or complete withdrawal are not random behaviors. They are mechanisms of self-sabotage that protect the individual from anticipated failure.
In the short term, these behaviors may reduce anxiety by shielding the individual from potential disappointment. In the long term, however, anxiety intensifies, motivation declines, and success feels increasingly distant. When success is misinterpreted, it becomes a psychological trap rather than a reward.
Conclusion
We are the authors of our own success stories, shaped not only by our actions but by how we manage our thoughts. When fear of success overrides realistic self-appraisal, individuals unknowingly construct barriers to their own growth.
The central question remains:
Will we allow distorted thinking to sabotage the potential we deserve?
References
Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Dunkel-Schetter, C., DeLongis, A., & Gruen, R. J. (1986).
Dynamics of a stressful encounter: Cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50(5), 992.
Weiner, B. (1985).
An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. Psychological Review, 92(4), 548.